Overview
Gordon-Conwell is a multi-denominational evangelical Protestant graduate school, unique with its broad array of over 2100 students and 200 faculty and staff from 98 denominations and 55 countries. Our four campuses include a residential model of education at South Hamilton, MA (our main campus); an urban context offering classes in five languages in downtown Boston, MA; adult educational models in both our Charlotte, NC campus and our offerings in Jacksonville, FL; and cohort models involving students from around the world.
Our mission is to prepare men and women for ministry at home and abroad. Rooted in the gospel and God’s Word, the seminary seeks to develop Christian leaders who are thoughtful, globally aware, spiritually mature and ready for a broad array of ministries. While being historically orthodox and evangelical, we seek to address the issues of our times with both relevance to the culture and faithfulness to Christ and God’s truthful Word.
Position Summary
The Electronic Resources Librarian provides leadership and expertise for the selection, acquisition, management, discovery, and assessment of all electronic resources—including databases, e‑books, e‑journals, and streaming media—across Gordon‑Conwell Theological Seminary’s four locations (Hamilton, Boston, Charlotte, Jacksonville) and Networked Education online programs. This full‑time hybrid position supports the Seminary’s mission “to advance Christ’s Kingdom in every sphere of life by equipping Church leaders to think
theologically, engage globally, and live biblically.”
Primary Responsibilities
1. Facilitate the acquisition, renewal, and cancellation of electronic resources, conduct trials and coordinate faculty feedback.
2. Negotiate license and purchase agreements, ensuring favorable terms, compliance, and cost‑effective pricing.
3. Configure and maintain authentication systems (EZproxy, etc.) and discovery tools to ensure seamless on‑ and off‑campus access.
4. Provide first‑tier troubleshooting and technical support for electronic resource access issues; liaise with vendors and IT staff.
5. Create and maintain accurate metadata and knowledge‑base records (MARC, KBART) in the ILS/ERM and link resolver.
6. Collect, analyze, and report COUNTER/SUSHI usage statistics; prepare cost‑per‑use and overlap analyses for accreditation (ATS, NECHE), IPEDS, and budget planning.
7. Collaborate with campus librarians and faculty liaisons to align electronic collections with academic programs and research priorities.
8. Design and deliver workshops, online guides, and individual consultations on effective use of digital resources and search strategies.
9. Assist the Senior Librarian in developing and monitoring the materials budget; contribute data for annual accreditation reports and institutional surveys.
10. Participate in library, seminary, and professional committees; engage in continuous professional development to remain current with trends in electronic resource management.
11. Provide leadership and expertise in digital archiving, preservation, and electronic records management for the Special Collections and Archives.
12. Curation of the circulating and noncirculating library collection in the Harold Lindsell Library.
13. Recruiting, training, and supervision of library assistant(s) and student workers in the Harold Lindsell Library.
Required Competencies
• Customer Service: Strong customer service skills with ability to display empathy with all constituents.
• Administrative Skills: Exceptional administrative, organizational, and planning skills with the ability to manage multiple and competing priorities in short-term and long-term objectives.
• Knowledge and Discernment: Strong analytical and decision-making skills, including the ability to work independently. Must have meticulous attention to detail.
• Communication and Interpersonal Effectiveness: Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to provide instruction to diverse learners.
• Cultural Intelligence: Commitment to collegiality, diversity, inclusion, and cultural awareness. Demonstrated ability to collaborate and serve in a team environment that requires collegiality and regular collaboration across matrixed, multi-campus environment.
• Technical Knowledge: Must possess competency with Microsoft Office and Microsoft Teams. Working knowledge of metadata standards (MARC, KBART, Dublin Core) and authentication technologies.
• Commitment to the mission of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; evident Christian faith and practice and active involvement in the life of a local congregation.
Education and Experience
• Master of Library Science (MLS) or Master of Science in Library & Information Science (MSLIS) from an ALA‑accredited program required. Graduate degree in theology or religious studies preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in an academic library environment, with a focus on electronic resources.
• Proficiency with integrated library systems and electronic resource management platforms (e.g., Alma, Evergreen, WMS), link resolvers, and discovery services.
• Demonstrated success negotiating licenses and managing vendor relationships.
• Experience with compiling and analyzing usage statistics (COUNTER/SUSHI) and preparing budget or accreditation reports.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and at least one additional language (Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, or Spanish) preferred.
Application Process
Please apply through Gordon-Conwell’s Career Center available here:
https://www.gordonconwell.edu/employment/
Please include these documents in either Microsoft Word or PDF formats:
• A cover letter addressed to Dr. Dan Flores, Senior Librarian, explaining your interest in the position.
• A formal CV that includes the names of at least three references.
No hard copy materials, please. Opportunities to interview will be made available at the search
committee’s initiative. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.