Director of Library and Learning Resources

Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science
Los Angeles, California

Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU), a private, non-profit, non-sectarian medical and health sciences institution located in the Watts-Willowbrook community of South Los Angeles, invites applications and nominations for the Director of Library and Learning Resources. Reporting to the Dean of Academic Affairs, this position represents an outstanding opportunity to participate in the revitalization of this historic university as it fulfills an important mission to improve health care and health education among underserved, diverse populations across the County of Los Angeles and beyond. The Director of Library and Learning Resources will provide leadership, management and direction for CDU’s library and learning resource planning and development across the campus.

Founded in 1966, CDU is a growing and developing institution. The College of Medicine and the College of Science and Health provide both health sciences and medical education in a variety of health care-related fields. The recently launched Mervyn M. Dymally School of Nursing, the first in the nation to focus on health inequities, will enroll its first students in Spring 2009. Over the next four years, CDU will be expanding its shared two-year medical program into an independently LCME-accredited four-year program. CDU is significantly enhancing its research enterprise; building a state-of-the-art, $43-million Life Sciences Research and Nursing Education Building; and forging strong, collaborative partnerships with a wide range of health-care institutions and community-based organizations for clinical rotations, joint research and residency training sites. The university is expanding its clinical operations and is planning for Schools of Pharmacy and Dentistry in the years ahead. For more information, please see http://www.cdrewu.edu/.

CDU is in the top 10% among institutions receiving National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding and in the top 50 private research universities for NIH funding and is a national leader in translational and health inequities research. The university has a 30-year-long shared program with UCLA for medical education, and a new partnership with UCLA for nursing education. To support these and other programs, CDU receives a portion of its funding from the state through the University of California System. CDU’s College of Medicine is recognized by the Federal Department of Education as an Historically Black Graduate Institution. CDU is also a charter member of the Hispanic Serving Health Professional Schools, and is the only institution nationally holding this dual designation.

Working together with the Dean of Academic Affairs and the Chief Information Officer, the Director of Library and Learning Resources will play an important role in contributing to this exciting expansion. The Director will be expected to transform the Library and the Learning Resource Centers (LRCs) into the intellectual and social hub of the campus, ensure that user interaction with both the Library and LRCs is seamless, support and grow the human capital potential within the Libraries and LRCs, create new funding streams to support the Library’s operations and initiatives, and effectively promote the Library and LRCs to external stakeholders, constituencies, and peers. If successful, the Director will help CDU to fulfill its potential to become a leading center for instruction, research, and service aimed at tackling the daunting health care challenges faced by low-income, underserved populations around the world.

The successful candidate for the Director of Library and Learning Resources position will possess most or all of the following characteristics and qualifications:

• Master of Library or Information Science degree or equivalent degree in a relevant discipline
• Demonstrated ability and knowledge required to run and administer a health sciences library, including a track record of substantial experience within a health sciences setting
• Experience with and interest in developing learning resources and/or educational technology
• Excellent leadership and management skills, including experience supervising and directing the work of others
• A high-energy leader with an entrepreneurial spirit
• Demonstrated commitment to and active promotion of the values of a diverse environment
• Experience in developing collections for health sciences libraries and in developing an information commons is preferred.

Nominations and applications are being accepted for the position. Candidates must submit a cover letter summarizing the candidate’s interest and qualifications for the position, a current resume, and the names of six (6) professional references, including title and contact information. Inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed to Isaacson, Miller:

Isaacson, Miller
David Bellshaw and/or Beverly Brady
Re: Director of Library and Learning Resources, Charles Drew University
649 Mission Street, Suite 500
San Francisco, CA 94105
Email: S3718@imsearch.com
E-Mail correspondence is strongly encouraged.

Charles Drew University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and encourages women and minority candidates