Description

Head of Collection Strategies
Library of the University of California, Davis

Overview of Position

The Library of the University of California, Davis, seeks a creative, forward-looking, collaborative, and service-oriented Head of Collection Strategies. The position reports to the Associate University Librarian for Scholarly Resources and provides leadership in the broad area of collection strategy.

The portfolio for this position includes providing direct supervision to the three collection strategists and the head of collection maintenance, and indirect supervision to the five other employees in collection maintenance.

This position has primary responsibility for the collection development budget ($8.4M). Working closely with the collection strategists, they guide collection development in support of all academic programs across the campus. They directly engage in collection development for their own portfolio of academic programs (to be determined). They serve as the library's primary contact with the California Digital Library (which coordinates the acquisition of many resources for the UC system), vendors and publishers, and library personnel regarding issues and collections.

This position also provides leadership and indirect management for the collection maintenance unit, which includes personnel responsible for conservation and preservation, book repair, sending materials to the UC bindery, physical processing of materials, collection analytics, holdings and item maintenance, and UC Davis's participation in the Google Books project. They also play a leadership role in the evaluation of potential gifts-in-kind, including diplomatically suggesting alternative paths forward to potential donors.

This position will also take the lead in cultivating a culture of assessment for library collections, broadening our concept of library collections to include research data and born-digital resources, and advocacy for open access and open scholarship.

The University will not offer visa sponsorship for this position. The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate that they are legally authorized to work in the United States.


UC Davis and UC Davis Library

The University of California, Davis, is a global community of individuals united to better humanity and our natural world while seeking solutions to some of our most pressing challenges. Located near Sacramento, California's capital, UC Davis has more than 39,000 students, the full-time equivalent of 4,100 faculty and other academics and researchers, and 17,400 other personnel. The university has an annual sponsored research budget of over $960 million, includes a major academic health system, and over two dozen specialized research centers. Recognized as one of the top 10 public universities in the US and the number one university in the world for agricultural research and veterinary medicine, UC Davis offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges - Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science. It also houses six professional schools - Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, and Nursing. The university is a top-tier public university, with multiple top rankings in a variety of areas. In addition to the main campus in Davis and the medical center in Sacramento, UC Davis has research facilities in Bodega Bay and Tahoe and faculty in every county of the state through its agricultural extension program.

UC Davis is a top-tier public university, ranked 5th nationally by the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education, 9th in the QS USA University rankings, and 10th nationally by US News and World Report among U.S. public universities overall and for research funding. It is also ranked #1 in the diversity and internationalization category in the QS USA University rankings. The US News and World Report rankings also highlight UC Davis as 16th among "top performers on social mobility," which is determined by the outcomes of Pell Grant recipients and other stats. Check out more ranking information on our "About Us" webpage.

The UC Davis Library is ranked among the top academic research libraries in North America andbelongs to the Association of Research Libraries and other organizations that position it to collaborate with other top organizations.

The work location for this position is principally on campus, with some flexibility to work remotely per applicable Library policy. Occasional regional travel is required.


A Culture of Opportunity and Belonging

At UC Davis, we're committed to solving life's most urgent challenges and building a healthier, more resilient world. We believe in growing through every challenge, continually striving to improve, and welcoming new perspectives that strengthen our community. We recognize that a vibrant and innovative organization values both individual strengths and shared purpose. The best ideas often emerge when people with different experiences come together.

As you consider joining UC Davis, we invite you to explore our Principles of Community, our campus strategic plan, and the library's strategic plan. We believe you belong here. The University of California, Davis is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status.

To view the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination

Because we want you to feel seen and valued, our recruitment process at UC Davis supports openness and authenticity. Research shows that some individuals hesitate to apply unless they meet every qualification. You may be an excellent fit for this role-or the next one. We encourage you to apply even if your experience doesn't match every listed preferred qualification. #YouBelongHere

Position Responsibilities
Under the general supervision of the Associate University Librarian for Scholarly Resources, the incumbent:

