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Position announcement (ARL OSAP Sr. Program Officer) Birdie MacLennan 22 Sep 1995 13:41 UTC

Forwarded from PACS-L.  --bml
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Date:         Thu, 21 Sep 1995 18:10:09 CDT
Sender:       Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU>
From:         Paul Evan Peters <paul@cni.org>
Subject:      ARL OSAP Senior Program Officer Position

The Association of Research Libraries (ARL), one of the Coalition's
three sponsors (the other two being CAUSE and Educom), would welcome
applications and nominations for the position described in the at-
tached and which was recently vacated by Ann Okerson when she moved
on to Yale University Libraries.

Paul Evan Peters
Executive Director
Coalition for Networked Information
21 Dupont Circle
Washington, DC 20036

Voice:  202-296-5098
Fax:  202-872-0884
Internet:  paul@cni.org

URL:  ftp://ftp.cni.org/
URL:  gopher://gopher.cni.org:70/
URL:  http://www.cni.org/CNI.homepage.html

Association of Research Libraries
Office of Scientific & Academic Publishing

Senior Program Officer
Position Description

Purpose
The Association of Research Libraries established the
Office of Scientific & Academic Publishing in 1990 to advocate
the role of research libraries as partners in the broad and
vital area of scholarly communication.  The OSAP generates new
ideas, publicizes particular problems, and champions workable
solutions, particularly through the application of new
technologies such as electronic publishing.

The fundamental mission of the Office is to develop and
advocate imaginative and practical strategies for scholarly
communications, electronic publishing, and digital libraries,
in collaboration with higher education partners, scholarly
societies, and presses.

It is expected that the OSAP program will continuously
evolve, encompassing the changing nature of scholarly
communications, intellectual property creation and policy, and
emerging digital libraries.  The Senior Program Officer for
OSAP is instrumental in creatively shaping, defining, and
advancing the portfolio for this critical program.  Current
major responsibilities are described below.

The Successful Candidate
The successful candidate will be committed to advancing
and improving the scholarly communication system, particularly
the key role of research libraries as a partner.  The ARL
seeks applicants with a vision of how scholarly communications
can be shaped and who can offer stimulating ideas and an
agenda to facilitate this objective.

Major Responsibilities of the Current Program Officer:
-- Contribute information and encourage discussions among
academics, librarians, and representatives of
professional/scholarly societies and publishers about the
transformation of the system of scholarly communication;
serve as a spokesperson for the role of research
libraries, and help shape actions that advance innovation
in scholarly communication at costs that are sustainable
for educational and research institutions;

-- Work with the Association of American Universities on
the research library action agenda adopted by AAU and
ARL, serving as a key staff resource for the AAU-ARL
Research Libraries Steering Committee;

-- Organize initiatives to promote electronic publishing
(for example, a discussion group for publishers of
electronic serials; a symposia to inform publishers and
librarians about e-publishing issues; an electronic
preprint initiative; and other collaborative meetings and
relationships);

-- Publicize widely information on the opportunities and
problems caused by current scholarly publishing trends;
contribute to the development of programs, including the
semi-annual ARL Membership Meetings;

-- Publish and present papers on specific subjects such as
changes in the publishing industry, electronic
publishing, and copyright issues;

-- Oversee the management of a database that identifies
and locates electronic journals and newsletters, and the
annual publication of the information in a print
directory;

-- Monitor developments in scholarly communication and
serve as a clearinghouse for information on new
publishing initiatives and on developments in the pricing
of scholarly publications;

-- Conduct specific research projects;

-- Work with committees of ARL Directors as assigned, and
with committees of other educational and scholarly
organizations;

-- Report to ARL member libraries through regular columns
in the ARL newsletter, other ARL publications, and
presentations at each ARL meeting on the activities of
the Office;

-- Manage OSAP project and revenue budgets.

Organizational Relationships:

-- The OSAP program is advanced and receives guidance through
the ARL Committee on Scholarly Communication;

-- The Senior Program Officer is part of the ARL Executive
Office, reporting to the Executive Director.

Working  Relationships & Supervisory Responsibilities:
-- Supervise a Research Assistant and the work of the
Electronic Services Coordinator;

-- Work with all ARL and OMS program staff to advance ARL's
mission and to develop program elements for ARL's semi-annual
membership meetings;

-- Contribute to two ARL staff teams, one programmatic
(copyright issues) and one operational (technology for
association operations);

-- Work with the Coalition for Networked Information and many
other organizations and individuals (scholarly societies,
university presses, academic publishers, associations,
scholars, scientists).

Skills:
-- Excellent technology skills including knowledge of and
experience in Internet applications, and training OSAP staff
to work in these areas;

-- A strong vision of what communications and information
technologies can do to fulfill the missions of research
libraries as well as of ARL, particularly in the development
of electronic products and services;

-- Excellent communication skills, particularly in public
speaking and writing and excellent interpersonal skills for
collaborative/committee work;

-- A self-starter, facilitator, and motivator of others.

Problem Solving & Decision Making:
-- The job is highly creative and gives scope for a wide range
of library and academic interests, including costs and
economics of information, and/or licensing, and/or  copyright,
and/or digital libraries, and/or publishing, and other related
topics.

-- The greatest challenge is working under pressure to handle
many projects, deadlines, and travel.

-- The position requires advocacy for research library
interests while balancing these with the interests of other
partners in the scholarly communications process.

-- The challenges of scholarly communications are large-scale,
and the incumbent must be able to address grand problems in
both conceptual and practical ways.

Authority/Independence:
-- Manage major program and line responsibilities for an
operation with a $160,000 budget.  Budget and expenditures are
reviewed by the Executive Director.

-- In dealing with member libraries, participants in events,
and professional colleagues, this position is autonomous.  In
contact with other organizations, may represent and speak on
behalf of ARL.

-- Work independently on all assignments; ARL Executive
Director is the supervisor and conducts the periodic and
annual performance reviews.

Core Qualifications:
-- A masters degree and at least three years work experience in
libraries, academia, scholarly publishing, or other settings
that contribute to the system of scholarly communication.

-- Recent demonstrated experience, at both a practical and
conceptual/strategic level, in one or more of the following
areas:  academic or research library collections, services,
and systems; academic information technology; building digital
libraries; scholarly publishing.

-- Demonstrated leadership or leadership potential in one or
more of the areas above and a strong vision of what
communication and information technologies can do to fulfill
the missions of research libraries and of the Association.

-- Ability to communicate and work effectively with senior
leadership in higher education, scholarly societies, and
presses.

-- Proven public speaking, writing, and interpersonal skills.

-- Knowledge of and experience in network applications,
including the Internet.

Recruitment:
-- The minimum salary is $42,000 and is negotiable based on
experience and qualifications.

-- ARL offers standard benefits including sick leave, 22 days
vacation, TIAA/CREF.

-- Screening will begin on October 2, 1995, and will continue
until the position is filled.

-- Please address the letter of application, along with resume
or vita, writing sample, and names/addresses of three
references to:

Mary Jane Brooks
Office Manager
Association of Research Libraries
21 Dupont Circle, NW, 8th Floor
Washington, DC  20036

ARL is an Equal Opportunity Employer Committed to
Diversity in the Professional Workplace