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The Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering,
and Technology
Kansas City, Missouri
The Linda Hall
Library, the world’s preeminent privately supported library of science,
engineering, and technology, invites applications and nominations for the
position of President.
The Library, located
on a fourteen-acre arboretum in Kansas City’s cultural community, was created
from trust funds established by local businessman Herbert F. Hall and his wife
Linda S. Hall. The Halls earmarked their gift for the founding of a “free public
library for the use of the people of Kansas City and the public generally.”
Since its opening in 1946, the Library has built one of the world’s preeminent
collections of research materials relating to all areas of science, engineering,
and technology (excluding clinical and surgical medicine).
The 1946 acquisition of the library of the American
Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the transfer of the Engineering Societies
Library to Linda Hall in 1995 significantly increased holdings and added depth
to the research collections.
Today, the Linda
Hall’s collections include over a million volumes, more than 40,000 journal and
serial titles, more than 300,000 monographs, over 1.5 million Government
Contracted Technical Reports, and a particularly strong history of science
collection dating from the 15th
century. The Library also serves as a U.S. patent and trademark depository. A non-circulating
research library, the Linda Hall is an important resource for researchers and
students from both industry and academia, providing reference and document
delivery services to users across the globe. The Library also sponsors a host of
other programs, including a fellowship program and an ongoing series of public
lectures.
The President
The Linda Hall Library seeks a visionary, entrepreneurial,
and energetic leader who will, with the Board of Trustees, set a course for the
Library’s future that capitalizes on the strength of its collections while
ensuring its enduring relevance.
S/he will serve as an articulate and compelling
advocate for the Library to researchers, prospective donors, the library
community, and potential collaborators. With a broad knowledge of library trends
and issues, the next President must have the strategic vision to identify new
opportunities for the institution, the ability to inspire and empower staff, and
a commitment to raising the Library’s visibility within the local community and
around the world. As the chief executive officer of the Library, the next
President will be a seasoned and congenial leader with strong managerial skills,
enthusiasm and aptitude for fundraising, and unquestionable integrity.
The
successful candidate will be a distinguished intellectual leader in his or her
field who possesses a deep understanding of research libraries and a strong
interest in the sciences and technology. An advanced
degree in a relevant discipline is desirable.
The
Linda Hall Library has retained the services of Auerbach Associates, Inc.,
to
assist with this search. Applicants should provide a cover
letter, a resume or curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information of
three references. All nominations, applications, and inquiries should be sent
to:
Kit J. Nichols
Auerbach
Associates, Inc.
385 Concord
Avenue, Suite 103
Belmont, MA 02478
Email:
caitlin@auerbach-assc.com