University Librarian

Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), a privately endowed, coeducational university and a national leader in professional and career-oriented education, seeks an innovative visionary as the next University Librarian. This position offers a unique opportunity to join a growing research institution looking to the future in all aspects of University life. The University Librarian will have the opportunity to provide compelling and creative leadership that will advance the entire institution through organizational innovation, raising RIT's profile both nationally and internationally.

The Position: Reporting to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and a member of the Provost Council, the University Librarian provides executive leadership and strategic direction for RIT Libraries. With 12 direct reports and 47 staff, the University Librarian is charged with the exciting opportunity to envision a library modeled for the 21st century and founded on RIT's unique fusion of art and science. The University Librarian leads the strategic and future-minded vision for the role of a library on a technology-rich academic campus. This individual oversees the delivery of core library collections, services, and programs to the RIT community; collaborates with faculty, staff, students, and administration; represents RIT Libraries within the RIT community and on regional and national Library boards, committees, and consortia; and identifies and cultivates external relations and fundraising opportunities in support of RIT Libraries. The University Librarian also engages with RIT's global campuses. The University Librarian, as a member of the Provost's senior leadership team, also plays an important role in meeting institutional strategic diversity, inclusion, and access goals.

RIT Libraries: Located at the heart of campus, RIT Libraries is the hub for active learning, research, digital scholarship, and publishing at RIT. Wallace Library, The Cary Graphic Arts Collection, and the RIT Archives comprise RIT Libraries. Additional support is provided to the libraries of RIT's global campuses in Dubai, China, Croatia, and Kosovo. Overseeing a staff of nearly 50 individuals and over 100 student employees, the University Librarian reports directly to RIT's Provost within the division of Academic Affairs. Its staff enables access to a wealth of physical and digital resources, and a team of dynamic liaison librarians representing each of RIT's Colleges provides expert research guidance and assistance. The circulating collection boasts more than 300,000 books and journals housed physically in Wallace Library and the campus storage facility. Users also have access to over 650,000 electronic books and journals and over 230 databases.

Wallace Library houses state-of-the-art classrooms and provides study rooms and comfortable lounge areas that offer the RIT community a variety of spaces for research, study, and collaboration. Located on the first floor, Java's (the first coffee shop on campus) serves beverages and baked goods throughout the academic year.

RIT Libraries is home to distinctive special collections that provide unique hands-on educational opportunities for RIT students while also distinguishing the university internationally. The Cary Graphic Arts Collection is one of the world's premier libraries on the history of printing and graphic arts, including the Graphic Design Archive (GDA). RIT Archives houses the University Archives, University Art Collections, and the internationally recognized Deaf Studies, Culture, and History Archives (DSA).

RIT Press is the University's award-winning scholarly book publishing enterprise, publishing books and journals in a wide array of subject areas as well as those of local and regional interest.

Digital Scholarship Services provides scholars with the latest technological tools and know-how to create and share knowledge with the world. Its offerings include a digitization lab, the university's institute repository, support of digital projects and data management, copyright/fair use information, and open access publishing.

Wallace Library also houses the RIT ASL and Deaf Studies Community Center (RADSCC), University Writing Center, the Expressive Communication Center (ECC), and the Center for Teaching and Learning.

Adjacent to Wallace Library is RIT's new Student Hall for Exploration and Development (SHED), which purposely brings together technology, art, and design under one roof. With more than 120,000 square feet of new construction, the SHED offers flexible spaces that foster and stimulate creativity, collaboration, and discovery. RIT created 27 new classroom spaces within the SHED and Wallace Library. This includes 22 standard-size classrooms and five extra-large classrooms, providing more than 1,500 additional seats. All of the new classrooms will feature cutting-edge video technology and flexible furniture for group work, lectures, symposiums, and special events. The University Librarian will partner with SHED staff and stakeholders in the synergistic partnership of a high-quality information commons and the cutting-edge student exploration space.

The University: Founded in 1829, Rochester Institute of Technology is a diverse and collaborative community of engaged, socially conscious, and intellectually curious minds. Through creativity, innovation, and an intentional blending of technology, the arts, and design, RIT provides exceptional individuals with a wide range of academic opportunities, including a leading research program and an internationally recognized education for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Beyond the main campus in Rochester, New York, the RIT Global campuses in China, two in Croatia, Dubai, and Kosovo as well as RIT International partnerships provide opportunities to engage in experiences that broaden understandings of languages, cultures, global social issues, and international relations and allow students to immerse in the cultures, languages, and social issues of other nations. With more than 19,000 students and more than 135,000 graduates from all 50 states and over 100 nations, RIT influences progress in industries and communities around the world.

RIT Today: Today, RIT is one of the world's leading innovative institutions—a vibrant, connected community that is home to diverse, ambitious, creative students, and faculty from around the world. RIT attracts top-flight research-active faculty who are passionate about their teaching mission. Over the past decade, the University has invested significant capital to improve its education, research, and technology infrastructure. RIT moved into the 'National Universities' category of U.S. News & World Report rankings in 2016, due to its growing research portfolio, and now ranks number 98. The University is also among the top 50 choices of high school counselors, according to U.S. News. The 10th largest private university in the nation in terms of full-time undergraduate enrollment, RIT counts more than 148,000 alumni around the world. To view more of RIT's rankings and recognition, visit www.rit.edu/overview/rankings-andrecognition.

