Curator of Quaker Collections, Haverford College, Haverford, PA
Posted March 10, 2015
Haverford College seeks a Curator of Quaker Collections, the Curator of Quaker Collections is responsible for building and maintaining the Libraries’ comprehensive collection on Quakers and Quakerism. As a member of the Quaker and Special Collections staff, the Curator of Quaker Collections is responsible for developing and growing the College’s world-class, internationally regarded collection on Quaker history and culture.
Originally posted on: 03/03/15
The Curator actively participates in the research and instruction program of the Libraries and promotes the collections’ use to a range of audiences. The Curator develops and maintains active relationships with an extensive network of Quaker organizations and communities.
The Position:
The Curator of Quaker Collections is responsible for building and maintaining the Libraries’ comprehensive collection on Quakers and Quakerism. As a member of the Quaker and Special Collections staff, the Curator of Quaker Collections is responsible for developing and growing the College’s world-class, internationally regarded collection on Quaker history and culture. The individual in this position develops and maintains ties with the larger Quaker community. The Curator serves the College community by providing reference and other services to faculty, staff, and students, and to visiting and off-site researchers. The Curator participates in the Library’s instruction program, supervises student assistants, and develops and maintains ties with colleagues on campus and at Bryn Mawr and Swarthmore Colleges. This position reports to the Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts/Head of Quaker and Special Collections.
The Curator of Quaker Collections brings strong knowledge of rare books, manuscripts, and ephemera, with a strong emphasis on Quaker materials. Functional specialization will include depth in the history of these and other technologies, broad and strategic collections development, and the engagement of scholars with these materials. The individual in this position will be knowledgeable of the emerging areas of digital scholarship and its intersection with Quaker and Special Collections holdings, and will foster advancement in these new areas of scholarship.
Essential Functions:
Active involvement in outreach activities with other members of the Haverford community, which results in increased visibility for the Libraries and the College and creates opportunities for the acquisition of additional Quaker-related rare books, manuscripts, archival resources, and circulating collections.
Proactively supports and collaborates with bibliographers on the selection of rare materials in a range of subject areas. Engages actively in assessment and evaluation of the Quaker collections and their intersection with curricular and research needs.
Responsible for the organization, description, cataloging, and maintenance of Quaker materials in all formats (including the records of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, Baltimore Yearly Meeting, and their constituent meetings) held in Quaker and Special Collections. Works with the department head and, when appropriate, with the Librarian of the College or Associate Librarian, in developing these collections through donation, purchase, and deposit.
Processes and preserves Quaker manuscripts and special collections materials and develops finding-aids for manuscript collections. Catalogs Quaker rare books following full, rich, and robust descriptive standards. Works closely with colleagues in the Collections Management and Metadata Services groups to realize and meet best practice descriptive standards. Creates subject guides that cross collections and formats and speak to curricular and research needs of students and faculty.
Participates in reference desk duty. Assists faculty, students, staff, and other users on a one-on-one basis by answering specific information requests, offering research assistance, and guiding users in the effective use of a broad range of information resources found in the library. Fosters an environment committed to outstanding public service.
Participates in the libraries’ instruction program. Facilitates integration of Quaker Collections and primary resources into courses and research by engaging in curricular design with faculty and through formal and informal instruction.
With the Associate Librarian, department head, and other Library staff, assists in the planning and implementation of digital library projects, the development of online finding aids, and other access tools.
Works with the Library Conservator to identify material that needs treatment or repair.
Collaborates on outreach projects, including grant opportunities, exhibitions, and public presentations.
Maintains and develops ties with individuals and organizations of the Religious Society of Friends, including Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College, Haverford’s Office of Quaker Affairs, the Corporation of the College, Friends Historical Association, and other relevant groups and families.
Keeps current with trends in academic librarianship and archives through conference attendance, presentations, and other learning and professional development activities.
Participates in the hiring, scheduling, training, and supervising of student employees.
Qualifications:
Education:
An ALA-accredited master’s degree in Library and Information Science, or a Master of Archival Studies, or an advanced degree in a closely related field.
Experience and Skills:
Enjoys a strong understanding of Quaker history and Quaker organizations, including but not limited to scholarly engagement in Quaker studies.
Significant experience working with Quaker materials, rare books, special collections, and/or archives
Possesses a clear awareness of current relevant best practices and professional standards and presents strong experience in the full range of competencies required of a professional within the special collections area of specialization.
Understands and engages users in the history, theory, and professional practices relating to materials generally found in special collections research libraries, including, but not limited to, rare books, maps, prints, photographs, ephemera, archives, manuscripts, original artwork, audiovisual media, and digital materials.
Understands and engages in the theory and practice of collections development, information technology, preservation and conservation, and processing and cataloging.
Understands the significance of original artifacts and the nature and value of primary materials for learning, teaching, research, and outreach. Engages in active learning techniques in instruction.
Develops and maintains knowledge of liberal arts, history, and culture as these contribute to the understanding, development, and promotion of Quaker and Special Collections. Possesses demonstrated awareness of new scholastic models for integration of primary resources in courses.
Strong commitment to and success in delivering excellent reference services. Excellent communication and customer service skills. Commitment to excellence in all service levels.
Ability to work collaboratively and to exercise diplomacy within and without the Libraries.
Skilled at planning and executing public programming, including but not limited to, exhibits, conferences, lectures, web-based media, and other active forms of outreach.
Possesses a record of on-going professional development (i.e., presentations, publications, continuing education, and service with archival organizations)
Able to lift 40 lbs with or without reasonable accommodations
To Apply:
In a letter of application, please tell us how you meet the qualifications above and what interests you about this opportunity. Email the letter, your resume, and the names of three references to Dan Burger-Lenehan ([email protected]) Senior Administrative Assistant to the Librarian of the College. Review of applications will begin on April 10, 2015, and will continue until the position is filled. Please visit our website (http://library.haverford.edu) for additional information about the libraries and the college.
Haverford College is an equal employment opportunity, affirmative action employer. The salary is competitive and comes with generous benefits.