Provides strategic leadership, coordination, and operational expertise for University Libraries’ systems in a collaborative, service oriented environment. This 12 month, non tenure track librarian position is responsible for the planning, implementation, oversight, and continued evolution of library systems across their full lifecycle, ensuring reliable services that align with library and university priorities. This position serves as a key advisor to library leaders on systems strategy, budget recommendations, and emerging technologies, while also performing hands on configuration, maintenance, and problem solving for core library platforms. The position is the primary connector among library units, library technology vendors, and campus partners, translating library technology needs, constraints, and opportunities into actionable solutions and supporting library services, staff workflows, and user needs. Supervises the Coordinator of Marketing and Branding.
Required Qualifications
ALA accredited master’s degree in library science.
Minimum of four years of progressively responsible experience involving library systems (e.g., integrated library systems, library services platforms, discovery platforms, or web platforms).
Project management experience, including planning, coordinating cross functional work, communicating changes and impacts, and guiding implementation.
Demonstrated ability to influence and lead without positional authority, including working effectively across departments and with stakeholders who do not report directly to the position.
Experience serving as a liaison with library vendors, external service providers, or IT partners to coordinate upgrades and resolve issues.
Demonstrated ability to analyze system changes holistically, anticipate operational impacts, and communicate risks and recommendations to a variety of audiences.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable information for non technical audiences.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively, consultatively, and independently in a dynamic environment with competing priorities.
Demonstrated commitment to continuous learning, including the ability to adapt to evolving technologies, platforms, and organizational needs.
Preferred Qualifications
An additional advanced degree in a related field.
Formal training or certification in project management, change management, usability, or service design.
Recent experience working in an academic library in a related role.
Recent experience providing strategic oversight of one or more major library platforms (e.g., Ex Libris Alma/Primo, SpringShare products, or digital collections platforms, such as Veridian or Omeka).
Recent experience as a formal/positional leader or manager of library systems.
Recent supervisory experience.
Experience facilitating cross departmental committees or working groups focused on library technology, systems, or workflows.
Experience developing or maintaining systems roadmaps or long term planning documents.
Experience working closely with essential campus partners, such as central IT organizations or marketing/communications units.
Experience using data or assessment tools to inform decisions, evaluate services, or report outcomes.
Familiarity with user experience research, usability testing, or assessment methods as applied to library systems.
Knowledge of cataloging and metadata standards commonly used in libraries such as MARC21 and RDA.
Duties & Responsibilities
Provides stewardship, coordination, and oversight of University Libraries’ systems and platforms ensuring they are reliable, sustainable, user-centered, and aligned with library and university priorities.
Establishes strategic direction, goals, and priorities for library systems and leads coordinated progress toward achieving them through collaborative planning and shared responsibility.
Serves as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council, working closely with library leaders to advise on library systems strategy, risks, and long-term directions.
Acts as the primary connector and translator among library units, library vendors, and campus partners (e.g., the Office of Information Technology or Marketing and Communications), to foster trust, transparency, and mutual understanding.
Provides hands-on operational expertise for core library systems (including the library services platform, discovery platform, and web-based tools), performing configuration, testing, troubleshooting, and implementation as needed.
Coordinates library systems project management by defining scope, timelines, and success measures; facilitating cross-functional collaboration and input; communicating changes and impacts; and supporting effective adoption and continuous improvement.
Provides oversight of system integrations, upgrades, and workflows, ensuring changes are thoughtfully planned, documented, tested, and communicated across affected units and campus partners.
Serves as the primary point of contact with library systems vendors, coordinating relationships, upgrades, renewals, problem resolution, and escalation in partnership with library colleagues and campus partners (e.g., the Office of Information Technology).
Works collaboratively with library staff to monitor library technology trends, assess technology needs, explore options, recommend solutions, and coordinate required approvals, ensuring inclusive decision-making and shared ownership.
Supports continuous improvement of online patron systems, including the discovery platform and website, through assessment and usability feedback.
Gathers and reports data related to library systems use and performance to inform decision-making and planning.
Develops, maintains, and communicates library systems policies, procedures, standards, and documentation.
Coordinates and supports cross-departmental committees and work groups, ensuring library colleagues have meaningful opportunities for input, shared learning, and professional growth related to library systems.
Supervises one direct report supporting professional development, accountability, inclusion, and a culture of continuous improvement.
Serves on library-wide and university committees as appropriate and contributes positively to a collaborative, innovation, and service-oriented organizational culture.
Other duties as assigned.
Supervision Exercised
Supervisors are expected to support the Leadership Standards of Central Michigan University and foster a culture that inspires excellence. The Leadership Standards define how we lead and treat others on our team. As leaders, it is our responsibility to seek input from our teams to continuously improve our leadership abilities and our demonstration of the standards. Additionally, it is our responsibility to encourage and support the growth and development of those whom we lead. At CMU, we encourage employees to grow both personally and professionally, and thus advance CMU’s culture of excellence.
Message to Applicants
Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering an environment that is reflective of the communities we serve. We are especially interested in highly qualified candidates who will advance and promote CMU’s mission, vision, and leadership standards.
Position will remain open until filled. The university reserves the right to close the recruitment process once a sufficient applicant pool has been identified. For best consideration, please submit application materials before July 30, 2026.
You must submit an on-line application in order to be considered as an applicant for this position.
Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.
This position will remain open until filled. The university reserves the right to close the recruitment process once a sufficient applicant pool has been identified. For best consideration, please submit application materials on or before Thursday, July 30th, 2026.
Employee Group
Professional & Administrative -Salary
Pay Range
$68,000 - $83,000
Division
Academic Affairs
Department
Libraries - Library Systems
Employment Status
Full-Time
Weekly Work Schedule
M-F, 8:00am-5:00pm, Evenings and Weekends as necessary
Location
Mount Pleasant, MI
About CMU
Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.
We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.
CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.
Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.
CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.
Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.
CMU Leadership Standards
Central Michigan University is a place where we value students and work for their success, where we act as family, and where employees are engaged, appreciated and have extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.
We intentionally maintain and strengthen the hallmark CMU culture that sets us apart from our peers by expecting CMU leaders and employees to model the following Leadership Standards and develop them within their teams.
Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.
