Library Director Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Library Director roles at public, academic, and special libraries can qualify for H-1B visa sponsorship as a specialty occupation requiring a master's degree in library science. Employers file a Labor Condition Application before you apply, and some institutions also support EB-2 or EB-3 green card pathways for long-term hires.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
The Director of Systems and Technology will provide direction for a broad portfolio of library-specific systems and technologies within a restructured unit.
Position Summary
The Director of Systems and Technology will provide direction for a broad portfolio of library-specific systems and technologies within a restructured unit. This position will oversee the lifecycle, integration, and sustainability of open-source and proprietary platforms, including library systems, applications, servers, cloud and data-storage environments, websites, and web-based services. The position will also establish priorities and service agreements with the Office of Information Technology, representing University Libraries specialized systems and technology needs.
The University Libraries is migrating to the FOLIO Library Services Platform, and the person in this position will oversee all systems- and technology-related workflows. The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in library systems and will provide strategic leadership for FOLIO, continuing to enhance operations across all aspects of the Library Services Platform, which affects multiple library-wide service points. This position requires a comprehensive understanding of the goals and functional workflows of multiple units within the University Libraries. It is particularly important to know how library-specific systems and technologies intersect through functional operations, such as metadata, cataloging, archival, and Access Services work. Additionally, this position will collaborate and support the systems needs of University Libraries faculty and staff involved with instruction and research services. The candidate must be able to communicate calmly and proactively with a broad range of constituents to understand and deliver library-specific systems and technology needs in a fast-changing environment.
The University of Alabama Libraries seeks applicants who thrive in a learning organization with a strong service orientation and who demonstrate an ability to adapt to changing needs and priorities. This includes assessing best practices and making important decisions about the future of library systems and technology in a rapidly changing research library environment. The successful candidate should be dedicated to actively mentoring faculty and staff and fostering their professional growth and development. Candidates with experience setting strategic directions, collaborating across departments, establishing priorities, and managing librarians and staff are encouraged to apply.
The person in this position will be encouraged to pursue grant writing opportunities and submission of grants relevant to the mission of University Libraries and The University of Alabama. The person in this position will be expected to carry an active research and scholarship portfolio of peer-reviewed publications and national presentations. The successful applicant must possess the ability to approach change, ambiguity, and complex problems in a research university setting.
Responsibilities of the position evolve as the library environment continues to change.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
-
Master's degree in Library & Information Sciences from an ALA-accredited institution or advanced graduate degree in a related field.
-
Five or more years of experience in library technical services with library technology systems-related information technology settings with a progression of responsibilities in relevant professional work.
-
Five or more years of management experience in a research library setting, supervising staff and/or faculty, including direct involvement with establishing goals, evaluating employees, developing job descriptions, and analyzing workflows.
-
Demonstrated ability to translate library operational needs into technical requirements, system configurations, and sustainable workflows.
-
Demonstrated ability to communicate technical information clearly to colleagues with varying levels of technical expertise and coordinate work across organizational boundaries.
-
Demonstrated experience using APIs and scripting languages, such as Python, to develop integrations, automate workflow processes, and manage data across library systems.
-
Experience administering integrated library systems or library services platforms, such as FOLIO, Voyager, Alma, or comparable systems, with an understanding of their relationships to metadata, circulation, interlibrary loan, reporting, and resource access workflows.
-
Experience implementing or supporting authentication and electronic resource access services, including proxy systems, single sign-on, identity management integrations, and patron data feeds.
-
Experience collaborating with campus information technology personnel and vendors on server maintenance, system upgrades, security concerns, and resolution of service disruptions.
-
Experience using SQL and relational databases to support reporting, data extraction, troubleshooting, and operational decision-making.
-
Experience setting unit goals, managing projects, meeting deadlines, and analyzing outcomes.
-
Experience with scheduling and maintaining backups, log analysis, software audits, and security checks, as well as developing and maintaining appropriate documentation.
-
Demonstration of ability to keep up to date on new technologies and trends in research library and academic technologies.
-
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, along with expert skills associated with listening, negotiating, compromising, and adapting.
-
Ability to meet the requirements for tenure and promotion.
