Assistant Director, Resource Sharing, Reserves

Overview

Reporting to the Director of Access Services, the Assistant Director for Resource Sharing and Reserves (RSR) provides strategic leadership for Yale University Library’s resource sharing and course reserves programs in a complex and evolving environment. The position advances high quality, user-centered access services that support teaching, research, and learning across the University.

The Assistant Director leads the planning, delivery, and continuous process improvement of resource sharing and reserves services-including Interlibrary Loan, Borrow Direct, Scan & Deliver, and print and electronic reserves-and provides direct oversight of Interlibrary Loan borrowing and Reserves operations, managing a team of seven FTE.

The Assistant Director collaborates closely with Library IT, collections and electronic resources, campus partners, and external consortia; serves as product owner for core access systems; manages budgets related to resource sharing and reserves; provides leadership on copyright, accessibility, and policy development; and represents Yale University Library in consortial and professional settings.

The Assistant Director for RSR has broad, programmatic oversight and will play a key role in the development, implementation, and assessment of resource sharing initiatives and memberships on behalf of Yale Library. Represents Yale on externally facing programs, and initiatives, including ReCAP, SHARES, ReShare, and the IDS Project.  The Assistant Director for RSR represents Yale University Library at professional conferences and resource sharing meetings and assumes an active, leadership role within the profession.

Access Services (AS) is a core division of Yale Library responsible for delivering and stewarding visible, high volume, and operationally complex services. AS ensures that students, faculty, and researchers can reliably discover, access, and use library resources across physical and digital environments, functioning as essential access infrastructure that underpins teaching and research at scale. Operating at the intersection of collections, systems, spaces, and people, AS sustains service continuity, user trust, and equitable access in an evolving scholarly landscape.

Access Services leaders share collective responsibility for the strategic direction, performance, and sustainability of Yale Library’s access ecosystem. Together, they lead complex public services; steward staff, budgets, systems, and policies; and guide services through technological, organizational, and scholarly change. Shared focus areas include service design and delivery, assessment and data informed decision making, workforce development, policy and compliance, and cross departmental collaboration, ensuring alignment with Library and University level priorities while maintaining accountability and resilience.

Within this framework, the Assistant Director for Resource Sharing, Reserves is a key contributor, providing strategic oversight for some of the Library’s most complex and externally dependent access services. The role advances institutional priorities through leadership of resource sharing and course reserves programs, stewardship of critical consortial relationships, and continuous assessment of services that shape user experience and institutional reputation. By balancing operational reliability with external engagement, this position strengthens Yale’s capacity to deliver equitable, sustainable access while mitigating risk and maximizing the value of shared partnerships. 

This position will be assigned a rank of Librarian 3 to Librarian 5 based on a combination of professional experience and accomplishments. Librarian ranking information can be found at: http://bit.ly/YULRanksPromotions.

Applications submitted by Friday, May 8 will receive first consideration.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Library Systems and Resource Sharing Technologies: Experience working with library systems, reserves or resource sharing software and services such as Alma, Primo, Ares, ILLiad, ReShare, RAPID, sipx, or OCLC.
2. Strategic and Operational Leadership: Demonstrated ability to provide strategic direction while overseeing complex, high‑volume access services, including setting priorities, aligning work with organizational goals, and leading teams through change in a research library environment.
3. Assessment and Data‑Informed Decision Making: Proven experience using assessment, metrics, and qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate services, analyze workflows, identify gaps, and implement improvements that enhance efficiency, equity, and the user experience.
4. Performance Management and Organizational Development:  Strong record of supervising, mentoring, and developing staff; fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and high‑performing service culture; and effectively managing performance, workload, and professional growth.
5. Collaboration and Communication: Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across departments, with campus partners, and in consortial and professional contexts within a complex organization.
6. Planning, Project, and Resource Management: Demonstrated ability to plan and manage projects, budgets, and resources; balance competing priorities; meet deadlines; and adapt services and workflows to evolving user needs and technologies.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

1. Copyright, Fair Use, and Accessibility Expertise: Knowledge of copyright compliance and ADA accommodation as they apply to resource sharing and course reserves.
2. Assessment and Evidence‑Based Practice: Experience using continuous evaluation, assessment frameworks, and qualitative and quantitative data to improve services, workflows, systems, and the user experience.
3. Consortial and Collaborative Engagement: Experience working with library consortia, shared resource environments, or external partners to advance access services, shared systems, or collaborative initiatives.
4. Professional Engagement and Leadership Development: Active participation in professional organizations, consortial committees, or conferences related to resource sharing, access services, or user services, demonstrating engagement with emerging trends and best practices.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Provide strategic leadership and administrative oversight for resource sharing and course reserves services (print and electronic), including Interlibrary Loan, Borrow Direct, Scan & Deliver, ReCAP, and related access programs.
2. Advance equitable, accessible service design that reflects the diversity of the Yale community and reduces barriers to discovery and delivery in alignment with Access Services and Yale Library’s strategic objectives.
3. Lead assessment initiatives for resource sharing, reserves by establishing metrics, analyzing workflows and outcomes, identifying service gaps, and implementing data informed improvements.
4. Lead teams through organizational change, support workforce planning and succession strategies, and build resilience in evolving service environments.
5. Plan for and manage budgets related to resource sharing and reserves in collaboration with the Director of Access Services, ensuring responsible resource allocation and fiscal oversight.
6. Collaborate with library and campus partners to explore and pilot emerging models for resource sharing, digital delivery, and shared stewardship to expand access and sustainability.
7. Serve as a resource and leader on copyright, fair use, accessibility, and policy development related to resource sharing and course reserves, working with University General Counsel and campus administration as needed.
8. Lead and manage projects supporting the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of access and public services, meeting deadlines and adapting to evolving user needs and technologies.
9. Represent Yale Library in consortial and professional contexts, participate in Library and University committees, and engage in professional activities that advance innovation and best practices in the areas of resource sharing and course reserves.
10. Serve as the Director’s designee as needed and support continuity of operations, including participation in disaster recovery efforts and other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

1. Master's degree from an ALA-accredited library school.
2. Five years of professional experience, with a minimum of three years of progressively responsible leadership in a research library.