Archives Education Librarian, Colby College, Waterville ME
Posted June 2, 2014
The Colby Libraries seek a dynamic and experienced Archives Education Librarian to further the Libraries focus on being “central to scholarship”. Special Collections collects, organizes, interprets, preserves, makes available and promotes the use of the college’s rare and unique materials, which include incunabula and rare books, literary manuscripts and personal papers, institutional archives and artifacts. We support and encourage primary source research and instruction by undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and the broader scholarly community. One of our highest priorities is to connect our collections to the undergraduate Colby curriculum through a Teaching with Primary Sources program. The Archives Education Librarian position is central to sustaining and fully developing the Teaching with Primary Sources initiative, creating innovative archival labs in consultation with faculty and working with Digital Collections staff to digitize collections for online discovery and access.
Preferred start date is August 1, 2014. Priority given to applications received by June 23, 2014
Applicants should address their materials to the chair of the Search Committee, Clem Guthro, and send the following electronically in PDF format to Stephanie Frost ([email protected]).
● A cover letter
● Curriculum vitae
● A philosophical statement about the role/significance of an archives education program within the small liberal arts environment.
● Graduate transcripts
● Three letters of recommendation
Key responsibilities of the Archives Education Librarian position:
- Develop partnerships with faculty across all Divisions to develop and deliver archival labs that integrate Special Collections materials into individual courses and provide students with an exciting and engaging archival research experience
- Support Colby’s Center for the Arts and Humanities initiative by working closely with the Center Director and humanities faculty to support humanities labs with hands on archival experiences
- Strengthen relationships with Colby faculty, supporting their use of Public Humanities and other innovative pedagogical approaches that incorporate archival materials
- Strengthen relationships with students and support student research in the collections through one-on-one reference service
- Continue to increase awareness and appreciation for Colby’s rare and unique archival materials and artifacts via creative online exhibition, enhancing Colby’s distinctive reputation among peer institutions
- Providing solid oversight of Digital Collections and Special Collections during sabbaticals of the Assistant Directors of Digital Collections and Special Collections librarians
Required qualifications:
- MLS degree with an undergraduate or graduate degree in a related humanities/history field
- A minimum of five years of experience working in archives, digitization, and special collections at a college or university including training and experience in SC administration and best practices.
- Formal training and experience in teaching with archival materials at the undergraduate level
- Formal training and experience in archival digitization projects and best practices
- Formal training and experience in archival online exhibition techniques
- Advanced degree/formal training in archival preservation practices and protocols
- Ability to collaborate with departmental colleagues within a dynamic and busy work environment and to contribute positively to workplace camaraderie
- Excellent communication, interpersonal and supervisory skills
Colby is a highly selective liberal arts college located in central Maine. The Colby College Libraries are central to scholarship and a key part of the Colby academic program. There are three libraries with a professional staff of 13 librarians. Colby librarians are faculty without rank, eligible for sabbaticals and are expected to contribute to creative, scholarly, and professional activities, and to participate in library-wide and campus-wide service. A significant staff reorganization in 2012 resulted in the Libraries being poised for transformational change in the provision of services, instruction, and collections. For more information about the Libraries, visit www.colby.edu/library
Colby College is committed to equality and diversity and is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage inquiries from candidates who will contribute to the cultural and ethnic diversity of our college. Colby College does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, ancestry or national origin, or age in employment or in our educational programs. For more information about the College, please visit our website: www.colby.edu