-
Commitment to conduct research and scholarship consistent with the requirements of a tenure track appointment; commitment to engage in continuing professional development and service.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
-
Strong project management skills.
-
Understanding of library systems, such as DSpace, OJS, ArchivesSpace, CaiaSoft, ContentDM, MetaDB, WordPress, and Omeka, and how they interact with University Libraries services.
-
Experience supporting institutional repositories or other digital collection platforms, including metadata transformation, batch ingestion, remediation, and discovery.
-
Evidence of an active published peer-reviewed research portfolio.
-
Experience migrating technology systems and hardware.
-
Experience managing computer hardware and software managing replacement and upgrade plans.
-
Supervisory experience, including staff training, technical documentation, cross-training, and planning for continuity of specialized expertise.
INSTRUCTIONS AND REQUIRED MATERIALS FOR APPLICATION
TO APPLY: Applications are accepted online only at https://facultyjobs.ua.edu. Click Faculty Jobs, then University Libraries. Please include your application, Curriculum Vitae, cover letter, and names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three references, including one current supervisor. Consideration of applications will begin immediately and will continue until position is filled. Applications received by November 30, 2026, are assured of receiving full consideration. For questions regarding the search, contact Dr. Alice Daugherty, Senior Associate Dean, at padaugherty@ua.edu.
ABOUT THE DIVISION/COLLEGE/SCHOOL
ENVIRONMENT: The University of Alabama Libraries, a system of seven separate discipline-related libraries, is proud to support the research enterprise at the University of Alabama via a comprehensive and integrated network of resources, services, and technologies designed to meet the academic and research needs of students, faculty, and staff. We take pride in serving as a hub for innovation, knowledge creation and dissemination, research assistance, and collaborative learning. As a U.S. Government Documents Regional Depository since 1860, University Libraries also serves the public and our local community. The University of Alabama Libraries maintains memberships in the Association of Research Libraries, the Center for Research Libraries, the Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA), the Coalition of Networked Information, centerNET, LYRASIS, HathiTrust, the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, LOCKSS, the Network of Alabama Academic Libraries, and the Alabama Digital Preservation Network. University Libraries provides strong mentorship for faculty and staff, with ongoing collaborative opportunities, and administrative support for innovative services and ideas. We promote and administer a robust professional development environment that supports faculty research and conference travel, and we are invested in academic freedom with teaching and research. We are heavily invested in performing the same high value research that our stakeholders produce, and that assists in our data-driven strategic planning for the future. Our staff routinely update and maintain cutting edge programs of service in support of our stakeholders. Our faculty librarians have developed a record-breaking instruction program, including a series of research data services and workshops, that consistently perform at the top of the SEC. UA is located in Tuscaloosa, a metropolitan area of over 250,000, with a vibrant economy, a moderate climate, and reputation across the South as an innovative, progressive community with an excellent quality of life. If working with a talented group of professionals who value service, innovation, and high achievement, earning a nationally competitive starting salary, in a thriving college town, with a low cost of living, close to Birmingham, Atlanta, Nashville, New Orleans, and the Gulf Coast sounds interesting to you, start your application process with us to learn more! Prior to employment the successful candidate must pass a pre-employment background investigation.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY
The University of Alabama, the Capstone, is the state of Alabama’s flagship public university and its oldest and largest public university, founded in 1831. UA is an R1 institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, the top tier of doctoral research universities. UA enrolls a record 42,431 students from all 67 Alabama counties, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 95 countries. In fall 2026, Graduate School enrollment reached 6,484 students.
University of Alabama students continue to win prestigious national awards. Sixty-nine UA students have been named Goldwater scholars, including three for 2026-27. The University of Alabama has produced 17 Rhodes scholars, 16 Truman scholars, 43 Hollings scholars and 21 Boren scholars. The Fulbright Program selected 10 UA students for awards for the 2026-27 academic year. UA was named a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Students, a distinction it has now earned nine times in the last 11 years.
UA appeared on 15 U.S. News & World Report lists ranking the Best Online Programs, including seven programs ranked in the top 10 of their respective lists. UA made Time magazine’s list of Best Colleges for Future Leaders 2026. Forty current UA faculty members have received National Science Foundation CAREER Awards, one of the nation’s most prestigious recognitions of top-performing young scientists, in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.
