Head, Collection Assessment and Research Impact

About the Department:

The University Libraries fosters innovation, creativity, and imagination by facilitating and preserving access to scholarship and information, providing expert consultation in the research process, and actively teaching the effective and critical use of information. The Access & Resource Management (ARM) division works across the Libraries to support the University’s strategic goals and plan by acquiring, managing, and providing access to scholarly resources that enhance curricular and research needs. The division manages the lifecycle of the University Libraries’ scholarly collection from budget development to point of ordering to provision of access and all associated maintenance and assessment. The division is comprised of three departments: Collection Management, Discovery Services, and Access Services. The Collection Management department brings together the units of Resource Acquisition, Collection Assessment & Research Impact, and Resource Sharing to provide holistic management of the Libraries’ research collections. The Collection Assessment & Research Impact unit focuses on the assessment and analysis of the Libraries’ collections, the implementation of collection priorities, and the understanding and communication of the impact of research, scholarship, and creative contributions in alignment with those priorities.

About the Position:

Within the Collection Management department of the ARM division, the Head, Collection Assessment and Research Impact coordinates assessment of the Libraries’ research collections, whether owned, subscribed to, shared, opened, accessed, or otherwise made available to the George Mason University scholarly community. This position develops and provides services related to research and scholarly impact and serves as the expert on trends and issues in research impact. The Head, Collection Assessment and Research Impact supports and participates in collection development for the Libraries and supports the Collection Assessment & Research Impact unit. The position reports to the Director, Collection Management. They participate in committees, task forces, and/or workgroups as required to share knowledge, develop best practices, and implement and advance the work of the Libraries.

Responsibilities:

Collection Assessment:

• Oversees evaluation of the Libraries' research collections to help ensure they effectively meet the needs of its users and aligns with the Libraries' goals;
• Works with the unit's Specialists to prepare product and program analysis for the Collection Management Council's review and use;
• Works collaboratively with the Data Discoverability Unit in applying ever-developing and increasingly sophisticated methods for assessing all aspects of the Libraries’ collections and their use;
• Assesses the intellectual component and usage of the Libraries’ approval plans and related models such as demand-driven or evidence-based purchasing of content; and
• Maintains awareness of new developments in librarianship, information access, and assessment methodologies.

Research Impact:

• Builds and maintains knowledge of bibliometric approaches, citation analysis, available data and resources in the field, and researcher profile development;
• Provides resources and support for subject and liaison librarians to provide consultation for faculty and students on their research, scholarly, and creative impact, providing direct consultations in collaboration with subject and liaison librarians as time allows;
• Works with data from a variety of sources, such as citation counts, h-index, journal impact factors, and altmetrics, to analyze institutional research impact; and
• Develops and maintains a deep understanding of scholarly communication models and how these relate to the libraries' collections and institutional researchers in both quantitative and qualitative ways.

Collection Development Support:

• Identifies collection gaps and areas where collections spending is misaligned with current curricula;
• Supports and participates in collections planning and strategic decision-making for acquisition or cancellation using data; and
• Negotiates product renewals in collaboration with the Director, Collection Management and Head, Resource Acquisition, as needed.

Supervision:

• Sets clear performance goals that align with the Libraries’ mission and strategic plan;
• Effectively communicates expectations to team member(s), organizes workflows to optimize productivity, and ensures clarity around roles and responsibilities;
• Drives employee engagement and development by monitoring performance, providing actionable feedback, fostering professional growth through coaching and training, and promoting a collaborative work environment; and
• Champions compliance by upholding university policies, legal standards, and ethical practices, and takes decisive action when necessary to address performance and/or behavioral issues.

Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Considerable experience involving collection assessment in an academic or research library setting;
• Experience with data analysis tools or approaches;
• Supervisory or team lead experience;
• Knowledge of trends, models, and best practices in scholarly communication;
• Demonstrated knowledge of assessment methodologies, tools, and metrics used to evaluate academic library collections;
• Demonstrates strong communication and interpersonal skills to convey complex ideas with clarity and impact to a variety of audiences working collaboratively with colleagues, vendors, and stakeholders;
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to collect, interpret, and present both quantitative and qualitative data to support decision-making; and
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and adapt to evolving needs in a fast-paced academic environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• ALA-accredited Master’s degree in Library or Information Science, or an equivalent certified foreign degree;
• Experience leading collection assessment projects in an academic or research library;
• Experience evaluating research impact in a higher education setting;
• Experience supervising professional staff in a collection assessment, research impact, or electronic resource environment;
• Proficiency with integrated library systems, electronic resource management systems, and assessment tools;
• Skill in presenting complex data in accessible formats for diverse audiences, including administration and faculty; and
• Ability to develop policies, workflows, and best practices for collection assessment and research impact.