Public Services Librarian

We wish to fill this position no later than 1/1/2024. Start date before then is desirable.

Position Description

The Public Services Librarian (PSL) manages public services operations and staff. The PSL also provides reference assistance and teaches general information literacy topics. The PSL reports to the library director. A detailed list of responsibilities follows.

• Manage public services operations. Plan, organize, oversee, and evaluate operations. Interpret and enforce policy; formulate specific regulations and procedures to implement policy; recommend policy change. Submit annual and special reports to the director. Make a special effort to monitor library services for external students (i.e., students not resident in the DFW area). Maintain good communication and relations with non-library departments that share library space (bookstore and IT helpdesk) or work in the library (housekeeping and campus police).
• Ensure that the building is open and staffed as scheduled; that the collection is in good order so materials are readily found in the proper locations and are in usable condition; that furnishings and equipment are well maintained; that the user database is accurate; that circulation and course reserves are functioning correctly; that network services, authentication, proxy services, etc. are working properly so employees and students have access to library website, WMS and databases.
• Manage public services staff, including one full-time employee and 6 to 8 part-time employees. Hire, train, supervise, set staff goals, schedule, and evaluate staff. Library employees at branch campuses report to two supervisors: a local branch campus administrator is the primary supervisor, and the PSL is the secondary supervisor. So the PSL advises branch campus personnel about all aspects of staffing and operating the branch libraries.
• Promote the library. Offer library orientation and workshops. Coordinate with IT helpdesk promotions. Make a special effort to advertise to online students.
• Provide scheduled and unscheduled reference service for all library users; advise them of relevant research options; answer reference queries in person, or by phone, video conferencing or email.
• Teach database searching, research methods, and general information literacy topics. Create tutorials and maintain relevant documentation at the library website.
• Teach part-time staff at all campuses how to provide basic peer reference and how to connect students with professional reference staff.
• Recommend collection purchases, particularly for the reference collection. Assist in weeding/deaccessioning as needed.
• Must office at the Dallas TX campus. Occasionally (annually?) may be required to travel to a branch campus.
• Perform other library duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Graduate library degree
• Graduate theological degree with coursework in biblical languages
• Experience in reference service
• Experience teaching adults in any context (e.g., church or higher education context)
• Experience managing staff in any public-facing setting, library or otherwise
• Good interpersonal skills
• Good oral and written communication skills
• Expert in use of database search engines such as WorldCat, ProQuest and EBSCO. Competent in use of many of the following: Outlook, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, TEAMS, OCLC WMS, Paycom, Canvas, WordPress, Zotero, and Logos bible software.
• Must support the mission of the seminary
• Must subscribe to the short seven-point doctrinal statement
  • (the Trinity; the full deity and humanity of Christ; the spiritual lostness of the human race; the substitutionary atonement and bodily resurrection of Christ; salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone; the physical return of Christ; the authority and inerrancy of Scripture)

How to Apply

On our website, use the right column labeled "Apply Now."

Questions or problems? Contact Marvin Hunn, mhunn@dts.edu.

About the Institution

Dallas Theological Seminary is a non-denominational evangelical seminary in Dallas, Texas, with satellite campuses and regional locations throughout the United States and the world.

See https://www.dts.edu/about/ for history, doctrine, leadership, policies and procedures, facts and statistics, and accreditation details.

See https://library.dts.edu/Pages/TL/DCF/libstats-2021-22.pdf for information about the library.