UA made Forbes’ 2026 lists of America’s Top Colleges and Best Employers for Company Culture. According to the UA Center for Business and Economic Research, UA’s total statewide economic impact is $3.4 billion and 15,238 jobs.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION AND EEO STATEMENT
Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.
Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer status without regard to any legally protected basis and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. More information is available in the EEOC’s Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal poster.
The University of Alabama affirms its longstanding commitment to institutional neutrality, free speech, and academic freedom.
INTRODUCTION
The Director of Systems and Technology will provide direction for a broad portfolio of library-specific systems and technologies within a restructured unit.
Position Summary
The Director of Systems and Technology will provide direction for a broad portfolio of library-specific systems and technologies within a restructured unit. This position will oversee the lifecycle, integration, and sustainability of open-source and proprietary platforms, including library systems, applications, servers, cloud and data-storage environments, websites, and web-based services. The position will also establish priorities and service agreements with the Office of Information Technology, representing University Libraries specialized systems and technology needs.
The University Libraries is migrating to the FOLIO Library Services Platform, and the person in this position will oversee all systems- and technology-related workflows. The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in library systems and will provide strategic leadership for FOLIO, continuing to enhance operations across all aspects of the Library Services Platform, which affects multiple library-wide service points. This position requires a comprehensive understanding of the goals and functional workflows of multiple units within the University Libraries. It is particularly important to know how library-specific systems and technologies intersect through functional operations, such as metadata, cataloging, archival, and Access Services work. Additionally, this position will collaborate and support the systems needs of University Libraries faculty and staff involved with instruction and research services. The candidate must be able to communicate calmly and proactively with a broad range of constituents to understand and deliver library-specific systems and technology needs in a fast-changing environment.
The University of Alabama Libraries seeks applicants who thrive in a learning organization with a strong service orientation and who demonstrate an ability to adapt to changing needs and priorities. This includes assessing best practices and making important decisions about the future of library systems and technology in a rapidly changing research library environment. The successful candidate should be dedicated to actively mentoring faculty and staff and fostering their professional growth and development. Candidates with experience setting strategic directions, collaborating across departments, establishing priorities, and managing librarians and staff are encouraged to apply.
The person in this position will be encouraged to pursue grant writing opportunities and submission of grants relevant to the mission of University Libraries and The University of Alabama. The person in this position will be expected to carry an active research and scholarship portfolio of peer-reviewed publications and national presentations. The successful applicant must possess the ability to approach change, ambiguity, and complex problems in a research university setting.
Responsibilities of the position evolve as the library environment continues to change.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
-
Master's degree in Library & Information Sciences from an ALA-accredited institution or advanced graduate degree in a related field.
-
Five or more years of experience in library technical services with library technology systems-related information technology settings with a progression of responsibilities in relevant professional work.
-
Five or more years of management experience in a research library setting, supervising staff and/or faculty, including direct involvement with establishing goals, evaluating employees, developing job descriptions, and analyzing workflows.
-
Demonstrated ability to translate library operational needs into technical requirements, system configurations, and sustainable workflows.
-
Demonstrated ability to communicate technical information clearly to colleagues with varying levels of technical expertise and coordinate work across organizational boundaries.
-
Demonstrated experience using APIs and scripting languages, such as Python, to develop integrations, automate workflow processes, and manage data across library systems.
-
Experience administering integrated library systems or library services platforms, such as FOLIO, Voyager, Alma, or comparable systems, with an understanding of their relationships to metadata, circulation, interlibrary loan, reporting, and resource access workflows.
-
Experience implementing or supporting authentication and electronic resource access services, including proxy systems, single sign-on, identity management integrations, and patron data feeds.
-
Experience collaborating with campus information technology personnel and vendors on server maintenance, system upgrades, security concerns, and resolution of service disruptions.
-
Experience using SQL and relational databases to support reporting, data extraction, troubleshooting, and operational decision-making.
-
Experience setting unit goals, managing projects, meeting deadlines, and analyzing outcomes.
-
Experience with scheduling and maintaining backups, log analysis, software audits, and security checks, as well as developing and maintaining appropriate documentation.
-
Demonstration of ability to keep up to date on new technologies and trends in research library and academic technologies.
