Job Details
Dean of the Hannon Library
2025-11-04 Southern Oregon University Ashland,OR
Description:
Southern Oregon University invites applications for the position of Dean of the Hannon Library. Reporting to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean of Hannon Library will oversee staff, budgeting, library services, collections, physical space, technology adoption, strategic planning and assessment, fundraising, and the formation and maintenance of campus, community, and regional partnerships. The ideal candidate will be a visionary, collegial, experienced leader, with the proven ability to manage, develop, and advance the strategic vision of an academic research library, while successfully implementing operational details and managing staff. The Dean of Hannon Library is responsible for overseeing all operations and services of the Hannon Library, including information literacy instruction, research services and tutoring, access services, web development and discovery, collection development, cataloging, government information resources, digital projects, special collections, open educational resources, and outreach.
Minimum Requirements
Duties - The following examples are typical work activities that are meant to illustrate the general range of work functions and are not meant to be all-inclusive or restrictive:
(30%) Strategic Leadership and Communication
SOU is an equal access AA/EOE committed to achieving a diverse and inclusive workforce
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Southern Oregon University will provide, if requested, reasonable accommodation to applicants in need of accommodation in order to provide access to the application, interviewing, and selection process. You are not required to note the presence of a disability on this application. If, however, you require a reasonable accommodation in the application and/or interview process due to disability, requests must be made in a timely manner to Human Resources.
Diversity Statement:
Southern Oregon University is a welcoming community committed to inclusive excellence and the celebration of diversity. Without diversity, our educational process is diminished. Working together in support of our commitment to diversity, we strengthen and enrich our role as learners, educators, and members of a tightly connected global community. We encourage those who share in our commitment to diversity, to join our community and we expect all our employees to demonstrate an ability and desire to create an inclusive campus community.
SOU Land Acknowledgement
We want to take this moment to acknowledge that Southern Oregon University is located within the ancestral homelands of the Shasta, Takelma, and Latgawa peoples who lived here since time immemorial. These Tribes were displaced during rapid Euro-American colonization, the Gold Rush, and armed conflict between 1851 and 1856. In the 1850s, the discovery of gold and settlement brought thousands of Euro-Americans to their lands, leading to warfare, epidemics, starvation, and villages being burned. In 1853 the first of several treaties were signed, confederating these Tribes and others together - who would then be referred to as the Rogue River Tribe. These treaties ceded most of their homelands to the United States, and in return, they were guaranteed a permanent homeland reserved for them. At the end of the Rogue River Wars in 1856, these Tribes and many other Tribes from western Oregon were removed to the Siletz Reservation and the Grand Ronde Reservation. Today, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon (www.grandronde.org) and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians (www.ctsi.nsn.us) are living descendants of the Takelma, Shasta, and Latgawa peoples of this area. We encourage YOU to learn about the land you reside on and to join us in advocating for the inherent sovereignty of Indigenous people.
Notice to Prospective Employees
Section 485 of the Higher Education Act, and The Federal Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 (now referred to as the "Clery Act"), require that prospective employees be notified of the availability of SOU's Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. The report provides the annual statistics and campus policies for the reporting of and responding to campus crimes and fires; access to campus facilities; conduct code and campus policies on the use, possession, and sale of drugs/alcohol; and educational/information programs to inform the campus community about campus security procedures and crime prevention.
An electronic copy of the Annual Security Report (ASR) can be accessed at the following link: A physical copy of the ASR is available at no charge upon request. To request a copy, please visit the Office of the General Counsel located in Churchill Hall, 1250 Siskiyou Boulevard, Ashland, Oregon 97520. For more information, call 541-###-####, or email ...@sou.edu.
