GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

The Deputy Chief Librarian serves a key leadership role in the administration and management of library operations and the delivery of services. Working in close collaboration with the Chief Librarian, this position ensures the effective coordination of library activities, including: reader and technical services; systems and information technology; financial management and oversight; collection development; and conservation. This position participates in recruiting, hiring, coaching, supervising, and supporting the professional development of staff.

The Deputy Chief Librarian works closely with staff to support the library’s core values, develop staff competencies, and to achieve the library’s goals. The Deputy Chief Librarian will be an effective advocate, a collaborative partner with all stakeholders, and will both participate in existing workflows and bring innovative and creative strategies in order to fulfill and advance the library’s mission.  

This leadership position develops strong, positive relationships with staff; fosters trust, integrity, respect, and teamwork; helps to chart a clear course for welcoming and inclusive library programs and services and strong collections; builds productive partnerships with internal stakeholders including Met staff, volunteers, and administrative staff; and builds alliances with external stakeholders including outside researchers, local colleges and universities, the academic community at large and other libraries.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

• Provides clear and supportive leadership to library staff with focus on mentorship, advocacy, and professional development.
• Directly supervises, coaches, and evaluates the performance of four to six members of the library staff.
• Supports and assists the Chief Librarian with the daily operations of the library; assumes department head responsibilities when the Chief Librarian is absent.
• Supports Chief Librarian in effectively managing the resources of the library, including the hiring, supervision, and retention of strong team members.
• Committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility; experience leading equitable hiring and development of a diverse and inclusive team.
• Facilitates communication among library units, Museum departments, and with the research community; reports out on library activity to appropriate parties.
• Keeps current with library trends, issues, technology, and best practices.
• Identifies opportunities and areas for improvement in the library environment and operations; implements and monitors action plans.
• Identifies areas of collaboration and cooperation between DEPILL Departments (Digital, Education, Publishing, Imaging, Libraries, and Live Arts).
• Forges partnerships within the Museum and with the library and research community to increase the library’s visibility, impact and sustainability.
• Works with the Chief Librarian and Finance Team to prepare the budget, monitor expenditures, and analyze financial reports.
• Assists in developing and maintaining Friends of Watson Library and other donor opportunities; attends Friends of Watson Library programs.
• Develops and participates in reader services to deliver excellent patron experiences at all service locations; solicits patron feedback to understand needs of The Met staff and of the broader research community.
• Following Museum policies, monitors the implementation of COVID related procedures; assists with coordinating the library’s strategies for a successful post-COVID recovery.

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience and Skills:

• Eight or more years of leadership experience in a research library.
• Leadership style that includes a commitment to transparency and inclusiveness.
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate the growth and potential of staff and to foster a collegial work environment.
• Experience in a broad range of basic to advanced library functions; able to participate in and coach staff in many aspects of librarianship.
• Eight or more years of demonstrated experience developing and leading a diverse workforce and management team, including supervising direct reports.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, written, and presentation skills for communicating in multiple formats with a wide range of constituencies.
• Experience with building positive and productive partnerships with external stakeholders, including other libraries, professional associations, and the academic community.
• Experience with team-based work environment; interest in learning workflows and integrating into existing teams and projects.
• Demonstrated experience in executive level planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting.
• Ability to deliver effective and engaging presentations to a variety of audiences.
• In-depth experience in project management and developing short-term and long-range plans and goals, including assessment and prioritization in a library setting.
• Fiscal management, including development, monitoring, and oversight of budget
• Fundraising experience; experience working with donors.
• A demonstrated commitment to support research and scholarship by building outstanding print and online library collections and delivering services to support the collection for Met staff and outside researchers.
• Experience in a role that requires frequent interaction with patrons; assumes responsibility for addressing issues, concerns and feedback.
• Experience contributing to new and innovative library programs; the ability to work with the staff to develop and implement a shared vision of innovative library service.
• Understanding of technical services and library systems; tracks trends and directions of these fields, including remote access.
• Experience with trends and practices in library preservation including treatment, storage, security, and emergency preparedness.

Knowledge and Education:

• Master’s Degree in Library Science/Information Science required; M.A. in Art History desirable.
• Eight years of progressively responsible library managerial and administrative functions of a research library including preparing budgets and analyzing financial reports and library related data.
• Knowledge of current technologies for data collection, analysis and reporting.
• Knowledge of MARC-based bibliographic data and cataloging best practices.
  • Knowledge of emerging technologies, including social media, and their application in a research library environment.
  • Knowledge of library preservation practices, collection care, storage, security, and collection management.
  • Knowledge of current trends in library collection development and building special collections.

Salary is competitive (minimum $100,000) and commensurate with experience.

Application Instructions: Please reference position Deputy Chief Librarian – Watson Library - in the subject line of the email. Apply via email address to: [log in to unmask]. Please submit a cover letter and resume.