As of Fall 2023, the University enrolled 20,570 full- and part-time students (17,528 undergraduate and 3,024 graduate students) who represent all 50 states and over 100 nations. More than 3,900 students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds are enrolled on the main campus along with nearly 2,000 international students. An additional 3,600 students are enrolled at RIT's five international campuses.

Through the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID)—one of nine colleges and two degreegranting units on campus—RIT has achieved international prominence as a leader in preparing deaf and hard-of-hearing students for successful careers in professional and technical fields. NTID was created by federal law in 1965 under President Johnson, and RIT was selected as its sponsoring institution in 1966. The University provides unparalleled access and support services for the more than 900 deaf and hard-ofhearing students who live, study, and work with hearing students on the RIT campus. RIT is well known for its commitment to undergraduate students and, increasingly, for offering a broad range of innovative graduate programs that combine the theoretical with practical applications and align with demonstrated needs in the marketplace.

RIT has steadily grown its doctoral programs; in 2016, the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education reclassified the University from 'Masters – Comprehensive' to 'Doctoral University – Moderate Research Activity.' In May 2023, RIT awarded 66 doctoral degrees. It offers 12 Ph.D. programs and currently enrolls more than 400 Ph.D. students. To find out more about Rochester Institute of Technology please visit www.rit.edu.

Qualifications: The University seeks a collaborative, collegial, visionary, and ambitious leader with the ability, qualifications, and interest to take RIT Libraries to the next level, making RIT a national model. The University Librarian will be able to contribute to a community committed to student-centeredness; professional development and scholarship; integrity and ethics; respect, diversity, and pluralism; innovation and flexibility; and teamwork. The successful candidate will have experience fostering an environment that promotes meaningful inclusion among students, staff, and faculty. The University Librarian will have experience with collaborative relationships internally and externally. Other desired qualities include a transparency and shared governance mindset, humility, and courage in advancing creative approaches, new ideas and institutional change. Important qualifications for the position include budget management and financial acumen, experience with or passion for grants and/or fundraising, demonstrated commitment to understanding and meeting the scholarly resource needs of students and faculty, and an understanding of complex operations management. The successful candidate will have either an advanced degree, such as an MLS, MS, or MIS, from an ALA-accredited library school or academic credentials appropriate to the leadership of a modern research-intensive library.

Location: Situated between Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes, Rochester is the third largest metropolitan area in New York. As of 2021, the region's metropolitan statistical area had a population of 1.09 million. The region is rich in cultural and ethnic diversity (16 percent African and Latin American and seven percent of international origin) and is known for its intellectual capital and innovation. Scientific Reports named Rochester 18th among 'the world's leading science cities,' and the New Republic reports Rochester as one of the most innovation-intensive metro areas in the country. Atlantic Magazine listed Rochester as one of 35 innovation hubs in the country, based on start-up companies, patents, and entrepreneurs per capita. Rochester is a five-hour drive to New York City and a three-hour drive to Toronto and its airport includes non-stop flights to 18 cities in the U.S. and Canada. The region has an exceptional quality of life, with cultural amenities and recreational activities; affordable healthcare and cost of living; excellent schools; and the arts, culture, sports, and nightlife of a big city with the ease and comfort of a small town. Rochester is one of the least-congested cities in the U.S., with an average commute of under 20 minutes. The region has been ranked 6th among 379 metro areas by Places Rated Almanac as one of the 'Best Places to Live in America' and 1st by Expansion Management Magazine's ranking of metro areas having the best quality of life in the nation. The Rochester region is home to 19 colleges and universities, enrolling more than 83,000 students. Rochester is one of the most productive regions in the country, ranking third in college degrees per capita and first for degrees in STEM fields, according to the latest U.S. Department of Education reports. For more about Rochester, visit www.visitrochester.com.

Salary: $139,500-145,000

Application: Interested candidates should submit only a cover letter and resume to RPA Inc. at RITUniversityLibrarian@rpainc.org. For a confidential discussion about this opportunity or to make a nomination, please email Kendra Mozug, Search Consultant, or Dana John Cohick, President, at the email address listed above. Review of candidates will begin on February 19, 2024.

In compliance with NYS's Pay Transparency Act, the salary range for this position is listed above. Rochester Institute of Technology considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. The hiring process for this position may require a criminal background check and/or motor vehicle records check. Any verbal or written offer made is contingent on satisfactory results, as determined by Human Resources. RIT does not discriminate. RIT promotes and values diversity, pluralism and inclusion in the workplace. RIT provides equal opportunity to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, age, marital status, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran status or disability in its hiring, admissions, educational programs and activities. RIT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York Human Rights Law, or similar applicable law. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact RPA Inc at RITUniversityLibrarian@rpainc.org. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.





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