Acquisitions and Technical Services Librarian

Posting Number: FAC00041PO26

Campus: Beaufort

College/Division: USC Beaufort College/Division Level

Department: BFT Libraries

Advertised Salary Range: Commensurate with education & experience

Location of Vacancy
Bluffton SC

Part/Full Time: Full Time

Hours per Week: 37.5

Position Category
Full-time Equivalent (FTE)

Basis: 12 months

Work County
Beaufort

Tenure Information
Professional Track

Job Search Category: Other Professional

About University of South Carolina

From the Upstate to the Lowcountry, the University of South Carolina system is transforming the lives of South Carolinians through the impact of our eight institutions and 20 locations throughout the state. More than 50,000 students are enrolled at one of eight institutions, including the research campus in Columbia and comprehensive four-year universities in Aiken, Upstate and Beaufort. In addition, our Palmetto College campuses in Salkehatchie, Union, Lancaster and Sumter enable students to earn associate or bachelor’s degrees through a combination of in-person, online or blended learning. All of our system institutions place strong emphasis on service – helping to build healthier, more educated communities in South Carolina and beyond.

Veterans’ Preference Statement

The University of South Carolina is committed to equal opportunity and proudly values the skills and experience military veterans bring to our workforce. Across South Carolina, we are making veterans a priority for employment and recognize their vital contributions to our state and our communities.

Advertised Job Summary

JOB SUMMARY: The University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB) Libraries seeks a service-oriented librarian with demonstrated expertise in acquisitions, purchasing, and technical services to direct these functions within the USCB Libraries. Working under the Director of Libraries, this position supervises technical services personnel, and provides leadership for USCB Libraries’ collection analysis, procurement, material processing, and technical services to meet the evolving needs of the campus community and to coordinate acquisitions, cataloging, systems, and collection management with the University of South Carolina (USC) Thomas Cooper Library.

The Acquisitions and Technical Services librarian will administer the ordering, receiving, and developing workflows to manage the acquisition and cataloging of new materials under the supervision of the Director of Libraries. The chosen candidate will oversee shelf preparation for all library materials in all formats, ensure collection processing and updating through Alma, the online library catalog, manage the processing of materials, including gifts for the library collection, and liaise with USCB’s Purchasing and Accounts Payable units to ensure prompt ordering and payment of invoices. The Acquisitions and Technical Services librarian will coordinate fiscal oversight for the library’s acquisitions budget for the purchase of print books and serials, e-books, streaming, and physical media, special collections, archival material, and other types of items.

The librarian works in collaboration with the Director of Libraries and the head of the Acquisitions and Resource Sharing and Cataloging departments at USC Columbia Libraries to carefully manage payments, budget allocations, cataloging, and discovery of the library’s materials. The chosen candidate works closely with GOBI for purchasing and cataloging, and with the cataloging department at the USC Libraries on occasion to ensure USCB library materials meet accepted copy cataloging standards and directs the physical processing of materials.

Reporting to the Director of Libraries, major responsibilities include:

