Dean of Libraries
Position Profile
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The Position
The University of Texas at San Antonio seeks an innovative and experienced candidate for
Dean of Libraries. The Dean will provide strategic direction and vision for the library, working
with talented and accomplished librarians, staff, faculty, and students to meet the university's
educational mission and ambitious goals for growth. This position reports to the Provost and is a
member of the Dean's Council.
About the University
The University of Texas at San Antonio serves
not only the San Antonio metropolitan area,
but also the broader region of South Texas
through programs and services offered from
its three campuses: Main Campus, Downtown
Campus, and HemisFair Park Campus.
With approximately 29,000 students enrolled
in nearly 160 undergraduate and graduate
degree programs, UTSA is the third-largest of
eight academic universities and six health
institutions in The University of Texas System.
It is the largest institution of higher education
in the San Antonio metropolitan region.
UTSA is an emerging research institution
specializing in health, energy, security,
sustainability, and human and social
development. The university embraces
multicultural traditions and serves as a center
for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and
the commercialization of intellectual property for Texas, the nation and the world. Students may
pursue baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs offered by eight colleges, including:
Architecture, Construction and Planning; Business; Education and Human Development;
Engineering; Liberal and Fine Arts; Public Policy; Sciences; and University College. The
university also has an Honors College and a Graduate School.
Budget: The university has an operating budget of $550 million. The libraries have an operating
budget of $12 million.
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Students: UTSA provides access and opportunity to a diverse student body. Among UTSA
students, 49% are female, 51% are male; 48% are Hispanic; 28% are Caucasian, 9% are
African American, and 5% are Asian. The student body includes many first generation college
students and student veterans, and a significant number
of international students. Though founded to serve the
San Antonio area, UTSA increasingly draws students from
other major urban centers in Texas, from throughout the
United States, and from around the world. To best serve
this varied student body, UTSA has initiated a range of
creative student success strategies, and their continued
development and implementation is a high priority.
Faculty: UTSA faculty have been recruited from the
world’s finest institutions. They excel in teaching, research, and service, and many are
international leaders in their disciplines. The faculty includes more than 1,400 professors and
instructors, and there are plans to add 60 more tenure track faculty members over the next
three years.
Accreditations: UTSA is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools. Individual programs and schools are also accredited by regional and national
professional organizations.
Athletics: The university participates in NCAA Division I althletics; it offers 15 sports and is a
member of Conference USA.
Research: UTSA is on its way to becoming a premier public research university. UTSA
students and faculty conduct advanced research in many cross-disciplinary fields of study.
Identified areas of research excellence include: Advanced Materials, Cloud Computing, Cyber
Security, and Data Analytics, Integrative Biomedicine, Social and Educational Transformation,
and Sustainable Communities and Critical Infrastructure.
Community Engagement: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching recently
selected UTSA to receive its prestigious Community Engagement Classification, recognizing the
university’s committement to serving the local community.
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Distinctions: UTSA is one of Texas’ emerging research
universities and has been ranked as one of the top 100
world universities under 50 years old (Times Higher
Education) and one of the top 500 universities in the world
(Center for World University Rankings)). The American
Council of Trustees and Alumni has listed UTSA as one of
just 21 U.S. universities with an A-rating for core
curriculum. Hispanic Business Magazine has ranked the
College of Engineering fifth in the nation among
engineering graduate programs for Hispanics. The College
of Business is ranked as the #10 graduate business school
in the nation for Hispanics by Hispanic Business, and its
MBA program has been listed as a Top 10 program for
minorities by the Princeton Review for the past 8 years.
The university overall is sixth in the nation in awarding
undergraduate and graduate degrees to Hispanic students.
Additionally, according to US News and World Report, the
graduate programs in Biomedical Engineering, Electrical
Engineering, and Environmental Science and Engineering rank among the top programs in
the nation, and the Architecture Graduate Program has been rank 10th best in the nation by
GraduatePrograms.com (2014). The Cyber Security program ranks “best in the nation”
according to a Ponemon Institute survey.
UTSA 2016, The
University of Texas at
San Antonio Strategic
Plan, details the steps
toward becoming a
premier public
research university.
UTSA believes the
road to Tier One
status is paved with a
focus on world-class
research, academic
excellence, and
international reach.
Our Mission
The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the
advancement of knowledge through research and discovery,
teaching and learning, community engagement and public
service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA
embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for
intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for
socioeconomic development and the commercialization of
intellectual property – for Texas, the nation and the world.
Our Vision
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and
preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
Our Core Values
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence,
inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
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About San Antonio
San Antonio is the 7th largest city in the United States, with over 1.4 million people, including a
majority Hispanic population and a large military presence.
San Antonio, long famous for its beauty and charm, combines cosmopolitan progress with a rich
multicultural history. The cost of living is low, and cultural and educational opportunities
abound. The city enjoys mild winters and warm summers. There is no state income tax in
Texas.
University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries
The UTSA Libraries (http://lib.utsa.edu) include the John Peace Library on the Main Campus,
the Downtown Campus Library, Special Collections at the HemisFair Park Campus, and the
Applied Engineering and Technology Library, recognized by the New York Times and USA
Today as the nation’s first bookless
library on a university campus.
