Employment Opportunities

Job Summary 

Towson University (TU) is one of the nation’s top 100 public universities. Located north of Baltimore, TU currently enrolls more than 19,000 students and is the second-largest university in the prestigious University System of Maryland. Towson University values diversity and fosters a climate that is grounded in respect and inclusion to cultivate the intellectual and personal growth of the entire university community.

Reporting to the Dean of University Libraries, this position provides vision and leadership in creating and managing unified research, instruction, and access services in the library. This position embeds student success priorities in all public-facing services, especially to reduce barriers for transfer, first-generation, international students, students on probation, and traditionally underrepresented student populations. This position manages the library’s research, instruction, and access services units that are responsible for library student success initiatives; research, reference and information assistance; teaching and instruction programs; circulation, reserves and stacks maintenance functions. This position collaborates with other library and university departments to plan and deliver user-centered services that integrate the library more fully into the research and instructional programs of the university with consideration of campus student success initiatives. The Associate Dean for Access & Academic Engagement is a member of the Library Leadership Council; participates in strategic planning policy making and implementation, and decision-making for the Library; manages various projects; serves as library's liaison to university offices including Facilities Management and University Police.

Responsibilities and Duties

Primary Functions 

• Contribute to the Libraries’ executive group for strategic planning, resource development, policy, and collaborative program development.
• Advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives of Cook Library and encourage all direct and indirect reports to be committed to these initiatives.
• Develop and sustain relationships with academic leadership to inform Libraries’ program development and enable partnerships.
• Together with Associate and Assistant University Librarians and department heads, contribute to the development of policies and programs that enable an exceptional and coherent user experience, while recognizing diverse needs of multiple constituencies.
• Working with the Dean, identify and pursue fundraising and grant proposal opportunities for the Library.
• Serve as Acting Dean in absence of Dean of University Libraries, including at evening and weekend events as needed. 

 Lead and Administer Public-Facing Service Units

• Provide leadership in developing, implementing, evaluating, and promoting research, instruction and access services programs that anticipate and respond to changes in the university and higher education. 
• Responsible for all functions related to research, instruction, reference, circulation, reserves, information desk, and stacks.
• Promote seamless access to information services. 
• Create a unified research, instruction, and public services environment.
• Foster a service-oriented philosophy and promote user-centered services and resources. 
• Ensure library resources and services are provided equally to on-site and remote users. 
• Recruit, supervise, mentor, and evaluate faculty librarians and staff of the Research & Instruction and Access Services units; ensure effective training and accountability of faculty and staff. 
• Participate in development and implementation of assessment activities to continually measure, analyze and evaluate quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of all aspects of public services. 
• Develop and document effective policies, procedures and standards of services for areas of responsibility.
• Ensure the resources and services related to areas of responsibility are accurately and clearly represented on the library website.
• Participate in strategic planning, program development, budget development and resource allocation, and policy development for the library.
• Participate in analysis of space utilization to ensure technologies, facilities, and staffing to facilitate student and faculty research and learning. 
• Maintain knowledge of national developments and trends in areas of library access services, student success, research services, and instruction. 
• Work as a member of the Cook Assessment and Disaster Preparedness Teams and bring expertise in the areas of research, instruction, and access services. 

 Integrate Student Success Initiatives into all Library Public Services

• Provide leadership for the development and continuation of service models for the Library Academic Commons, including encouraging shared language amongst library and building partners of the Commons. 
• Supervise, mentor and evaluate the Student Success Librarian.
• Facilitate connections amongst public services units to support student success initiatives and lower barriers for students. 
• Oversee assessment efforts related to student success with consideration of student consent and privacy. 

Facilities, Safety and Security 

• Oversee the library building physical facility.
• Work closely with Facilities Management Department, housekeeping and other university departments to ensure safe, healthy, comfortable, sufficient and appropriate facilities for the library collections, services, technology, personnel, and patrons.
• Participate in discussion for all major facilities projects that affect the library.
• Participate in planning for building and space modifications.
• Ensure operation of library under adverse weather conditions, as appropriate.
• Serve as library's liaison to Facilities Management Department, Housekeeping Services, University Police and Student Health Services.
• Serve as library representative on related university committees.

 
Scholarly Research, Publications, Creative Works and Professional Leadership 

• Conduct relevant scholarly research and disseminate findings through writing and other avenues.
• Develop and deliver presentations related to academic libraries, higher education, and topics relevant to areas of responsibility.
• Participate in the work of and serves in leadership positions for relevant professional associations.
• Contribute to local, state, and regional library initiatives.
• Demonstrate commitment to continual professional development.

 
Library and University Service

• Attend and represent the library at regular Associate Deans meetings.
• Participate in and contribute to library and university initiatives such as outreach, marketing, assessment, diversity, and curriculum.
• Participates in and contributes to department, library, and university activities.
• Serves on library, university, and University System of Maryland committees related to areas of responsibility.

Telework may be available for this position up to two days per week following the completion of 90 days of service in good standing.

Qualifications and Skills

• Master’s degree in library science from an ALA-accredited institution or equivalent.
• Five years of progressively responsible experience in libraries.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Strong positive interpersonal skills; ability to work effectively in a team environment and independently; demonstrated ability to build effective working relationships and work collaboratively with administrative and academic units throughout the university.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the role of academic libraries in supporting teaching, learning and research needs of students and faculty; ability to effectively represent and advocate for the library and its programs.
• Excellent organizational, time and project management skills.
• Ability to effectively supervise, evaluate, motivate, and mentor library faculty and staff.
• Flexibility in a changing technological and educational environment; knowledge of current issues and developments in information technology, scholarly communications, information literacy, assessment, and higher education.

Salary and Benefits 

Starting salary is $122,000. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. Full University benefits that include 22 days of annual leave, up to 15 holidays, personal and sick days; excellent health, life, and retirement plans; and tuition remission. To learn more about our benefits, please click here. TU also offers a variety of great perks and discounts, which can be found here.

If you are motivated, innovative and team-oriented, we would love to hear from you.  For consideration, please submit a cover letter and resume with your online application. This position will be open for a minimum of 14 days.  

The safety of our students, faculty, staff, and neighbors has been our top priority and the focus of every one of our decisions since the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the University System of Maryland (USM) has strongly encouraged full COVID vaccination and up-to-date booster shots (when eligible) for all faculty, staff, and students at all schools in the USM as both a reasonable and necessary means of protecting our health and safety.