POSITION SUMMARY:
Date application must be received for priority consideration by: December 15, 2025
Anticipated Appointment Begin Date: March 1, 2026
Closing Date or if blank, Open Until Filled
Job Family Group: Administrative and Professional
Division/Department: Academic and Student Affairs/Hannon Library
Compensation Range (commensurate with experience): $98,000-$102,000 annually @ 1.0 FTE
FLSA Status: Exempt
Appointment Basis: 12-month
Time Type: Full-time
Benefits Eligible: Yes
Renewable/Non-renewable/Grants/Limited Duration/Temporary: Renewable
This position must possess and maintain a current, valid Driver License: No
This position is designated as a critical, security-sensitive or safety-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a Criminal Background Check: Yes
Lead Work/Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes
Work Location Type: On-campus
Work Hours: M-F (8:00a - 5:00p) Hours are subject to change with notice.
Worker Status: Must be able to legally work in the United States without visa sponsorship
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANT:
- Each applicant is required to provide (as attachments to the online application) the following supplemental documents: (1) a letter providing some detail of the applicant's qualifications and interest in the position; and (2) current resume/CV. - PLEASE NOTE - during the application process, you will be prompted to attach these documents in the area titled "Resume." Please either combine ALL documents into ONE attachment, OR upload each item separately in this section. Failure to upload ALL of the required documents may disqualify application from consideration.
- For inquiries and additional information, please contact Human Resource Services via email at ...@sou.edu or by phone at (541)###-####.
- To view SOU's very generous benefits and pension programs available to eligible positions, please visit
- Our benefits package is an important complement to the offered salary and our Total Compensation Calculator, demonstrates our value and commitment to our employees.
Southern Oregon University invites applications for the position of Dean of the Hannon Library. Reporting to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean of Hannon Library will oversee staff, budgeting, library services, collections, physical space, technology adoption, strategic planning and assessment, fundraising, and the formation and maintenance of campus, community, and regional partnerships. The ideal candidate will be a visionary, collegial, experienced leader, with the proven ability to manage, develop, and advance the strategic vision of an academic research library, while successfully implementing operational details and managing staff. The Dean of Hannon Library is responsible for overseeing all operations and services of the Hannon Library, including information literacy instruction, research services and tutoring, access services, web development and discovery, collection development, cataloging, government information resources, digital projects, special collections, open educational resources, and outreach.
Minimum Requirements
- ALA-accredited Master's degree in Library and Information Science.
- A second master's degree or higher.
- Demonstrated proactive leadership and management skills.
- Thorough understanding of the nature and interrelationship of all operations of a contemporary academic library.
- Productive involvement in library organizations or consortia.
- Outstanding oral, written, interpersonal communication and presentation skills.
- At least 5 years of supervisory experience of a library or large library department.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
- Successful experience with complex budgets and mission-driven spending.
- Dedication to shared governance and participatory decision making.
- Commitment to outcomes-based assessment.
- Demonstrated experience with evidence-based decision making that results in high quality services.
- Demonstrated success in identifying and obtaining funding to support library initiatives.
- Commitment to outreach to the university, community, and region.
- Demonstrated contribution to the profession through current scholarly publications.
- Demonstrated ability to make the maximum use of limited resources.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate with personnel and achieve positive results, including on projects initiated by faculty and staff.
- Experience working collaboratively in a union environment with staff, along with librarians that have full faculty status.
- Advocacy for faculty librarians and understanding of the tenure process.
- Advocacy for the role of library staff in a collaborative library work environment.
- Demonstrated support for continuing education and professional development opportunities for all library employees.
- Familiarity with academic accreditation processes.
- Experience with planning and managing library facilities.
- Demonstrated ability to direct, manage, and promote events.
Duties - The following examples are typical work activities that are meant to illustrate the general range of work functions and are not meant to be all-inclusive or restrictive:
(30%) Strategic Leadership and Communication
- Develop and maintain a coherent strategic mission, vision, brand identity, and marketing and recruitment plan for the Hannon Library, in consultation with faculty and staff.
- Set actionable goals and benchmarks to ensure the successful implementation of the Hannon Library's strategic plan.
- Cultivate the campus climate of vitality, civility, and accountability.
- Serve as a member of the Provost's Leadership Council.
