University Librarian

Yale University invites applications and nominations for the position of University Librarian. The University seeks a visionary leader to collaborate with the President, Provost, faculty, staff, and students in positioning one of the world’s premier research universities for global leadership in the 21^st century.

The Yale University Library is among the world’s leading research libraries, comprising some 13 million volumes in all media, ranging from ancient papyri to printed books and serials to electronic databases. It has particular strength in international collections, featuring holdings in more than 300 languages. The Library is housed in twenty buildings, including the Sterling Memorial Library, the renowned Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, the new Bass Library, and various school and departmental libraries. It employs over 500 FTE staff and has an annual operating budget of over $80 million.

Reporting to the Provost, with access to the President, the University Librarian will assume the leadership of a complex and historic institution at a time of unprecedented change in the acquisition, dissemination, and preservation of knowledge. He or she will develop and implement a vision for the Library in support of the University’s strategic plan; build a strong and effective leadership team within the Library; strengthen communication and information flow between the Library and its constituents; and manage the Library’s multi-faceted operations strategically during a time of constrained but stable resources.

Successful candidates will bring: an understanding of the major challenges facing research university libraries today; the capacity to collaborate and communicate with diverse constituencies of faculty, students, and staff; a successful history of staff development and team building; the capacity to understand and support scholarly research; an awareness of current trends in scholarly publication; the ability to manage a complex physical and virtual environment to deliver information services and preserve information in all formats; a willingness to seek out and obtain resources for the development of the Library; and the ability to balance support of the Library’s traditional collections and services with the development of new strategies to support scholarship, teaching, and learning.

The President has appointed a 14-member search committee to advise him on this appointment.  Review of applications will begin March 1, 2011 and will continue until the position is filled.  The committee welcomes the candidacies of individuals who bring appropriate skills and experience developed in settings other than the leadership of a research university library as well as those with more traditional experience and preparation.

Yale University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.  Yale values diversity in its faculty, students, and staff and strongly encourages applications from women and underrepresented minority candidates.

All inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed with a cover letter in confidence to:

Brian Lizotte, Secretary

Librarian Search Committee
Office of the Provost
Yale University
 P. O. Box 208365
 New Haven, CT  06520-8365