The Michigan State University Libraries seek an energetic, knowledgeable and innovative person to provide leadership in the development of music services and collections. The position requires engagement and collaboration with faculty, students and the wider community to strategically anticipate future library and user requirements, proactively developing creative new services and building collections that meet our users’ changing needs.
Campus programs, faculty and students to be served include those from the College of Music, the Residential College for the Arts and Humanities, the Center for Integrated Studies in the Arts and Humanities, the College of Communication Arts, the Theatre Department, and others with teaching and research needs. Interests in the College of Music include musical performance and its methods, specific instruments, technical studies, music history, music education, music therapy, critical analysis, and ethnomusicology. The interest on campus encompasses Western classical music (including band, orchestra, and opera), sacred and secular vocal and choral music, jazz, contemporary American popular music, digital music, and the role of music in multi-media presentations, film, and commercial media such as advertising.
The MSU Libraries are fortunate to curate the Rovi Media Collection which includes nearly 700,000 music CDs. As a result of this 2015 donation, our collection of music now surpasses the three largest university library collections in the U.S. whose totals are close to 65,000. A key component of this position is the thoughtful development of policies regarding the curation and preservation of this collection in collaboration with the Digital Initiatives Division and Library Administration. Delivery of scholarly, user-focused services, programs, and initiatives are important as well.
Reporting to the Head of the Fine Arts Library, this librarian will be responsible for meeting music-related information needs of MSU students, faculty and staff through library instruction services, in-depth reference, creation and support of innovative digital services including collaborative technology labs, manipulation of recorded sound and video, preservation of digital formats and data management. An important component of this position is acquiring and maintaining relevant library collections in all suitable formats. We are seeking candidates with the technical acumen and interest to grow digital collections, and potentially to participate on teams to prepare digital resources for storage, manipulation, visualization and presentation, and secondary analysis.
The successful candidate must be broadly focused and adventurous enough to expand or shift their range of responsibilities to meet evolving campus needs, as well as participate in an approximately quarter-time secondary assignment based on the needs of the library and candidate interests; may include work in areas such as reference, information literacy, cataloging, or collection development. Some evening and weekend hours may be required. Other appropriate duties as assigned.
Librarians are appointed as regular faculty in the continuing appointment system and are engaged in professional development and scholarly activities related to their position in addition to serving on library and university committees as elected or assigned.
Michigan State University Libraries serve more the 5,300 faculty and academic staff, 39,000 undergraduates, and 11,400 graduate and professional students on a park-like campus of over 5,000 acres. The Libraries have combined holdings of over 5 million volumes. East Lansing is a community of 50,000 located adjacent to Lansing, the State capital.
Minimum Qualifications
Master’s degree in information or library science from a program accredited by the American Library Association. Excellent oral and written communication skills; outstanding interpersonal communication skills including the ability to be flexible in a dynamic and changing environment; exceptional commitment to customer service; ability to work enthusiastically and effectively with diverse faculty, students, and staff; ability to work collaboratively and independently; ability to prioritize and balance various unit needs; attention to detail; preparation and commitment to conducting independent scholarship consistent with a library faculty appointment; capacity and commitment to engage independently in continuing professional development.
Desired Qualifications
Background, interest, or coursework in music and/or music librarianship. Academic library experience.