- Lead campus-wide initiatives as assigned by the Provost.
- Participate in strategic planning as assigned by the Provost and/or President.
- Identify and collaborate on efforts to advance the mission and vision of Southern Oregon University (SOU).
- Advise and support the President and Provost on broader university policies and relationships with faculty, staff, students, and community partners.
- Represent the school to internal and external audiences.
- Promote communication and collaboration within the Hannon Library and with other university units.
- Participate in national library organizations in order to stay informed on best practices in academic libraries and to champion the value of academic libraries within higher education more broadly.
- Represent the Hannon Library on the Orbis Cascade Alliance Council of 38 academic libraries in the Pacific Northwest.
- Manage personnel issues for staff and faculty within the Library.
- Supervise, hire, and regularly evaluate faculty and staff, both temporary and ongoing, per the Faculty Bylaws, APSOU, SEIU Collective Bargaining agreements and applicable HR policies.
- Convene and consult with the department chair (and other leaders when appropriate) with the goal of building relationships with and between faculty and staff; learn about and resolve faculty and staff concerns; and support the retention of library employees.
- Provide training and mentorship to new chairs.
- Oversee staffing for the Hannon Library, including hiring, onboarding, separation, and retirement processes.
- Review annual reports and self-assessments.
- Provide rationale and recommendations to the Provost regarding hiring, evaluations, promotion, tenure, sabbaticals, and other employee requests.
- Lead the development of the budget, including the Library's budget planning process, and ensure that the Library remains within approved budgets.
- Manage the Library's budgets.
- Support and oversee each area's budget management and spending responsibilities.
- Initiate and/or respond to requests for budget information.
- Advocate for appropriate resource needs for the Library.
- Manage faculty and staff workload within the Library.
- Develop requests for resources regarding faculty release, hiring, equipment, facilities, etc.
- Oversee the Hannan Library building, including space requests for the building.
- Leads and supports assessment efforts throughout the library and uses assessment date to make evidence-based decision on effective ways to improve library services, programs, collections and spaces.
- Coordinate with appropriate entities including the SOU Foundation, Sponsored Programs Office, and upper administration to further fundraising activities that benefit the Hannon Library.
- Collaborate with campus leadership on institutional advancement to include alumni relations, donor stewardship, and grant submission.
- Develop special events in coordination with the SOU Foundation, including but not limited to donor relationship building, solicitation of gifts, and other cultivation activities.
- Develop and maintain relationships with related industries represented in the Hannon Library regionally, statewide, and nationally.
- Oversee external Hannon Library communications and marketing strategies, actions, and outcomes for the Hannon Library and coordinate those with overall University marketing and communication strategies.
- Manage marketing, advertising, and recruitment efforts in partnership with Hannon Library personnel and university-designated staff.
- Support faculty and staff in their grant writing, fundraising, and contract-development efforts.
- Promote library resources, services, and programming to the campus and local community.
- Participate in university-wide initiatives, committees, and task forces.
- Manage facilities and equipment, ensuring maintenance and planning for future needs.
- Oversee non-academic units affiliated with the school.
- Excellent communication skills; demonstrated ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner, both verbally and in writing.
- Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism to effectively handle a broad range of sensitive interpersonal situations.
- Demonstrated ability to interpret and consistently apply a wide variety of complex policies and procedures where specific guidelines may not always exist.
- Expressed ability to work with frequent changes in policies and procedures, under pressure of deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong analytical and research skills; demonstrated ability to gather, evaluate, and to develop well-reasoned conclusions and recommendations.
- Demonstrated ability to proactively assess work operations and anticipate potential problems; ability to develop and implement strategies for preventing/resolving problems.
- Great ability to effectively perform work of a highly sensitive and confidential nature that requires access to information. Must be able to exercise sound judgment and discretion, tact, and diplomacy.
