Library Director

Supervisor: Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Department: Academic Affairs

FLSA status: Salaried, exempt

Qualifications: MLS or MLIS required. Additional graduate degree in theology, religious studies, or related field preferred. Minimum of three years library experience, preferably in an academic or theological library. At least two years in a supervisory role. Experience with library systems, digital databases, and educational technology platforms (e.g., Populi, Zoom Classroom, proxy servers, institutional repositories). Strong background in virtual and in-person research assistance and student success initiatives. Experience with acquisitions, vendor negotiations, collection development, and budgeting. Must have a demonstrated ability to relate to diverse groups of people.

Hours: This position is full-time (35 hours per week) and in-person. Schedule is highly variable, with occasional evenings required.

Position description: The Director leads all aspects of library operations, ensuring access to high-quality print and digital resources and services for all users. The Director provides research and reference assistance, including digital literacy, AI literacy, and research strategies, to faculty, staff, and students.

Primary responsibilities and duties:

• Provide strategic vision for the library.
• Develop and maintain the library collection in keeping with the research and educational needs of MTSO’s faculty and students, visiting scholars, and local clergy.
• Oversee circulation, acquisitions, cataloging, interlibrary loan and collection management. Collaborate with the OPAL and OhioLINK consortia staff and MTSO’s Director of Information Technology for continued integration of the library’s online catalog and digital resources.
• Hire, train and supervise library staff.
• Manage library budget and vendor contracts. Manage library web page.
• Use Ex Libris Software Management System. Maintain the library’s discovery layer and manage the authentication protocols including the proxy configuration setting for electronic resources.
• Work with the Director of the Writing Center to provide support for research and resource requests.
• Provide orientation and library instructional support to incoming students.
• Participate in schoolwide and faculty committees, including taking a central role in Higher Learning Commission and Association of Theological Schools reaccreditation.
• Manage rare book room.

Email a letter of interest in this position and a curriculum vitae to ewiggins@mtso.edu.

The John W. Dickhaut Library at MTSO is the school’s primary information and research resource. Dickhaut Library has more than 95,000 volumes on site. Through its membership in the Ohio Private Academic Libraries and OhioLINK consortia it offers borrowers access to 39 million books and e-books and 6,900 current academic and professional journals.

Methodist Theological School in Ohio does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, age, ancestry, physical or mental disabilities, military status, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy and parenting status, creed or any other protected class, or other non‐merit reasons. See our notice of nondiscrimination.