the client seeks an experienced, highly organized Head of Acquisitions to oversee the purchasing and management of all library resources, covering both print and digital materials that support study, research, and scholarship. This is a 12-month tenure-track faculty role with expectations of librarianship, professional service, and scholarship. The Head of Acquisitions reports to the Director of Technical Services.
The role manages the acquisitions and serials unit, responsible for purchasing materials and administering serials. Responsibilities include investigating and managing new acquisition opportunities, coordinating end-to-end resource acquisitions (including ordering and receiving in multiple formats and order types such as firm orders, subscriptions, standing orders, and patron-driven acquisitions), and overseeing print serials workflows such as receiving and binding. The position also verifies licenses for continuing resources to meet applicable requirements, supports troubleshooting of e-resource access issues related to payment and coverage discrepancies, and implements policies and procedures to improve unit and departmental workflows.
The Head of Acquisitions provides leadership for the unit by supervising, training, and evaluating acquisitions staff and offering functional supervision to other staff as needed. The role will collaborate with library administration and faculty to reconcile resource budgets with university and library tracking systems, manage ongoing budget preparation and updates, and oversee payment reconciliation between the integrated library system acquisitions module and the university financial system, including coordinating approved internal transfers when necessary. Additionally, the position participates as an ex officio member of a relevant library committee and investigates subscription and large package purchasing opportunities, working with vendors, publishers, and consortium partners to obtain pricing, licensing, accessibility, and related data.