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On behalf of the University of California (UC) Libraries, which are comprised of the ten campus libraries and the California Digital Library, the UC Berkeley Library is hiring a Systemwide Library Facilities (SLF) Director to oversee SLF-North and SLF-South and collaboratively respond to and advance the long-term physical preservation and access needs of the libraries.

The SLF Director partners with UC Libraries’ shared governance and key stakeholders to expand upon and implement the University’s vision for transformative, sustainable and efficient systemwide physical collection management. This role will direct and oversee the work of the SLF staff at both facilities, as well as any future facilities. Shared governance groups that the director will work with include the Systemwide Library Facilities Board (SLFB or “Board”), UC Council of University Librarians (CoUL), UC Shared Print Strategy Team (SPST) and Shared Content Leadership Group (SCLG).

The SLF Director is responsible for the leadership and management of the SLFs; the director creates the strategic direction in direct consultation with the SLFB. The director position is equivalent to an Associate University Librarian and reports directly to the UC Berkeley Library University Librarian, who is accountable for the systemwide success of the SLFs, and works closely with the SLFB chair and vice chair to ensure the priorities and goals of the UC system are reflected in the SLFs. The director will carry out multiple site visits at both SLF-North and SLF-South each year to advance the strategic and operational work of the facilities.

THE ENVIRONMENT

The UC Libraries provide a comprehensive network of essential library services, resources and infrastructure, deeply embedded in the everyday work of students, faculty, clinicians, researchers and staff. UC’s ten campus libraries and the California Digital Library work together to provide access to the world’s knowledge; leadership in open science and scholarship; robust research data management and preservation support; and user-friendly, technology-rich learning spaces and services. To secure and expand these critical initiatives, the libraries pursue and sustain a range of strategic collaborations that further UC’s mission.

Through more than 75 years of active partnership, co-investment and service provision, library leadership, librarians and staff have established and refined the hallmark traits of the UC Libraries: Collaborative problem-solving and innovation, resourcefulness and resilience, and shared services and stakeholder engagement.

The Systemwide Library Facilities (SLFs), with locations in the north at the UC Berkeley Richmond Field Station and south at the UCLA main campus, preserve and provide access to the University’s valued physical collections of enduring scholarly importance, directly advancing the teaching, research and patient care of current and future generations of UC scholars. As high-density, climate-controlled storage facilities, the SLFs play a longstanding and central role in enabling comprehensive and diverse library collection development across the system, while also generating economies and efficiencies at scale.

UC Berkeley, which serves as the administrative host for the SLF Director and SLF program, is one of the world’s most iconic teaching and research institutions. Since 1868 Berkeley has fueled a perpetual renaissance, generating unparalleled intellectual, economic, and social value in California, the United States, and the world. Berkeley’s culture of openness, freedom, and acceptance — academic and artistic, political, and cultural — make it a very special place for students, faculty, and staff. Berkeley is committed to hiring and developing staff who want to work in a high-performing culture that supports the outstanding work of our faculty and students.

The administrative home for this position is the UC Berkeley Library; this is a systemwide position to advance UC-wide priorities and goals and the director may be required to travel frequently to alternative sites. This position is based on-site at Berkeley, CA (or Richmond, CA). There may be opportunity for some hybrid/remote work compliant with UC Berkeley Library flexible work agreement policies. Travel to UC Berkeley, both the campus and Richmond Field Station, will be considered standard commuting travel; travel to other campus sites, such as UCLA, will be considered business travel.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The SLF Director will work in an intensely collaborative environment, overseeing a team of operational experts spread across two campuses and partnering with members of the library leadership teams and colleagues at all ten UC campuses, the California Digital Library, and the UC Office of the President. The SLF Director will join and collaborate with a cohort of experts and systemwide service providers.

Core responsibilities for the SLF Director include:

Leadership for systemwide service, operations and policy strategy and assessment (40%)

• In partnership with the Board and SLFB chair, advance the transition of the SLFs from regional to fully systemwide preservation and access service centers; implement and further build the UC Libraries vision for systemwide long-term storage and access services; consider and pursue other services that advance the collective ambitions and goals of the UC Libraries, in partnership with colleagues across the UC system
• Hold oversight of policy and strategy for SLF storage and collective collection preservation and access, working in partnership with shared print, mass digitization and collections colleagues across the UC system
  • Participate in systemwide conversations and efforts to develop and advance UC’s strategic vision for physical collection management and access.
• Support special collections preservation and access, reflecting campus and systemwide special collections policies

Leadership for long-term space and service planning and assessment across the SLFs (25%)

• Track, assess and create projections for SLF space use and needs, including building out an understanding of campus and systemwide short, medium and long-term storage needs;
• Consider and propose new systemwide storage/access models and services; support advancement of any new models and/or services, in partnership with SLFB and consultation with other experts
• Track, assess and manage maintenance, deferred maintenance and other capital cost needs across the SLFs
• Build and advance capital cost proposals for SLFB review and endorsement, including for new construction; lead advancement of capital cost proposals to UCOP in partnership with SLFB leadership

SLF budget management (20%)

• Further build out, maintain and manage a single, systemwide budget for the SLFs, in partnership with host campuses and for SLFB endorsement
• Support shared understanding regarding the total cost to operate the SLFs, including to support further budget augmentation requests and operational service changes and ensure continued sustainability
• Lead SLF budget assessment and development of budget modification proposals for SLFB review and endorsement; to reflect service need changes across and between the SLF sites
• Cultivate and strengthen budgetary relationships with UCOP and the host campuses, include co-leading activation of and participation in UCOP-based budget processes (in partnership with SLFB leadership, as needed)

The University has an excellent retirement system and sponsors a variety of group health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans in addition to other benefits. The Director (and other associate university librarians) are entitled to two days per month of vacation leave, and one day per month of sick leave.

The Library at the University of California, Berkeley is committed to the support and encouragement of a multicultural environment and seeks candidates who can make positive contributions in a context of ethnic and cultural diversity.

As noted, the SLF director is equivalent to an associate university librarian position; as such, this position is covered by the UC Academic Personnel Manual (APM).

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.
This recruitment will remain open until filled.

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service. These values are embedded in our Principles of Community, which reflect our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery and innovation, and our deep commitment to contributing to a better world. Every member of the UC Berkeley community has a role in sustaining a safe, caring and humane environment in which these values can thrive.

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

For more information, please refer to the University of California’s Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy and the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment