Manager, Collection Development

ABOUT THE LIBRARY

Calgary Public Library is one of the largest municipal library systems in North America, serving more than 818,000 active members at 22 locations around the city.

Libraries connect people to ideas, experiences, inspiration, and insight. Our staff make a big impact on individuals and families every day, often through simple, small interactions. At the Library, you’ll take an innovative, creative approach to programs and services, considering the best ways to support our community and patrons of all ages.

We collaborate with different points of view, inspiring curiosity and growth as our varying backgrounds and expertise come together. At the Library, those varied perspectives and lived experiences make us stronger to better serve our community. We are committed to equity, diversity, and creating a sense of belonging for everyone.

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Director, Collections, the Manager, Collection Development provides leadership, direction, and focus for the planning, implementation, packaging, and evaluation of a variety of activities which support the Library’s collections and technical services functions including the acquisition, cataloguing, processing and maintenance of library materials in a variety of formats.

Responsibilities

• Collections and Technical Services Management: Develop and maintain responsive and current collections by managing the full cycle of selection, acquisitions, cataloguing, processing, maintenance, and evaluation of physical materials. Build and maintain relationships with vendors, monitor current and emerging issues and trends, and understand collection development trends and business models.
• Budgeting: Maintain current, accurate and up-to-date tracking of all material commitments and expenditures. to ensure that funds are expended at an appropriate rate. Support Director in budget planning.
• Leadership: Communicate to Managers and staff the importance of collections and their relationship to the broader Library’s mission, vision, and values; inspire staff to engage and promote materials to customers.
• Performance Management: Manage and report on team performance; set appropriate performance objectives for direct reports and hold people accountable for achieving them, taking appropriate corrective action where necessary to ensure the achievement of team/personal objectives.
• Internal and External Collaborator Engagement: Establish and maintain effective relationships with other areas of the Library as well as external collaborators, partners and vendors. Advocate for the Library’s interests and needs. Seek out changes that positively impact patrons and staff.
• Organizational Skill Building: Use the organization's formal development framework to identify the team's individual development needs. Plan and implement actions, including continuing professional development, to build their professional skills. Provide informal training or coaching to others throughout the organization in own area of expertise to enable others to improve performance and fulfill personal potential.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Master of Library Science degree from an ALA-accredited library school or approved equivalent degree and a minimum three years of experience in progressive leadership positions.
• Awareness of emerging trends, strategic issues, and best practices related to library collection development, management, and evaluation.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting collections and technical services functions, including acquisitions, cataloguing, processing and maintenance of library materials in a variety of formats.
• Experience working with vendors and negotiating licenses.
• Demonstrated high performance and experience in customer service, strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to Intellectual Freedom.
• Identification and evaluation of customer expectations and trends in the publishing industry.