Libraries at two of the nation’s major health organizations are seeking new leaders. The National Library of Medicine, at the National Institutes of Health, officially launched the search for a new Director last week. The person will succeed Dr. Donald Lindberg, who retired in March after spending 31 years at the helm and playing a key role in transitioning the NLM into the digital age. The successful candidate will be in charge of an organization with a staff of about 1,600 employees and a budget of over $387 million. Major responsibilities will include managing the Library’s print and electronic resources, providing professional-development opportunities to librarians who specialize in the biomedical sciences, and promoting research opportunities in the biomedical field. Beyond that, the new Director will need to take the initiative in making the National Library of Medicine a major center for biomedical-data science, not just at NIH but across the biomedical-sciences profession. More information can be found here.
The Mayo Clinic, also, is seeking a new leader, having launched the search for an Executive Director of Libraries. The person will lead the 16-campus Mayo Clinic Library System, which includes over 400,000 print books and journals, in addition to more than 6,000 electronic journals and textbooks. The Executive Director’s main responsibility will be to continue the Mayo Clinic’s tradition of excellence in providing clinical care and being a leader in clinical education and research. At the same time, the individual will be required to develop a clear vision for the role of the Mayo Clinic Libraries in the 21st century, particularly in developing innovative technologies to enhance library services and in promoting collaboration and shared decision-making among library staff. The Executive Director will need to work with various constituencies, both inside and outside of the institution, while also providing leadership in the larger field of librarianship and information science. More information is available here.