Working/Functional Title
Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning
Position Summary
Michigan State University (MSU) Libraries seeks an Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning to join the leadership team of the libraries serving the nation’s premiere land-grant university. Reporting to the Dean of Libraries, this innovative, collaborative, and inclusive leader provides strategic direction for the Libraries’ Teaching and Learning Division (9 direct reports and approximately 47 FTE). This includes oversight of the people and programs in Reference and Discovery Services, Open Educational Resources, Information Literacy, and all subject liaison librarians, who work in the following units: Business, Health Sciences, Humanities, Sciences, and Social Sciences. The Teaching and Learning Division also includes the Gast Business Library and its operations, as well as the Art Library, Map Library, and Music Library, located in the Main Library building. This position is critical to advancing the MSU Libraries role in student success across all colleges and disciplines. This position is a faculty appointment that will hold the rank of Librarian II or III and offers opportunities to engage in academic initiatives within a vibrant and collaborative environment.
Core Responsibilities
• Leads development of the vision, priorities, and strategic directions for the Teaching and Learning Division.
• Mentors and encourages the faculty and staff of the Teaching and Learning Division to promote the Libraries’ collections, services, and expertise in instruction, curriculum, and research.
• Represents needs and perspectives of the Teaching and Learning Division within the MSU Libraries Executive Council.
• Plans, implements, and evaluates policies and procedures around teaching and learning in the Libraries and in partnership with colleagues across the university.
• Sets hiring priorities and advocates for new and emerging positional needs within the Teaching and Learning Division. Participates in and oversees hiring, supervision, training, and evaluation of faculty and staff in the division.
• Maintains effective communications within the Teaching and Learning Division and with other divisions of the MSU Libraries.
• Reviews and evaluates operations of the Teaching and Learning Division and remains current on issues and developments in information literacy, reference and discovery services, liaison librarianship, open education, instruction, and other areas related to work in the division. Advises Dean of Libraries on the same.
• Builds and maintains partnerships across the university to strengthen relationships between the Libraries and other academic and administrative units.
• Advocates and finds meaningful opportunities for the Libraries to advance the teaching, learning, and student success strategies of the university.
• Represents the Libraries on university-level committees and within relevant groups in the Big Ten Academic Alliance, Midwest Collaborative for Library Services, and other groups as appropriate.
Additional Information
We welcome candidates who meet the minimum requirements to apply and will support their professional development to grow in this position.
Librarians are appointed as regular faculty in the continuing appointment system. Faculty are expected to independently apply judgment; have excellent oral and written communication skills; and demonstrate attention to detail, flexibility, collegiality, the capacity for collaboration, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion in performance of their duties. As faculty, they develop a self-directed program of professional development and scholarly activities related to their position and serve on library and university committees as elected or assigned.
The Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning will work to advance the initiatives in the MSU Strategic Plan and in the MSU Libraries Strategic Plan. In support of these initiatives, the Libraries serves as a center of activity and engagement on campus, with librarians empowered to support both student development and transformative research activities. The candidate will partner with our diverse campus to develop our welcoming multicultural environment. More information on MSU and the MSU Libraries’ dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion is available at: http://www.inclusion.msu.edu/about/index.html.
Founded in 1855, Michigan State University is a land-grant, R1/very high research activity university and a member of the American Association of Universities and Association of Public and Land Grant Universities. MSU is located in East Lansing, a vibrant community in Michigan’s lower peninsula. The university comprises than 4,900 faculty, 40,000 undergraduates, and 11,000 graduate and professional students on a park-like campus of over 5,000 acres. The MSU Libraries is ranked among the top-25 academic research libraries in North America and is an active member of the Association of Research Libraries, Big Ten Academic Alliance, Center for Research Libraries, Coalition for Networked Information, and the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services, among other organizations.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Degree
Masters -Library and Information Science
Minimum Requirements
• Master’s degree in information or library sciences from a program accredited by the American Library Association or an equivalent accreditation from an international institution.
• Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in an academic library in one or more of the following areas: reference and discovery services, instruction, subject specialist/liaison librarianship, open education, outreach and engagement, or related areas.
• Minimum of five years of experience managing librarians and support staff.
• Demonstrated knowledge of current trends and best practices in information literacy, reference and discovery services, subject specialist/liaison librarianship, instruction, open education, curricular integration of library resources, and related areas.
• An understanding of the major issues and trends facing large academic research libraries.
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and an intention to work in and foster a collaborative, respectful culture.
• A high degree of professionalism, integrity, and accountability.
• History of collaborative leadership with proven ability to work effectively with multiple stakeholders.
• Project management and problem-solving skills and the ability to set priorities and manage multiple projects and competing deadlines.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills.
• Record of scholarly research, publication, and professional service consistent with a faculty appointment.
Desired Qualifications
• Experience managing in a unionized environment.
• Experience investigating and integrating emerging technologies, such as generative artificial intelligence, to enhance library services, resource accessibility, and instructional support.
Required Application Materials
Interested applicants should provide a letter of application, CV/resume, and names, addresses and email addresses of three references (2 must be present/past supervisors) to http://careers.msu.edu.
Special Instructions
Minimum salary $135,000. Salary is negotiable. MSU provides generous fringe benefits including health care, dental care, professional development funding, 22 paid vacation days, 9 University holidays, 2 personal observance days, paid sick days, tuition discounts, and relocation reimbursement.
For questions, please contact Jacquelyn Hansen, aholajac@msu.edu, at MSU Libraries' Human Resources Department.
Website
https://lib.msu.edu
Department Statement
The Libraries are at the center of academic life at Michigan State University, providing expertise, collections, and infrastructure for discovery and creation. We facilitate connections that support research, teaching, and learning in our local and global communities. Learn more about us at: https://lib.msu.edu/about.
MSU Statement
Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.
