Head Librarian at The South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP)

Aligned with the CHE, the purpose of this position lies in the provision of leadership in the procurement, evaluation, management, and promotion of a wide range of continuing, print, and electronic resources including academic texts, databases, journals, and reference sources:

• That adequately support teaching and learning needs thus giving effect to teaching and learning objectives; and
• That ensures policies aimed at proper management and maintenance of academic resources.

Responsibilities:

The Head Librarian will be responsible for the following areas:

• Lead, manage and co-ordinate library operations across all of SACAP’s libraries - ensuring consistency, standardisation and scalable processes
• Leadership in proposing innovative services and responding to changes in users' information needs
• Providing an array of information services to library users, including general and subject specific services, with differentiated services to postgraduate and undergraduate students
• Collaborating with the Heads of Faculty, Senior Academic Programme developers, and the Academic Manager to support curriculum development
• Develop and maintain library collections, including collection analysis for relevance in transforming curricula, inclusive of cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Excellent knowledge of collection analysis for relevance in new programmes to support the Heads of Faculty and Senior Academic Programme developers
• Collaborating with the Head of Learning and Teaching, Head of Learning Design and Online Teaching, and Deputy Dean: Learning and Teaching to support learning and teaching
• Using appropriate tools to engage users, adopting best practice, technological, and educational developments which integrate library services into the overall academic and student experience
• Identify ways to improve, extend and integrate library services institutionally
• Manage the day-to-day work of all the campus Librarians
• Manage stakeholder relationships with academic publishers, textbook publishers, EBSCOHost, JStor, SABINET, DOAB, DOAJ etc. Thus proficient knowledge of e-resource policies, protocols, procedures, methods, ethics and professional standards
• Providing training and support to all stakeholders in the use of information resources, including but not limited to OPALS, EBSCOHost, JStor and SABINET
• Manage the library budget, including the e-book budget and journal database subscriptions
• Continually expand library resources and journal databases based on academic programme needs and will be responsible for sourcing and purchasing library resources
• Sound knowledge and management of the performance monitoring and evaluation in academic libraries ensuring quality assurance processes are developed and monitored for effective library services
• Strategy for marketing and promoting library services (image and visibility of libraries) across all stakeholders at SACAP
• Develop and promote resources and processes which aid research, teaching, learning support and community engagement
• Manage the Libraries’ physical space and facilities to ascertain that it is conducive for learning and research
• Develop, implement and evaluate policies for the libraries (both physical and online)

Qualifications and Experience:

• A NQF (HEQF) Level 8 qualification in the field of Library and Information Services
• A minimum of 5-years' experience in academic library services, preferably in Higher Education
• Information and computer literacy: Sound knowledge and understanding of ICT practices, applications and tools in academic and research libraries
• Knowledge and understanding of information services including current trends for the academic library landscape in Higher Education
• Technologically savvy / strong digital literacy skills
• Numerical/financial literacy would be recommended to manage the library budget and resourcing of libraries
• Exceptional organisational, management, and leadership skills
• Understanding of the higher education landscape in South Africa and passionate about library and information services within this context

Personal Attributes:

• Excellent Interpersonal communication skills
• A self-starter and motivator
• A practice change catalyst
• High energy and solution-focused
• Self-disciplined with outstanding organisational and time management skills
• Excellent communicator
• Strategic influencer
• Able to develop and empower others
• Manages stress well and can work under pressure
• An intrinsic sense of academic excellence
• Creative, flexible and energetic
• Commitment to the culture and values of SACAP
• Personable, helpful, collaborative, and be able work well with others given the role requires relationship building across stakeholders of the institution