• Strategic Planning & Daily Operations: Direct the daily operations and strategic planning of acquisitions and technical services in conjunction with the USCB Library’s goals, projects, and strategic plan. Collaborate with staff and librarians to develop and maintain efficient workflows, analyze collections, maintain collections, and develop and plan the long- and short-term goals for the physical and digital collections, acquisitions, and technical services.
• Systems Management: Oversee GOBI processes to ensure a seamless process from selection, acquisition, and cataloging of library materials. Coordinate with the USC libraries cataloging unit to facilitate technical services needs at the USCB libraries for non-GOBI materials. Oversee processes and procedures in Alma to ensure collections are up-to-date, discoverable, properly analyzed, and cataloged.
• Supervision & Leadership: Supervise, train, and evaluate technical services personnel. Direct staff and cross-departmental teams in major strategic initiatives, including large-scale weeding, inventory management, and technical services projects. Anticipate departmental growth by designing the workflow and supervisory structure for a future Technical Services Assistant.
• Policy Development: Develop and update policies and procedures for acquisitions and technical services in conjunction with staff, library colleagues, and the Director of Libraries to ensure alignment with GOBI, USC Columbia libraries policies, and procedures, and current best practices in the field.
• Budget & Fiscal Oversight: Monitor the library materials budget spending with the Director of Libraries. Assist with the reconciliation of library internal payment records with university and the USC library on a regular basis. Resolve complex payment, access, and receipt issues with vendors or payees. Provide data to the Director for planning library spending.
• Assessment & Optimization: Assess acquisitions and technical service workflows and implement improvements including administering the latest processes in Alma and improving workflows and discoverability for USCB Library materials. Independently assess and optimize acquisition services, including workflows, vendor services and pricing. Ensure technical services processes are well-documented, and policies and procedures are clear and regularly updated to adhere to best practices in the field. Assess technical services processes and ensure workflows are functioning effectively.
• Collection Management: Analyze physical and digital collections to identify collection strengths and gaps. Ensure collections are discoverable in Alma/Primo. Oversee collection analysis and deaccessioning on an annual basis.
• Communication & Vendor Relations: Respond to technical services and acquisitions-related inquiries from internal stakeholders, USC Columbia, and external vendors. Troubleshoot and respond to complex problems with orders, invoices, and records with USCB procurement, and in the library’s integrated library system, Alma. Develop and maintain relationships with vendors and work closely with them to promptly resolve problems. Collaborate with print, electronic, media, and system vendors to make the best use of library resources and vendor services.
• Training & Development: Administer training for library employees in all aspects of acquisitions and technical services. Provide comprehensive training programs for library employees on using GOBI and Alma for acquisitions and cataloging including conducting collection assessments, ordering materials, technical services activities including cataloging, and other acquisitions, and technical services functions. Provide acquisitions and technical services expertise as needed for library colleagues and staff.
• Collegiality & Core Values: Foster an environment of collegiality and teamwork for librarian colleagues and staff, cultivating a respectful and inclusive work environment that empowers colleagues and values input from all employees. Demonstrate commitment to active professional development for self and team to maintain currency on trends related to acquisitions, cataloging, Alma, and library resources and services. Demonstrate commitment to students and ensure the library responds to their needs as a core library value.

Please be prepared to upload a cover letter, CV and a statement that reflects your philosophy of librarianship. As the search advances reference letters will also be required. Your references will be sent a link to upload their reference letter. Reference letters should be on official letterhead and signatures are required. Physical and digital signatures are acceptable, typed names will not be accepted.

Required Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in library science from an ALA-accredited institution.
• Knowledge of acquisitions and/or technical services in a library setting.
• Demonstrated experience in project management or leading functional teams.
• Ability to work with complex financial records.
• Ability to work independently, creatively, and devise solutions to complex problems.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Demonstrated analytical skills and ability to evaluate and determine best practices in acquisitions and technical services.
• Strong data analysis capabilities.
• Commitment to professional growth.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with the Alma library services platform.
• Experience with the GOBI, Rialto, and/or Ingram platforms.
• Prior experience in technical or acquisitions services, or both.
• Experience supervising full-time staff, student workers, and managing large-scale library projects (e.g., weeding, shifting, or inventory).
• Experience leading training programs in acquisitions and technical services for library faculty or staff.
• Prior experience in academic libraries.
• Demonstrated knowledge of collection analysis and management.

Desired Start Date: 05/04/2026

Job Open Date: 03/25/2026

Open Until Filled: No

Special Instructions to Applicant

Positions are advertised for a minimum of five (5) business days on our job website. After five (5) business days, positions can be closed at the discretion of the department at any time. This position is open until filled. This employment site is updated on a regular basis. The length of the recruitment and screening process may vary from position to position, depending upon a variety of factors. Should review of your qualifications result in a decision to pursue your candidacy, you will be contacted by phone or email.

EEO Statement

The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender (including transgender), gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDs status, military status, national origin, pregnancy (false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, childbirth, recovery therefrom or related medical conditions, breastfeeding), race, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices), sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other bases under federal, state, local law, or regulations.

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