Anderson University seeks an innovative leader who is passionate about students and their success. The director of Thrift Library and its full- and part-time staff play an essential role in Anderson’s commitment to academic excellence. The library works closely with the faculty, Office of Information Technology, the Center for Innovation and Digital Learning, the Center for Learning and Teaching Excellence, and other academic personnel to carry out Anderson University’s mission.
Candidates should be prepared to lead all administrative, operational, and technical functions of the Thrift Library, support an ever-growing university, foster a culture of collegiality, hospitality, and innovation in the library as well as supporting the library staff in their daily work and professional development.
About the Thrift Library
In 2007, the University completed what was then the largest single-phase building project in its history as the $7.5 million Thrift Library building opened to students. The multipurpose building contains over 50,000 square feet of space and includes the library, Books & Beans coffee shop, Vandiver Art Gallery, Anderson Central, Center for Student Success, Writing and Multimedia Center, post office, Information Technology, several classrooms and conference rooms, and a music lab.
Thrift Library’s collection contains over 70,000 physical volumes, more than 1.8 million ebooks, and approximately 200 electronic research, reference, and subject-specific databases that provide access to countless scholarly journals, periodicals, ebooks, digital images, and audio and video recordings. Thrift Library’s collections are greatly enhanced by resource sharing and collaborative licensing of digital resources through its membership in the state’s academic library consortium, PASCAL (Partnership among South Carolina Academic Libraries), reciprocal borrowing agreements with Atla Digital Library and Association of Christian Librarians, and partnership with the Anderson County Library System.
During fall and spring semesters, the library is seven days a week. During the summer months, it is open Monday through Friday. The library has open seating available for approximately 175 students and 9 reservable study rooms with seating for groups of 6-12 students.
Thrift Library’s professional librarians provide instruction for groups and individuals covering such topics as (but not limited to) the research process, how to access the library’s resources, citation styles, plagiarism, and copyright issues. Librarians are available to work with students in person and via phone, email, and video conference.
Candidates must be a committed Christian and hold values that are compatible with the institution’s Statement of Faith and enthusiastically support Anderson University’s mission. Qualified candidates must hold a master’s degree in library science. A second advanced degree is encouraged. The ideal candidate will have significant library experience, effective leadership and collaborative skills to build successful partnerships internally and externally, skills and experience in strategic planning, high emotional intelligence, fiscal planning and budget and resource management.
Start Date: June 1, 2026
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. To ensure full consideration, please complete the online application for staff employment at https://andersonuniversity.edu/hr/apply, along with:
Letter of application addressing qualifications and previous leadership experience
Curriculum vitae
Contact information for three professional references
Please direct application materials and questions to the search chair:
Dr. Lisa Zidek, Dean of the College of Engineering,
