Director, Access and Research Services

Director, Access and Research Services

Department: Collections

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Stephen

A. Schwarzman Building

Reporting To: Denise Hibay

Compensation: $165,000 - $185,000 / year

The New York Public Library (NYPL) has been one of the world’s great public research libraries for more than 130 years. Its research centers provide opportunities for engagement with in-depth and unique collections, inspirational reading rooms, exhibitions, programs, and a range of research services. Collections and Research Services encompasses several departments focused on managing the ongoing development of our exceptional research collections, advancing unified discovery and expanding access, both in-person and online, and ensuring stewardship of the collections at every stage of their lifecycle.

NYPL seeks a proven and visionary leader to advance the Library’s strategic goals to improve access and optimize the user experience, ensuring our diverse and unique research collections are accessible to the broadest number of patrons and reach new audiences.

• Lead engagement with research staff on the Library’s five-year strategic priorities related to optimizing the infrastructure supporting the patron experience and clarifying policies and procedures for core collection management and discovery systems.
• Drive NYPL’s digitization strategy and related policies, and partner on major initiatives to expand access to the Library’s research collections.

• Priorities and progress across the Library and with external partners.
• Foster awareness of new tools, systems, and approaches that strengthen discovery and access.

• The scope of NYPL’s research collections and the needs of patrons and staff.
• Use data, assessment, and user insights to shape patron‑centered services.
• Understand the challenges and opportunities of AI for discovery and access.

• Policies, optimize workflows, and strengthen communication to enhance staff collaboration and the patron experience.
• Create a culture of engagement and inclusivity within the Access and Research Services team.

• Understand responsibilities, current projects, and begin establishing working relationships with key partners across NYPL and ReCAP.

• Contribute to committees and strategic planning efforts, clarify team priorities, understand gaps in policies and procedures, and develop a preliminary plan for aligning staff around a shared vision.

• Establish a clear roadmap for access and research services, with measurable goals and resource needs identified.

• Oversee the collaboration between the Research Libraries staff and the Digital Product Management team to develop and refine the strategic vision for a unified patron experience on its website and initiatives that expand access to more scholarly ebooks through innovative approaches such as rights clearance partnerships.
• Ensure staff engagement for the ongoing development of the Research Catalog and compliance with ILS and circulation policies and procedures.
• Oversee the systems and policies that support access to the collections, including Aeon, EDS, and resource sharing systems; support the implementation of a new DAMS as related to integration with these systems.
• Oversee resource‑sharing services; engage with partners, including the Manhattan Research Library Initiative (MaRLI), the ReCAP Shared Collections, Borrow Direct partners, and the CUNY‑wide community to strengthen and sustain our partnerships and new initiatives; represent NYPL on partner committees.
• Lead the review and development of a multi‑pronged digitization strategy and related policies and procedures.
• Develop and implement, in collaboration with stakeholders, a centralized service model for the library’s electronic document delivery services, Scan and Deliver, for general and special collections.
• Oversee accessibility services for the research collections, partnering with other teams – Branches, Digital, Legal, and HR – to align policies,…