• Leads and manages two units comprising nine personnel:
  • Directly and indirectly supervise (including hiring, training, development, and evaluation) the collection strategies and collection maintenance units.
  • As the department head, perform administrative duties such as hiring and managing personnel, training and development, preparing letters of evaluation, and making work assignments; formulating policies and procedures; developing appropriate programs and services; overseeing equipment, software, and facilities; monitoring budget expenditures; maintaining statistics and preparing annual reports; and interpreting library and university policies and procedures.
  • Work collaboratively with colleagues and department personnel to assess strengths, impacts, and areas of opportunity, and determine priorities and innovations that align with the academic mission of the university.
  • Fosters an environment that promotes accountability, high performance, and employee engagement through a sense of purpose and spirit of cooperation; sets standards of excellence that inspire and motivate.
• Provide inspired leadership and direction for enhancing and evolving multiple components (especially development, management, and assessment) of the life cycle of collections:
  • Oversees budget allocations and expenditures for the $8.4M acquisitions budget and ensures effective and timely use of funds to build sustainable library collections. Stewards multiple endowment and gift accounts and ensures funds are expended for appropriate purposes.
  • Provides leadership for all collection development activities including assessment, selection, and deselection of resources in all formats and all subject areas. Coordinates collection development and collection management activities of all library employees. Mentors library employees in collection development best practices as appropriate.
  • Acts as convener of a cross-library committee (the collection strategies network) which serves as an advisory body regarding issues around library collections.
  • Represents UC Davis in cooperative collection development programs with other UC Libraries and the California Digital Library (via UC's Shared Content Leadership Group). Actively contributes to decision-making for UC-wide licensed resources, including evaluation of one-time purchases and, for subscription resources, regular assessment, re-negotiation, and re-licensing.
  • Builds and oversees a comprehensive assessment program to evaluate print and electronic resources as well as provide disciplinary collection assessment, statistical analysis, and reports.
  • Participates in the overall management of the physical collections, including weeding and other collection management projects. Provides input and recommendations to manage physical collections in context of shared print initiatives and other regional and national consortia.
  • Maintains an awareness of the trends and issues affecting collection management and development.
• Collaborates broadly to build and steward collections:
  • Cultivates strong collaborative relationships across UC Davis Library organization.
  • Coordinates with the UC Davis Stores and the Equitable Access Program on the provision of required materials to support the undergraduate curriculum.
  • Maintains strong relationships with other campus units that participate in cost-sharing for selected resources.
  • Provides analysis regarding library collections for proposed degree and certificate programs.
  • Lead or participate in cross-functional or interdepartmental teams across the library, campus, or other universities of the University of California.
  • Represents UC Davis in regional, national, and international associations.
  • May be responsible for negotiating licensing terms and agreements for resources with publishers and other UC libraries.
  • Utilizes professional participation and contacts to influence and advocate for standards used in the library's work.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned
• As an academic appointee engages actively in pertinent ongoing research, scholarship, or creative activity and/or teaching

Required Qualifications for the Position

• Graduate degree in library science from an ALA-accredited institution or equivalent.
• Minimum of two years experience as a supervisor.
• Minimum of two years experience in selecting library materials.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex and large budgets (at least in millions of dollars) and in financial planning and analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, coordinate, and manage projects.
• Excellent interpersonal, analytical, organizational, problem-solving, time management, and communication skills
• Strong service orientation and interest in anticipating and supporting information users' values and needs.
• Ability to meet UC criteria for appointment and advancement in the Librarian Series, including professional service and/or contributions to the field
• Record of accomplishment in research, scholarship, or creative activity and/or teaching consonant with an academic appointment.

Preferred Qualifications for the Position

• Collection development
  • Demonstrated ability to use quantitative and qualitative evidence (e.g., usage data, cost-per-use, citation analysis, program alignment, assessment metrics) to make and communicate strategic collections decisions, including resource reallocation and deselection.
  • Demonstrated ability to build on existing collections strengths while adapting practices to meet emerging academic needs.
  • Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively on collection building and management in an academic or research library.
  • Demonstrated experience developing and managing collections within a library consortium.
  • Demonstrated experience negotiating with publishers and vendors.
  • Functional knowledge of contract and license negotiations.
  • Demonstrated ability to apply metrics and other evaluation criteria to support data driven and evidence-based collection development.
• Management
  • Five or more years of management experience in an academic or research library.
  • Experience supervising employees in a union environment.
  • Experience supervising employees with hybrid work schedules.
• Experience with Ex Libris's products such as Alma and Primo.
• Evidence of flexibility and initiative when working within a fast-paced and rapidly changing setting.
• Evidence of ability to work collaboratively with library colleagues and partners within the library and across the campus
• Evidence of commitment to fostering an inclusive environment
• Ability to meet UC criteria for appointment and advancement in the Librarian Series, including professional service and/or contributions to the field
• Demonstrated record of accomplishment in research, scholarship, or creative activity and/or teaching consonant with an academic appointment

Salary and Benefits

Rank and salary: Associate Librarian, Salary Point 9, $94,003 to Librarian, Salary Point 18, $160,157. (Appointment rank and salary based on qualifications and experience.)

This position is not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.

Benefits: The University of California is one of the largest employers in California, and offers outstanding health and retirement benefits to its employees and their families. Librarians are academic appointees and earn 24 days of vacation and 12 days of sick leave per year. In addition, there are 13 university holidays.

Application Information

Applications must be submitted via the UC Davis RECRUIT website: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF07487

Candidates applying by March 19, 2026 will receive first consideration. The position will remain open until filled. See https://www.library.ucdavis.edu/careers/ for this posting and information about working at the UC Davis Library.

Please include a letter of interest addressing qualifications and experience related to the position, a Curriculum Vitae, and names and contact information for at least four references.

This position is a critical position and subject to a background check. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of background investigation, including criminal history and identity checks.

The University of California is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.
UC Davis is a smoke- and tobacco-free campus effective January 1, 2014.





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