Department Contact: Leticia Phetteplace, 575-646-1808, Leti@nmsu.edu

Internal or External Search: External - Open to all applicants

Advertising Summary: We support and enhance the teaching, learning, research, and outreach endeavors of NMSU.

Position Details

Position Title: Department Head, Reference and Research Services

College/Division: Library

Department: 390300-LIBRARY REFERENCE AND RESEARCH SVCS

Location: Las Cruces

Offsite Location (if applicable): N/A

Target Hourly/Salary Rate: $85,000-92,000

Appointment Full-time Equivalency: 1.0

FLSA Status: Exempt

Bargaining Unit Announcement: This is NOT a bargaining unit position with American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

Contingent Upon Funding: Not Applicable

Standard Work Schedule: Standard (M-F, 8-5)

If Not a Standard Work Schedule: May work evenings/weekends

Job Duties and Responsibilities: Reports directly to the Dean of the Library. Administers and provides overall leadership for the Reference and Research Services department. Supervises approximately eight faculty and three staff, supporting their development and growth. Ensures the provision of effective and high-quality departmental services. Serves as intermediary between library administration and the department while acting as advocate for both. Contributes to library-wide planning, policy-making, goal-setting, and assessment efforts. Serves as a member of the library’s leadership team. Demonstrates a commitment to advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) across the New Mexico State University (NMSU) system as a foundation for institutional excellence. Collaborates with various stakeholders to achieve NMSU Library and institutional goals. Ensures compliance with relevant NMSU Library and NMSU policies and procedures, including department head roles and responsibilities as specified in Administrative Rules and Procedures, 6.72 (https://arp.nmsu.edu/chapter-6/6-72.html). https://lib.nmsu.edu/_assets/documents/Library-PT-Policy-Revised-Summer-2024.pdf

As a member of the library faculty, is responsible for achieving in the following areas:
• Librarianship
• Scholarship and Creative Activity
• Outreach and Extension
• Service

Job Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• In-depth knowledge of and experience with recent trends in librarianship, including interdisciplinary approaches in reference and research services, instruction, collections development and management, assessment of programs and services, information literacy, and critical thinking pedagogy
• Knowledge and understanding of principles, procedures, regulations, and standards applicable to the job
• Understanding of the University's mission, vision and goals
• Excellent communication skills, ability to listen to new ideas and to respond in a timely manner to faculty, students and staff
• Demonstrated ability to administer in a fair, thorough, and thoughtful way
• Ability to solve problems and workshop solutions with co-workers
• Demonstrated ability to work independently
• Ability to craft an innovative vision of library services for the department.
• Ability to work as part of a team in a complex, changing institutional environment.
• Evidenced oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills
• Promulgate a service ethos in the RRS department
• Demonstrated ability to set a coherent team vision and implement projects to enact that vision

Qualifications

Required Education and Experience: 
• Master's degree from a program accredited by the American Library
• A minimum of three years of supervisory experience in public services within a library setting
• Academic qualifications appropriate to appointment to the rank of Associate Professor with tenure as specified in the University Library’s Promotion and Tenure policy

Equivalent Qualifications: 

Preferred Qualifications: 
• Evidence of creativity in problem solving and effective organization and time management competencies
• Experience collaborating with diverse groups inside and outside of the library to develop initiatives, programs, and services that address student success and research support needs of the university
• Proactive leadership with a record of professional engagement and contributions well-positioned to support and mentor tenure-track and college library faculty and staff
• Demonstrated activity in institutional and professional service
• Established record of scholarship and/or creative activity
• Demonstrated experience in classroom teaching or professional instruction
• Familiarity with the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education

Special Requirements of the Position

• Work takes place at the NMSU main campus: Position may include allowance for moving expenses.

• For more information about working at NMSU please visit https://benefits.nmsu.edu/documents/Applicant-Recruitment-Info-Booklet.pdf 

Special Certification/Licensure: 

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

Environment: Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment.

Physical Effort: No or very limited physical effort required.

Lifting Requirements: Requires handling of average-weight objects up to 10 pounds or some standing or walking.

Risk: No or very limited exposure to physical risk.