Library director looking to fill empty positions
Nate Billings

Staff Writer

Library workers have had to take on some extra duties this semester due to a couple of retirements and position moves in the library staff.

The library is now looking to fill the position of reference and instruction librarian and the library search committee has brought  four candidates to campus.

 It s one of our key positions,  said Wendy McGrane, interim library director.  I don t want to settle. I want to find the right person. 

McGrane said candidates are required to have a master of library science from an American Library Association accredited school. The position is an entry-level position, but the committee would like the candidates to have some experience in a library.

 We would like them to have a strong orientation for customer service and team work,  said McGrane.  We have been pleased with the applications we ve received. 

The position requires the person to help classes and students learn to use the library resources.

 We would like to have someone who is outgoing and enthusiastic about teaching,  she said.

Candidates are brought to campus so they may show the search committee their ability to teach. The candidates are also shown around campus and Joplin. They go through a full day of getting to know the library, staff and job title. Applications have come from across the country and even Canada.

The library staff has broken up the duties of instructing and helping students this semester.

 They re making the transition well,  said Dr. Larry Martin, vice president for academic affairs.

Martin said the library has had several changes because of budget cuts, retirements and remodeling.

 They are managing well under the circumstances,  Martin said.

The position has been open since June. Charles Kemp retired as library director and McGrane took over the position. Kemp had worked in the library for 17 years.

McGrane s job as research librarian is the position being filled. Martin said, however, that the new job opening is not exactly the same position that was vacated. He said the new staff member will take on a combination of tasks from other retirements and position moves.

 It s an opportunity to find a person to help the library,  Martin said.