Head Librarian (Midwest Campuses)
Vacancy ID 002715
Specified Purpose (career break cover)
Moylish Campus, Limerick
Expected start date – September 2022
This post will primarily be based at the location specified above, but from time to time will require attendance at any of the TU campuses.
Reporting to The Librarian for TUS Midwest Campuses will co-lead the TUS Libraries with the Librarian for TUS Midlands Campus, and report to the Vice President of Student Education & Experience.
Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS) is Ireland’s third technological university and home to 14,000 students and a staff complement of approximately 2,000 people, full-time and part-time, across six campuses in Athlone, Limerick, Thurles, Clonmel, and Ennis.
Established on October 1, 2021, TUS has a strong regional focus and will be a key driver of development and investment across the Midlands and Midwest. The new networked university, linked by the river Shannon, borders on almost half of Ireland’s 26 counties and will provide unprecedented levels of access to higher education.
We are committed to developing a contemporary and vibrant technological university – a higher education institute that reflects the educational and economic needs of our region and communities we serve. The new technological university will connect knowledge creation with industry partnerships to grow and support collaboration. The technological university will be the home of academic leaders, knowledge creators and cutting-edge researchers who will positively affect people’s lives now and in the future.
The Role The role of the Head Librarian is to provide a pro-active, cost effective and efficient library and information service and expertise team in support of the teaching and research requirements of TUS. The appointee will be joining a dedicated team that are continuing to innovate, integrate, and develop a shared vision for the TUS Library as a new technological university library, aligned to the ambitions and goals of the TUS, and deeply connected to, and engaged with, our whole learning community. The Head Librarian will lead on all aspects of the innovation, integration, and strategy related to the development of the TUS Library function, in collaboration with colleagues and direct and supervise, as appropriate, the work of members of the library staff to deliver same.
Qualifications/Experience
Minimum:
– Applicants should have an honours degree and a postgraduate qualification in Librarianship or Information Science or an equivalent qualification, and
– At least 3 years satisfactory experience of library work.
– Experience in academic/third level environments
– Experience of strategic management and planning skills
– Experience in implementing strategic change
– Strong interpersonal, communication, relationship-building and management skills are essential.
Desirable:
– Evidence of relationship-development across the higher education landscape
– Active engagement at national/international level on professional and sectoral level
– Awareness of higher education teaching & learning, research and HE policy landscape.
Principal duties and responsibilities:
The appointee will carry out such duties as are assigned including but not limited to the following:
➢ to lead and work with the Library leadership team and the VP for Student Education and Experience on the development of the TUS Library and Library Strategy with a priority focus on the TU contexts of TUS, the founding of a technological university library, and developing an excellent library user experience
➢ contribute to the formulation of overall university policy, to implement and manage the implementation of TUS policy(s) within the library and to contribute to the overall development of TUS and the achievement of its mission
➢ to plan, initiate, develop and exploit library, scholarly and information resources in an optimal and competitive manner to meet the interests of students, staff, and the region and to ensure that the service is available to users throughout the week
➢ to analyse and implement new and revised business processes, supported by suitable digital technologies, to exploit both the efficient and effective delivery of library services that maximise the student experience
➢ to plan, at operational level, resource requirements and to prepare budgets and manage the library resource allocation
➢ to monitor and evaluate the deployment and use of all resources using appropriate performance indicators and ensure the implementation of the TU budgetary policy
➢ to lead liaison within the TU community in developing relationships, particularly teaching and learning and research and innovation, identifying and acquiring material to support programmes at all levels
➢ to be responsible for the management, induction, training, motivation and development of library staff and to advise on and participate in recruiting suitably qualified staff
➢ to advise on/promote/organise/participate in, as appropriate, staff development programmes
➢ to promote and ensure the smooth running of the Library and to be innovative in the
introduction of best practices by library staff for users and to ensure the implementation of TU Library policies and regulations
➢ to promote the library and information service within the university and its region and to promote the library’s core academic functions, information expertise and research-engagement as well as a connector internally for TUS and externally to a range of communities and organisations;
➢ to identify opportunities to further improve the cost effective and efficient provision of information services to the TU and regional interests;
➢ to identify and develop library links with other library and educational establishments, nationally and internationally including representing the Library as part of THEA Librarians Group, the RUN-EU Network and with the local community and external agencies and make recommendations on the implementation of such links
➢ to encourage and facilitate research expertise development, research culture and research programmes, including actively engaging nationally and internationally on collaborative research funding applications
➢ to oversee the systems and IT infrastructure of the Library and engage in internal and sectoral work on a new Library Management System
➢ to participate in all committees/groups on which the appointee is a member or is assigned, within TUS or externally on behalf of TUS
➢ to report and provide information on the services and operation of the Library as required from time to time
Closing date: 19th August 2022, 13.00
A Panel may be created from this competition
Email: humanresources@lit.ie (Midwest)
TUS (Midwest) staff who wish to apply must apply via the ESS system.
Only on-line e-recruitment application forms will be accepted.