-
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, along with expert skills associated with listening, negotiating, compromising, and adapting.
-
Ability to meet the requirements for tenure and promotion.
-
Commitment to conduct research and scholarship consistent with the requirements of a tenure track appointment; commitment to engage in continuing professional development and service.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
-
Strong project management skills.
-
Understanding of library systems, such as DSpace, OJS, ArchivesSpace, CaiaSoft, ContentDM, MetaDB, WordPress, and Omeka, and how they interact with University Libraries services.
-
Experience supporting institutional repositories or other digital collection platforms, including metadata transformation, batch ingestion, remediation, and discovery.
-
Evidence of an active published peer-reviewed research portfolio.
-
Experience migrating technology systems and hardware.
-
Experience managing computer hardware and software managing replacement and upgrade plans.
-
Supervisory experience, including staff training, technical documentation, cross-training, and planning for continuity of specialized expertise.
INSTRUCTIONS AND REQUIRED MATERIALS FOR APPLICATION
TO APPLY: Applications are accepted online only at https://facultyjobs.ua.edu. Click Faculty Jobs, then University Libraries. Please include your application, Curriculum Vitae, cover letter, and names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three references, including one current supervisor. Consideration of applications will begin immediately and will continue until position is filled. Applications received by November 30, 2026, are assured of receiving full consideration. For questions regarding the search, contact Dr. Alice Daugherty, Senior Associate Dean, at padaugherty@ua.edu.
ABOUT THE DIVISION/COLLEGE/SCHOOL
ENVIRONMENT: The University of Alabama Libraries, a system of seven separate discipline-related libraries, is proud to support the research enterprise at the University of Alabama via a comprehensive and integrated network of resources, services, and technologies designed to meet the academic and research needs of students, faculty, and staff. We take pride in serving as a hub for innovation, knowledge creation and dissemination, research assistance, and collaborative learning. As a U.S. Government Documents Regional Depository since 1860, University Libraries also serves the public and our local community. The University of Alabama Libraries maintains memberships in the Association of Research Libraries, the Center for Research Libraries, the Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA), the Coalition of Networked Information, centerNET, LYRASIS, HathiTrust, the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, LOCKSS, the Network of Alabama Academic Libraries, and the Alabama Digital Preservation Network. University Libraries provides strong mentorship for faculty and staff, with ongoing collaborative opportunities, and administrative support for innovative services and ideas. We promote and administer a robust professional development environment that supports faculty research and conference travel, and we are invested in academic freedom with teaching and research. We are heavily invested in performing the same high value research that our stakeholders produce, and that assists in our data-driven strategic planning for the future. Our staff routinely update and maintain cutting edge programs of service in support of our stakeholders. Our faculty librarians have developed a record-breaking instruction program, including a series of research data services and workshops, that consistently perform at the top of the SEC. UA is located in Tuscaloosa, a metropolitan area of over 250,000, with a vibrant economy, a moderate climate, and reputation across the South as an innovative, progressive community with an excellent quality of life. If working with a talented group of professionals who value service, innovation, and high achievement, earning a nationally competitive starting salary, in a thriving college town, with a low cost of living, close to Birmingham, Atlanta, Nashville, New Orleans, and the Gulf Coast sounds interesting to you, start your application process with us to learn more! Prior to employment the successful candidate must pass a pre-employment background investigation.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY
The University of Alabama, the Capstone, is the state of Alabama’s flagship public university and its oldest and largest public university, founded in 1831. UA is an R1 institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, the top tier of doctoral research universities. UA enrolls a record 42,431 students from all 67 Alabama counties, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 95 countries. In fall 2026, Graduate School enrollment reached 6,484 students.
University of Alabama students continue to win prestigious national awards. Sixty-nine UA students have been named Goldwater scholars, including three for 2026-27. The University of Alabama has produced 17 Rhodes scholars, 16 Truman scholars, 43 Hollings scholars and 21 Boren scholars. The Fulbright Program selected 10 UA students for awards for the 2026-27 academic year. UA was named a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Students, a distinction it has now earned nine times in the last 11 years.
