Digital Library Federation is hiring: Director of the Hardin Library for the Hea

The University of Iowa has expressly engaged Jack Farrell & Associates (www.jackfarrell.com) to find the winning candidate for this important position. Interested candidates should contact Amy Morse (amy@jackfarrell.com). Thank you.

Iowa City, IA

Reporting to the Associate University Librarian for Teaching, Learning, and Research, the Director of the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences provides visionary leadership, ensuring the library remains a vital resource for the university's health sciences community. This role focuses on shaping and executing a strategic plan that addresses the challenges and opportunities presented by rapid technological advancements and changing user expectations. A key responsibility of the Director is integrating information skills into the health sciences curricula and clinical environment, fostering a culture of information literacy and evidence-based practice. Additionally, the Director will spearhead the development, delivery, and evaluation of new services and programs to meet the dynamic needs of faculty, researchers, students, and clinicians.

The ideal candidate will bring deep knowledge of trends in health sciences librarianship to enhance library services. They will work collaboratively with faculty, researchers, students, and staff to align library resources and services with evolving academic and clinical needs. The ideal candidate will bring a clear vision for the future of health sciences information systems and services over the next 5 to 10 years. They will also provide professional guidance and mentorship to library staff, fostering a collaborative and forward-thinking environment. The position is based on the University campus in Iowa City, IA and relocation assistance is available.

About Hardin

The Hardin Library for the Health Sciences at the University of Iowa is one of seven campus libraries that comprise the University Libraries led by John Culshaw, Jack B. King University Librarian. HLHS is dedicated to disseminating health sciences information to students, faculty, and staff in support of education, research, and healthcare, while preserving the scholarly record for future generations. The library supports the information needs of the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, the colleges of Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health, as well as the departments of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Health and Human Physiology within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Additionally, Hardin Library serves as the research library for UI Health Care and is the only comprehensive health sciences library in the state of Iowa.

Hardin Library is home to the John Martin Rare Book room which contains nearly 6,500 volumes of original works from classic contributions to the history of the health sciences from the 15th through 21st centuries, the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM), Region 6, one of seven NNLM Regional Medical Libraries, which aim to advance the progress of medicine and improve public health through increased access to quality health information. Region 6 includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and visionary leadership for the Hardin Library in alignment with library and university priorities.
• Serve as an advocate for Hardin and the Hardin user community.
• Manage library operations, including planning, resource allocation, collection oversight, and policy.
• Maintain and strengthen partnerships with the five health colleges and UI Healthcare.
• Integrate information skills into the health sciences curricula and clinical environment.
• Leverage data to inform decision-making and support evidence-based practices setting measurable objectives and regularly evaluating outcomes of service and programs.
• Build partnerships with other departments and units throughout the Libraries and the University.
• Provide professional guidance to the library staff.
• Model effective communication within the library and with external stakeholders to ensure alignment and collaboration in achieving the library's goals.
• Serve as the Principal Investigator for the University of Iowa’s NNLM grant.
• Represent the Hardin Library in national and regional organizations.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s Degree or higher in Library and Information Science from an ALA accredited institution, or equivalent.
• At least 6 years of progressive responsibility in an academic medical or health science related library with at least 3 years in an administrative capacity including oversight of personnel and resource planning.
• Experience in developing and implementing strategic priorities for enhancing organizational effectiveness and growth, with a focus on innovative solutions and long-term planning.
• Knowledge of and experience in dealing with federal research, foundation, and grant funding programs and processes.
• Strong commitment to public service, including outreach and service excellence.
• Proven record of working with teams from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.
• National participation in professional societies like the Medical Library Association or similar recognition of achievements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in health informatics, information technologies, medical library networks, user education, outreach programs, and instruction.
• Record of providing library and information services in a clinical setting, including the integration of information resources into patient care and support for clinical decision-making processes.
• Experience mentoring both junior and senior staff members, fostering professional development and a collaborative work environment.

How to apply for the position:

The University of Iowa Libraries has exclusively retained Jack Farrell & Associates (www.jackfarrell.com) to find the successful candidate for this position. Interested candidates should provide a CV and cover letter by email to Amy Morse (amy@jackfarrell.com) by February 24, 2025, for priority consideration. The cover letter should address the following questions in no more than 2 pages:

1. Why are you interested in this position and why Iowa?
2. Share your path (career trajectory) that led you to be ready for this role?

Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process. For additional questions, please contact Amy Morse at amy@jackfarrell.com.