In 2014 the John Peace Library
completed a 5-year renovation
process informed by fresh thinking
on collections management and
student intellectual engagement.
The libraries are well integrated
into the intellectual life of campus
through teaching and learning
services and active partnerships
with the Writing Center and the
Tomás Rivera Center for Student
Success. The John Peace Library houses the Faculty Center, UTSA’s hub for faculty
professional development.
Library collections include 2.5 million print and electronic volumes, 90,000 serials, 650 online
databases, and many other formats including archival materials, physical and streaming media,
maps, and microforms. The library uses the Voyager ILS, Summon discovery service, Illiad
interlibrary loan system, and numerous other applications to support discoverability and access
to rich library resources. Memberships include the Center for Research Libraries, Coalition for
Networked Information, OCLC Research Partners, and NISO. Consortial relationships include
the University of Texas System Digital Library,TexShare, and AMIGOS.
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The UTSA Libraries Special Collections hold distinctive research materials documenting the
diverse histories and development of San Antonio and South Texas. Collecting priorities include
the history of the African-American and LGBTQ communities in our region, the history of women
and gender in Texas, Mexican-American activism and advertising, the Tex-Mex food industry,
and urban planning.
The library has been recognized for excellence in marketing, having received awards including:
the John Cotton Dana Award, 2014; LLAMA Best of Show, 2013; and the Texas Library
Association Branding Iron Award, 2012. For more information about the UTSA Libraries, see the
UTSA Libraries Annual Report
http://lib.utsa.edu/files/default/utsa_libraries_2015_annual_report.pdf
Fast Facts http://lib.utsa.edu/about/fast-facts/
Strategic Plan http://lib.utsa.edu/about/strategic-vision/2016
Visual Tour
http://www.youvisit.com/tour/utsalibraries/86104
Position Description
The Dean provides leadership in planning and
implementing strategies to enhance services and
collections, to further the creative use of emerging
technologies, and to effectively manage library
resources. In concert with campus development,
the Dean oversees a continuous program of longrange planning and development of library
services, including:
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Ongoing development of physical and electronic collections, aligned with academic
program growth
Innovative advancement of library technology
Cultivation of robust relationships with the UTSA and UT System communities
Advocacy and fundraising through the cultivation of donors and outside constituents
Improvement of library facilities and spaces
Promotion and assessment of the quality of the library’s learning environment
Promotion and development of UTSA Special Collections
Maintenance of a cohesive, energetic, service-oriented environment for a diverse
workforce
Continued development of outstanding and effective library instructional programs
targeting informational literacy and research skill sets
Engagement and support of the university research agenda
Further, the Dean serves as advocate and spokesperson for the UTSA Libraries at local, state,
and national levels, generates a culture of inclusivity and community, and thinks broadly about
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how the libraries assists undergraduate and graduate education.
Qualifications
Applicants must have an ALA-accredited MLS or MIS or related advanced degree with a
terminal degree strongly desired. The candidate must have senior level experience in
progressively responsible library management, with preferably five or more years at the
Assistant Dean/Director level or higher in an academic or research library. Applicants must
have demonstrated capacity to effectively lead library staff and manage complex projects, and
an understanding of current issues and trends in the field.
Preferable characteristics are excellent interpersonal and oral/written communication skills, a
demonstrated track record of proactive donor engagement and/or grants development, evidence
of effective fiscal resource management, knowledge of emerging technologies and trends in
higher education and their impact on library services, experience with assessment and strategic
planning, and successful human resource management.
A commitment to service-oriented collaboration and outreach with multiple campus constituencies
is required. The ideal candidate will possess a strong record of leadership, innovation, excellent
communication skills, a wide understanding of contemporary issues affecting higher education,
libraries, and information technology, and knowledge of all library operations.
Salary
The salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Applicant Review
Confidential applications and nominations will be accepted until the position is filled. Candidate
screening will begin immediately.
How to Apply
A complete application will include a letter describing relevant experiences and interest in the
position, current curriculum vitae, and the names of five references with titles, mailing
addresses, business/home telephone numbers and email addresses. Individuals who wish to
nominate a candidate should submit a letter of nomination, including the name, position,
address, telephone number and email address of the nominee. Greenwood/Asher &
Associates, an executive search firm, is assisting the University of Texas at San Antonio in the
search.
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Applications and letters of nominations should be submitted to:
Jan Greenwood or Betty Turner Asher, Partners
Shelley Sullivan Feather, Library Practice Leader and Senior Executive Search Consultant
Greenwood/Asher & Associates, Inc.
42 Business Centre Drive, Suite 206
Miramar Beach, Florida 32550
Phone: 850-650-2277 / Fax: 850-650-2272
Email: jangreenwood@greenwoodsearch.com
Email: bettyasher@greenwoodsearch.com
Email: shelleyfeather@greenwoodsearch.com
For more information about the University of Texas at San Antonio, please visit the
Website: http://www.utsa.edu
As an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer, it is the policy of The
University of Texas at San Antonio to promote and ensure equal employment opportunity for all
individuals. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to
race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a
protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.
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