UA appeared on 15 U.S. News & World Report lists ranking the Best Online Programs, including seven programs ranked in the top 10 of their respective lists. UA made Time magazine’s list of Best Colleges for Future Leaders 2026. Forty current UA faculty members have received National Science Foundation CAREER Awards, one of the nation’s most prestigious recognitions of top-performing young scientists, in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.
UA made Forbes’ 2026 lists of America’s Top Colleges and Best Employers for Company Culture. According to the UA Center for Business and Economic Research, UA’s total statewide economic impact is $3.4 billion and 15,238 jobs.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION AND EEO STATEMENT
Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.
Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer status without regard to any legally protected basis and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. More information is available in the EEOC’s Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal poster.
The University of Alabama affirms its longstanding commitment to institutional neutrality, free speech, and academic freedom.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Library Director Jobs
Verify your MLS meets specialty occupation
A Master's of Library Science from an ALA-accredited program is the standard credential USCIS expects for a Library Director H-1B. If your degree is from outside the U.S., get a credential evaluation done before applications begin.
Target academic and research library employers
Universities, law schools, and federal research institutions file LCAs far more consistently than small public library systems. Focus your search on institutions with existing H-1B filing history, since they already have immigration counsel and internal processes in place.
Search verified sponsoring employers on Migrate Mate
Use Migrate Mate to browse Library Director roles at employers with confirmed LCA filing history. This filters out positions where sponsorship is listed as possible but the employer has never actually filed, saving you time on dead-end applications.
Check prevailing wage before salary negotiations
Your employer's LCA must certify a wage at or above the DOL prevailing wage for your location and role. Run the OFLC Wage Search for the Library Director occupation in your target city before you receive an offer so you can negotiate from an informed position.
Ask about PERM sponsorship during the offer stage
Many academic library employers will sponsor permanent residence through PERM labor certification, but only if you raise it early. Directors at universities with tenure-track equivalency sometimes qualify for EB-2, which skips PERM entirely via a National Interest Waiver.
Prepare for specialty occupation RFE documentation
USCIS sometimes issues Requests for Evidence questioning whether a Library Director role truly requires a specific bachelor's-level or higher degree. Have your employer document how the position requires specialized knowledge, and pull the O*NET profile to support the degree requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Library Director role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, in most cases. USCIS recognizes Library Director as a specialty occupation when the position requires a Master's of Library Science or equivalent advanced degree. Public libraries occasionally post Director roles that accept a broader range of degrees, which can complicate the H-1B petition. Academic, law, and research library positions are generally stronger candidates because the degree requirement is more consistently enforced in job postings and institutional hiring policy.
Which types of libraries are most likely to sponsor visas for a Director role?
Academic libraries at universities and colleges are the most consistent sponsors, followed by federal agency libraries, law school libraries, and large metropolitan public library systems. Small municipal or county public libraries rarely have immigration counsel on staff and may decline sponsorship even when they're interested in a candidate. Browse Migrate Mate to identify employers with verified sponsorship history before investing time in an application.
Can I qualify for an EB-2 green card as a Library Director without going through PERM?
A self-petitioned EB-2 National Interest Waiver is possible if your work has national significance, such as directing a major research collection, publishing in the field, or leading digital preservation initiatives with broad impact. The bar is high and subjective, so most Library Directors pursue PERM-based EB-2 through their employer instead. Some university systems classify senior library positions similarly to tenure-track faculty, which can support an EB-1B extraordinary ability petition.
What degree does an employer need to list in the job posting to support an H-1B for this role?
The job posting should require a Master's degree in Library Science, Information Science, or a closely related field. If the posting says 'bachelor's degree required' or lists the master's as preferred rather than required, USCIS may issue an RFE arguing the role doesn't meet the specialty occupation threshold. Work with your prospective employer to confirm the posting language aligns with what USCIS expects before the LCA is filed.
Does the H-1B cap apply to Library Director positions at public universities?
Library Director roles at public universities and colleges are typically cap-exempt because those institutions qualify as institutions of higher education under the INA. That means your employer can file an H-1B petition at any time of year without entering the annual lottery, and there's no wait until October 1 to begin work. Private universities also qualify for the cap exemption. Confirm your employer's cap-exempt status with their HR or immigration counsel before accepting an offer.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Library Director jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.