Associate Director of the OWHL

The Associate Director is an essential member of the Oliver Wendell Holmes Library’s (OWHL) leadership team who is responsible for overseeing the instructional program and assisting the Library Director with the day-to-day operations of the OWHL. Additionally, the Associate Director acts as Director in the Library Director’s absence.

This position is 1.0 FTE, works during the Summer Session at PA, and has the classification of Administrative Faculty. This position does not include on campus housing.

The Associate Director will primarily work on campus Monday-Friday when classes are in session and have one evening shift per week (1:30-9:30 PM). The schedule requires a five-day work week, which will include additional evenings and some weekend hours, as necessary, to help facilitate programs and events.

Primary Responsibilities Of The Associate Director:

Leading and Supervising the Instructional Services (IS) team: The selected candidate will oversee all aspects of the mission-critical instructional program of the OWHL. This work includes collaborating with faculty and OWHL staff in designing, teaching, and assessing instructional units; developing and maintaining the IS schedule; creating and acting on an assessment protocol that evaluates and strengthens the IS program over time; and developing and furthering the IS team’s skills through in-house professional development. The Associate Director will supervise all members of the IS team, which entails meeting regularly with IS team members individually and as a group, setting yearly goals, and providing feedback through the yearly review process.

Managing the day-to-day operations of the library: The Associate Director will evaluate and provide recommendations for policy and procedural changes for increasing the effective use of the library’s resources. They will also assist with managing the maintenance of the building, equipment, furniture, and other operational necessities needed to keep the building safe, accessible, and welcoming; which will include being the point person for the Office of the Physical Plant, the Office of Information Technology, and outside contractors. As an OWHL team member, they will assist with staffing and providing both reference and circulation services at the Welcome Desk.

Collection Development: The selected candidate will be a part of the collection development team. The Associate Director will be assigned responsibility for one or more subject areas of the collection. For each subject area, they will be responsible for formulating a collection development plan to address the specific needs of that area of the collection. The Associate Director will participate in collection maintenance activities, including shelf reading, material de-selection, and inventory.

Research and Long-Term Planning & Development: The Associate Director will actively participate in the management of the library by identifying problems and opportunities for innovation, designing data-gathering instruments and collecting data as necessary, and making recommendations for problem resolution and procedural and policy changes. The Associate Director will plan, develop, implement, manage, and evaluate library programs.

Professional Growth: The selected candidate will engage in self-reflective practice to increase effectiveness of the OWHL, including participating in professional reading(s) and attending workshops, conferences, and seminars. The Associate Director will model a strong commitment to lifelong learning and to the profession, including serving in a leadership role in professional organizations. The selected candidate will uphold professional ethics and promote equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Additional Specific Responsibilities

• Participates in all library programming, including mentoring OWHL Scholars, coaching for TEDx, assisting with the OWHL Student Advisory Board, and preparing displays and exhibits.
• Provides an overall orientation for new personnel.
• Serves on call for emergency situations, which will include staffing the OWHL during inclement weather.
• Attends faculty meetings and may serve on Academy committees as appropriate.
• Performs other duties as required.

Qualifications Required

• A Master’s Degree in Library Science from an ALA-accredited school and/or Master’s Degree in Education (MEd).
• Three to five years of experience in, and enthusiasm for, developing and teaching effective library instruction sessions and curricula.
• Three to five years of increasing management and supervisory experience in a library setting.
• In exceptional instances, specialized education, training, and/or experience may be substituted for part or all the required elements.

Strong Applicants Will Also Have

• An aptitude and willingness to learn innovative technologies and systems.
• Minimum of three years of experience in a public secondary or independent school library, or comparable experience serving young adults in a public library.
• A second master’s degree in history, social science, or another related field.

Phillips Academy is committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, military service, application for military service or any other characteristic protected by law. Any offers of employment will be contingent upon successful CORI/SORI and fingerprinting background checks, as well as unrestricted authorization to work in the United States.