- Takes initiative in independently planning, organizing, and performing work assignments within broadly defined parameters
- Demonstrated ability to work with a high level of productivity and accuracy/attention to detail.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills with the demonstrated ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
- Expressed skill to independently analyze software functionality through technical documents, and design and document efficient/effective work processes; ability to independently analyze software problems, test probable causes, and recommend sound solutions.
- Excellent computer skills and proficiency with a variety of computer applications including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, online systems, social media platforms, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.
- Demonstrated ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in and outside the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
- Willingness to and work effectively in a heavily bureaucratic environment which requires regular interaction with a number of levels within the organization and multiple outside agencies.
- Working knowledge or ability to quickly learn, university infrastructure, policies, and procedures.
- Demonstrated skills in an institutional/educational environment utilizing a customer-oriented and service-centered attitude.
- Ability to champion library resources and services to the campus and community.
- Ability to seek external funding to support the library.
- Ability to promote a dynamic, student-centered service environment.
- Normal office activities such as sitting/standing at a desk, using a computer, answering phones, and communicating in person both in writing and via phone with others.
- Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
- Must be able to work additional hours and adjust working hours to meet special jobs. May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.
- Must be able to successfully pass a pre-employment background check.
- This position classification has been defined as exempt and is not subject to the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
- The person holding this position is considered a mandatory reporter under the Oregon Revised Statutes and is required to comply with the requirements set forth by the Oregon Department of Human Services.
SOU is an equal access AA/EOE committed to achieving a diverse and inclusive workforce
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Southern Oregon University will provide, if requested, reasonable accommodation to applicants in need of accommodation in order to provide access to the application, interviewing, and selection process. You are not required to note the presence of a disability on this application. If, however, you require a reasonable accommodation in the application and/or interview process due to disability, requests must be made in a timely manner to Human Resources.
Diversity Statement:
Southern Oregon University is a welcoming community committed to inclusive excellence and the celebration of diversity. Without diversity, our educational process is diminished. Working together in support of our commitment to diversity, we strengthen and enrich our role as learners, educators, and members of a tightly connected global community. We encourage those who share in our commitment to diversity, to join our community and we expect all our employees to demonstrate an ability and desire to create an inclusive campus community.
SOU Land Acknowledgement
We want to take this moment to acknowledge that Southern Oregon University is located within the ancestral homelands of the Shasta, Takelma, and Latgawa peoples who lived here since time immemorial. These Tribes were displaced during rapid Euro-American colonization, the Gold Rush, and armed conflict between 1851 and 1856. In the 1850s, the discovery of gold and settlement brought thousands of Euro-Americans to their lands, leading to warfare, epidemics, starvation, and villages being burned. In 1853 the first of several treaties were signed, confederating these Tribes and others together - who would then be referred to as the Rogue River Tribe. These treaties ceded most of their homelands to the United States, and in return, they were guaranteed a permanent homeland reserved for them. At the end of the Rogue River Wars in 1856, these Tribes and many other Tribes from western Oregon were removed to the Siletz Reservation and the Grand Ronde Reservation. Today, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon (www.grandronde.org) and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians (www.ctsi.nsn.us) are living descendants of the Takelma, Shasta, and Latgawa peoples of this area. We encourage YOU to learn about the land you reside on and to join us in advocating for the inherent sovereignty of Indigenous people.
Notice to Prospective Employees
Section 485 of the Higher Education Act, and The Federal Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 (now referred to as the "Clery Act"), require that prospective employees be notified of the availability of SOU's Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. The report provides the annual statistics and campus policies for the reporting of and responding to campus crimes and fires; access to campus facilities; conduct code and campus policies on the use, possession, and sale of drugs/alcohol; and educational/information programs to inform the campus community about campus security procedures and crime prevention.
An electronic copy of the Annual Security Report (ASR) can be accessed at the following link: A physical copy of the ASR is available at no charge upon request. To request a copy, please visit the Office of the General Counsel located in Churchill Hall, 1250 Siskiyou Boulevard, Ashland, Oregon 97520. For more information, call 541-###-####, or email ...@sou.edu.