Librarian, Congregational Library & Archives, (Boston, MA)

Posted July 25, 2023

The Congregational Library & Archives seeks an ambitious and curious Librarian to provide curation and management of its print collections.

The Congregational Library & Archives (CLA) is an independent research library located in Boston, Massachusetts. Established in 1853, CLA is a repository for some 225,000 books, pamphlets, periodicals, and manuscripts documenting the development and growth of the Congregational tradition in the United States as well as Canada and Great Britain. The rare book collections include an unusually large and rich collection of first- and second-generation Puritan works.

CLA’s mission is to foster deeper understanding of the spiritual, intellectual, cultural, and civic dimensions of the Congregational story and its ongoing relevance in the 21st century by collecting and sharing materials and by actively engaging with, among others, scholars and the general public. To carry out this mission, CLA preserves and makes available materials pertaining to Congregationalism, the history of which has been interwoven with the development of North America and the United States since the seventeenth century. CLA’s library and archives holds a rich collection of historical materials, which have significance not only for church history, but also for social and political history and genealogy. It provides free access to the collections, including online through New England’s Hidden Histories. CLA offers educational programs, including exhibits, author talks, and book discussion groups for a broad range of audiences.

The Librarian will focus chiefly on cataloging and other bibliographic description, conducting inventories of holdings, and the acquisition of new materials. The successful candidate will also engage with the library’s audiences through public programming and reference support. Qualified applicants will have an ALA-accredited MLIS degree, or equivalent advanced degree and experience in research librarianship. The position offers a broad range of opportunities to a librarian who is eager to make new discoveries in a historic collection and to gain experience in a range of library functions in a small independent research library. Work will be done primarily onsite in a light-filled office adjacent to the historic reading room.

Description

Reporting to the CLA’s Executive Director, the Librarian is responsible for managing all aspects of the Congregational Library’s print collection. They acquire, describe, preserve, and facilitate access to the library’s 100,000 + print items, including the rare book and periodical collections. The Librarian develops and maintains policies and procedures directly related to these activities.

Primary Responsibilities

Manages all aspects of the library’s print collection including:
Creates and maintains original and copy-cataloged bibliographic records according to professional standards using OCLC Connexion and the library’s Online Public Access Catalog.
Manages the library’s ILS, Liberty5 which includes training colleagues on its effective use, maintaining permissions, creating and documenting workflows, and troubleshooting problems.
Identifies and purchases new materials and maintains and cultivates donor relations in accordance with the collection development policy. Manages the library’s acquisitions budget.
Conducts inventories for the purposes of assessment and deaccessioning.
Responds to reference questions and provides reference assistance when the Head of Reader Services is unavailable. Provides coverage for Reference desk as needed.
Educates the public about the library’s holdings by various means, including leading talks and tours of the library’s materials, presenting at conferences, researching within the collections to provide material for the library’s publications, and contributing to occasional exhibits of the library’s holdings.
Sets short- and long-term goals for the library in alignment with the organization’s overarching goals and develops and implements strategies to reach them.
Works with the Executive Director and development staff to identify and pursue grant opportunities as well as to provide reports to funders.
Supervises, hires/recruits, trains, and provides work direction for interns, staff, and volunteers as needed.

How to Apply

For more information and to apply, please go to the following link: https://www.congregationallibrary.org/PositionAnnouncement