Head of Cataloging

Head of Cataloging

The Ohio State University  

Columbus, OH

The Ohio State University Libraries aspires to be the model library advancing the educational, research, and engagement missions of a 21st-century public, land grant, urban, community engaged university. We seek a Head of Cataloging who will find opportunities to lead and innovate in University Libraries and the profession through adapting workflow automation, exploring linked data and other emerging frameworks for bibliographic metadata, and shaping description to meet the needs of diverse user communities in a dynamic discovery environment.

The Head of Cataloging provides vision and leadership to The Ohio State University Libraries to ensure high-quality bibliographic description is created in a timely and efficient fashion. They steward this data for effective use, anticipating future uses to support discovery and access of Libraries’ collections. They provide effective oversight of teams with responsibility for producing and maintaining description of materials in a wide range of formats, languages, and specializations. This position directly and indirectly supervises faculty and staff employees and reports to the Acquisitions and Discovery Strategist within the Content and Access division.

The Head of Cataloging works with key partners, including Acquisitions, Electronic Resources Management Team, and Technology and Digital Programs, to continuously create or improve effective workflows and position Libraries for the future of description of library collections. They engage with subject librarians, special collections curators, and other stakeholders to establish priorities and understand needs for description. They collaborate with affiliated libraries, consortia, and organizations to advance Libraries and collective objectives. Libraries will be migrating to Ex Libris Alma in summer 2025 as part of the OhioLINK consortium.

The Head of Cataloging seeks opportunities to learn and collaborate using leadership skills to define problems, provide solutions, and support colleagues in their own professional growth. They consistently demonstrate commitment to our values and promote an organizational culture of Discovery, Connection, Equity, Integrity, and Stewardship, modeling The Ohio State University’s shared values. All other duties as assigned.

Responsibilities

• Leads Cataloging for library collections, including continuous improvement of practices through workflow development and automation, engagement with the discovery environment, and local policy development. Ensures timely and high-quality cataloging of materials in a wide range of formats, languages, and specializations.
• Oversees the integrity of the catalog and catalog data.
• Guides University Libraries in the evolving standards and practices for bibliographic description. Transitions from the present MARC-focused environment to one that facilitates the management and use of linked data.
• Shapes and implements ongoing changes to description standards and best practices, with particular attention to respectful and inclusive description.
• Builds ongoing training and education programs for faculty and staff.
• Engages as member of the leadership team of Acquisitions and Discovery with responsibility for optimizing description and discovery of library collections and to address common needs for description and identity management. Actively partners across University Libraries and affiliated organizations to understand needs and develop efficient and effective workflows for bibliographic records creation, use, and re-use. Engages with consortia, including OhioLINK and the Big Ten Academic Alliance, to leverage collective capacity and skills, to identify efficiencies in cataloging, and to advance shared success.
• Identifies and executes projects to improve discovery of collections. Partners with Technology and Digital Programs and other areas of University Libraries to leverage tools and techniques for efficient creation of description, including automation and data re-use.
• Participates proactively on library-wide committees, task forces and teams, and represents the University Libraries in consortia partnerships and committees.
• Fosters a supportive, collaborative work environment, and encourages partnerships across the Content and Access Division and with other divisions of the library.
• Exhibits a strong commitment to Ohio State’s shared values and promoting an organizational culture of excellence and impact, diversity and innovation, inclusion and equity, care and compassion, and integrity and respect.
• Manages faculty and staff, with direct and indirect reports.

Required Qualifications:

• An ALA-accredited master’s degree, a master’s degree with specialization in archives, a master’s degree in museum studies or a comparable graduate degree in one of the above fields from a non-U.S. university, reviewed on a case by case basis.
• Deep expertise and considerable experience with cataloging of library collections in a variety of formats and languages gained through at least five years of professional experience. Strong knowledge of standards and best practices for cataloging, including Resources Description and Access, MARC and the Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC). 
• Experience in project planning, workflow development, and/or writing documentation.
• Ability to work effectively and creatively in a collaborative and complex environment. Capacity to develop solutions, lead a group through change, and build consensus and partnerships across Libraries and with other organizations.
• Experience leading others.
• Commitment to librarianship, scholarship, and service which are required criteria to meet University and University Libraries requirements for promotion and tenure.

Desired Qualifications:

• Demonstrated success in leading change.
• Experience with system migration.

Appointment

This is a full-time, regular, 12-month appointment as a tenure-track faculty member. The candidate will be required to meet university and Libraries requirements for promotion and tenure. Faculty rank at either Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor are dependent on qualifications and experience. Information about requirements for promotion and tenure is available at http://go.osu.edu/ulcriteria.

The Ohio State University believes in diversity in people and ideas. What Ohio State does matters. And how we do it matters. When we are at our best, we make a real difference to people. We believe that the university should be a place where people can work and learn together in a safe environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, and intimidation. As such, finalists for any faculty position that carries tenure must sign an authorization and disclosure form, which will allow current or prior employer(s) to share information to the University regarding any findings of employment-related misconduct or disciplinary proceedings against a candidate and/or any pending investigations related to alleged misconduct. Such information shall include findings and pending investigations with respect to sexual harassment, violence, or harassment; research misconduct; financial fraud or misconduct; foreign influence violations, grant misuse or misconduct; and/or any other type of finding or pending investigation relating to a candidate’s employer’s policies and rules governing faculty conduct that may reasonably be expected to affect a candidate’s appointment. If the University becomes aware of any past finding of misconduct or pending investigations that were not disclosed, Ohio State will treat that as a serious omission and reserves the right to rescind an offer or terminate employment.

Salary

$75,000 to $85,000 annual salary negotiable.

Application

Please submit cover letter, CV, references, and application by June 2, 2024.

To learn more and apply, please visit: https://osujoblinks.com/ft94  

The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, protected veteran status, or any other basis under the law.