Head of the Natural History Library Collections — Cambridge, Massachusetts

Description Management Activities

• Direct the strategic planning process for the natural history library collections in both Ernst Mayr and the Botany Libraries.
• Plan, develop, administer, and evaluate library services to curators, faculty, staff, students, and visiting researchers.
• Maintain administrative oversight of the Ernst Mayr Library and the Botany Libraries.
• Prepare and recommend the annual budget, monitor budget expenditures.
• Collaborate and coordinate with the directors of the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MBZ) and the Harvard University Herbaria (HUH) on the use of the spaces, coordination with museum collections, and future planning.
• Manage the Ernst Mayr and Botany libraries facilities in collaboration with MCZ and HUH building operations.
• Prioritize and lead multiple projects while meeting deadlines and budget targets.
• Recruit, hire, manage, and evaluate staff.
• Promote staff development activities.
• Work collegially with peers and colleagues across the Harvard Library in a variety of committees and working groups.
• Maintain awareness of national trends and developments in STEM librarianship with particular focus on areas of natural history and museum libraries.
• Contribute to professional organizations at the national level, recognize library trends and opportunities, and use this knowledge to enrich local programs and strategic planning in Harvard’s science libraries.

• Collaborate with faculty and colleagues across the library system to ensure continuing excellence in the STEM and cross-disciplinary research and instruction programs.
• Collaborate with colleagues to develop effective strategies to meet user needs.
• Collaborate with colleagues throughout the Harvard Library working in Research, Teaching, and Learning.
• Provide reference and instruction services as needed in support of subject librarians.

• Coordinate the management of the collections for Ernst Mayr and the Botany Libraries to ensure the selection and maintenance of well-balanced collections to support the teaching and research programs at Harvard.
• Oversee and support, in collaboration with the Senior Archivist, the local management of special collections and archives in both libraries that support the work of the museum curators and visiting researchers.
• Promote cooperative planning for collections, services, and preservation of materials.

• Supervise and evaluate outreach efforts to the various academic departments and programs.
• Plan and implement a program of library services that meet the teaching and research needs of diverse departments by developing relationships within and among departments to ensure librarians have a working rapport with faculty and curators.
• Promote collections and services both locally Harvard researchers and globally to natural history and biodiversity researchers and organizations.
• Participate actively in professional organizations, authoring and presenting papers.
• Support and approve loans of materials for exhibits both within and outside Harvard.
• Maintain collaborative programs with area institutions.

• ALA accredited MLS or equivalent experience in academic library administration.
• Master’s degree in a related field, or other background in natural history subjects.
• 4-6 years related management experience in a research library.

• Experience with museum library work.
• Proven leadership, management, and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of emerging trends in science research and learning which affect library service.
• Demonstrated ability to foster and manage change in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to foster teamwork.
• Experience with the Ex Libris/Alma library management system.
• Experience with Aeon for special collections.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and antiracism.
• Ability to collaborate effectively in a decentralized matrix environment.
• Demonstrated ability to engage with faculty and students.
• Record of professional and scholarly accomplishments.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience…