Posted: 30-Jun-25
Location: Middletown, Delaware
Type: Contract
Categories:
St. Andrew’s School develops the independence, character, mind, and spirit of its students to prepare them for lives of citizenship, service, and purpose. All our students live, learn, and play in the natural beauty of our 2,200-acre campus. At the center of our community are curious, motivated, and diverse students who are accepted without regard to their families’ means. Each young person is challenged and valued, and students are truly known by the life-long mentors who teach, coach, and advise them. Human connection, face to face, is the foundation of our program. Friendship and joy define our spirit; “faith and learning” is our motto. To learn more about St. Andrew’s visit our website at www.standrews-de.org.
The Director of the Library will serve as both an educational leader and a collaborative partner in advancing intellectual excellence and authentic scholarly engagement at St. Andrew’s. This position requires a visionary educator who understands the evolving role of libraries in supporting engaged academic inquiry, particularly in fostering the independent research skills that are central to our curriculum. The Director will lead library operations while serving as an integral member of our school community, embodying our values of authenticity, curiosity, kindness, and purposefulness.
The successful candidate will be passionate about supporting students in their scholarly work, with particular expertise in research methodologies and information literacy that support our academic departments’ emphasis on inquiry-based learning across all disciplines.
Job Responsibilities
Academic Leadership and Instruction
- Champion authentic scholarly research: Collaborate closely with faculty to design and implement research programs that support students in independent research projects across the curriculum.
- Develop information literacy curriculum: Create and teach comprehensive information literacy programs that emphasize critical evaluation of sources, research methodologies, and ethical use of information across all academic disciplines.
- Foster collaborative learning: Partner with teachers to integrate library resources and research skills seamlessly into coursework, supporting our culture of exploration and intellectual collaboration.
- Support inquiry-based pedagogy: Serve as a resource for faculty in developing research-based assignments and projects that engage students in authentic disciplinary work.
- Lead in our cultivation of a culture of reading: Develop library initiatives that support our focus on reading widely as at the heart of both a liberal education and our school culture.
Collection Development and Resource Management
- Curate diverse, rigorous collections: Develop and maintain print and digital collections that reflect our commitment to intellectual excellence, diverse perspectives, and support for advanced academic research.
- Manage research databases and digital resources: Oversee access to scholarly databases, digital archives, and specialized research tools that support student and faculty research across all disciplines.
- Balance tradition and innovation: Thoughtfully integrate emerging technologies and resources while maintaining the depth and quality of traditional scholarly materials.
- Align resources with curriculum: Work closely with academic departments to ensure collections support current and evolving curricular goals and research needs.
Library Operations and Leadership
- Direct daily library operations: Oversee all aspects of library services, including circulation, reference, technical services, and facility management.
- Lead and develop library staff: Supervise, mentor, and evaluate library personnel, fostering a collaborative team environment focused on connecting with and serving the learning needs of the community, and professional growth.
- Manage budget and resources: Prepare and administer the annual library budget, including strategic allocation of resources to maximize impact.
- Assess and improve services: Continuously evaluate library programs and services, in conversation with other school leaders, implementing improvements based on community needs and educational best practices.
Community Engagement
- Foster inclusive community: Create welcoming library spaces and programs that celebrate our diverse community and support students from all backgrounds in their academic pursuits.
- Mentor student researchers: Provide individualized support and guidance to students engaged in independent research projects (such as the Research Seminar paper and the McLean Science Lecture).
Professional Leadership and Innovation
- Stay current with educational trends: Keep abreast of developments in library science, educational technology, information literacy, and secondary school pedagogy.
- Collaborate across departments: Work closely with the Dean of Teaching & Learning, academic department chairs, and other leaders to advance the school's academic mission.
- Support faculty development: Provide professional development opportunities for faculty in areas of research methodology, information literacy, and effective use of library resources.
Skills and Experience
Required
- Master of Library Science (MLS) from an ALA-accredited institution, or equivalent advanced degree with demonstrated library experience
- Minimum of 5 years of library experience; 3 years in a leadership or supervisory capacity preferred
- Secondary school experience or demonstrated understanding of adolescent development and secondary education
- Teaching and instruction experience with proven ability to develop and deliver information literacy curriculum
- Research expertise with advanced knowledge of research methodologies, particularly in humanities disciplines such as history
- Collaborative leadership skills with experience managing professional staff and working effectively in team environments
- Strong communication abilities including excellent written and verbal communication skills for a variety of audiences
Preferred
- Independent school or boarding school experience with understanding of residential school culture and community life
- Budget management experience including strategic resource allocation
- Technology integration expertise with knowledge of emerging educational technologies and digital research tools
- Training or experience in creating inclusive learning environments
Personal Qualities
- Passion for intellectual engagement and commitment to fostering authentic scholarly work among adolescents
- Cultural responsiveness and ability to work effectively with students, families, and colleagues from a variety of backgrounds
- Residential school commitment with enthusiasm for participating in boarding school community life, which requires some work in the evenings (being a presence in the library during study hall to assist students, for example) and on weekends
- Adaptability and innovation with ability to balance tradition with forward-thinking approaches to library services
- Mentorship orientation with genuine interest in supporting student growth and development
This job description is intended to describe the basic, critical elements of the job and should not be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with the job. A thorough background check, inclusive of fingerprinting, is required as a condition of employment.