Head of Special Collections and Archives Details

Head of Special Collections and Archives

Auburn University - Auburn, AL

Employment Type : Full-Time

Posting Details

Auburn University Libraries seeks an innovative and motivated professional to direct its Special Collections & Archives (SC&A) as Department Head. The Department Head will serve as thought leader and will advocate in developing comprehensive strategies to serve users and to integrate the SC&A further into the mission of the Libraries and the University. The Department Head oversees the portfolios of rare book, archives, records, outreach/engagement, digital scholarship programs, and fundraising. Reporting to the Dean of Libraries, the Head of SC&A will be responsible for administrative and operational oversight of the department as well as developing effective partnerships with academic departments, with repositories across the State and region, and the global community of scholars. Major responsibilities beyond administrative and operational oversight include innovation in policies and procedures, scholarly outreach programming, exhibitions, donor development, and grantsmanship. The Department Head will lead in areas such as digital collections development, curricular integration, user-centered services, diversity and inclusion, and the ongoing professional development of the SC&A’s dedicated team of faculty and staff.

The individual in this position will shape collection development and management priorities to focus on areas of historical strength while also working to build a more diverse and inclusive record of humanity’s cultural and scientific heritage. The Department Head will provide strategic direction for advancing the Libraries’ stewardship role over existing collections, balancing new acquisitions against care for existing collections, as well as for activities related to archival processing, research services, access services, facilities management, fundraising and development, and community outreach. This twelve-month tenure-track faculty position requires professional and scholarly activity as well as service on library and university committees.

• Develop, manage, and evaluate the collections, staff, and services of the SC&A.
• Promote and provide oversight to Digital Scholarship Programs using materials, staff and technology in the Department; serve as member of the Libraries’ Digital Scholarship Interest Group.
• Assist departmental faculty in the selection of materials to support research and teaching in SC&A.
• Serve as department liaison to the University legal department on all matters relating to records retention, rights management, open records requests, and other legal issues as they may arise.
• Collaborate with technical services and digital humanists to develop strategic approaches to description, metadata, and born digital collections.
• Coordinate collection development policies and strategy with the Libraries’ Collections Strategist; serve as member of the Collection Development Group.
• Collaborate closely with the Libraries’ Development Officer in all areas of donor development, engagement, including innovation in outreach and grantsmanship.
• Serve as a member of the Libraries’ Leadership Group
• As a member of the Libraries Faculty, serve the University, contribute to the profession, and engage in professional development.
• Some night and weekend duty may be required.

SALARY / BENEFITS: Starting salary of $65,000. Rank and salary will be commensurate with experience/qualifications. This is a twelve-month tenure-track position. Benefits include 20 days of vacation leave/12 days of sick leave per year; participation in State Teachers’ Retirement System (mandatory); additional voluntary retirement plans available; health/dental/life/disability insurance.

Auburn University Libraries is a member of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL), Hathi Trust, Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), and other organizations of academic institutions. The Libraries completed a strategic plan in alignment with the Auburn University Strategic Plan which is available at: https://www.lib.auburn.edu/strategicplan/AUL_Strategic_Plan_2019-24.pdf.

Auburn University is one of the nation’s premier public land-grant institutions. In 2020, it was ranked 44th among public universities by U.S. News and World Report. Auburn maintains high levels of research activity and high standards for teaching excellence, offering Bachelor’s, Master’s, Educational Specialist, and Doctor’s degrees in agriculture and engineering, the professions, and the arts and sciences. Its 2019 enrollment of 30,460 students includes 24,594 undergraduates and 5,866 graduate and professional students. The University is nationally recognized for its commitment to academic excellence, its positive work environment, its student engagement, and its beautiful campus.

Auburn residents enjoy a thriving community, recognized as one of the “best small towns in America,” with moderate climate and easy access to major cities or to beach and mountain recreational facilities. Situated along the rapidly developing I-85 corridor between Atlanta, Georgia, and Montgomery, Alabama, the combined Auburn-Opelika-Columbus statistical area has a population of over 500,000, with excellent public-school systems and regional medical centers.

Auburn University is understanding of and sensitive to the family needs of faculty, including dual-career couples. Additional information can be found on our website: http://www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/pdf/guidelines-dual-career-services.pdf.

Auburn University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, sex, religion, color, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by applicable law.

• Master of Library and Information Science or equivalent from an ALA accredited program at the time employment begins.
• Experience in one or more of the following areas of special collections and archives: collection development, archives, user services, outreach programs, or donor development.
• 3 -5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in special collections libraries and/or archival repositories.
• Demonstrated commitment to user-centered services for instruction, outreach programs and training as evidenced by examples from prior work experience.
• Commitment to excellence in information service and continuous learning to meet the ever-changing needs of a large research university.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; strong and effective written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently; evidence of ability to initiate and carry projects through to completion.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute collegially and productively in a team environment.
• Potential to meet university promotion and tenure requirements for library faculty.

• Supervisory experience in special collections and archives including assigning work, managing personnel, and evaluating performance.
• Demonstrated experience working with special collections, manuscripts, archives, and rare books.
• Demonstrated knowledge of commonly used research tools for contemporary archival and special collections research.
• Familiarity with digital scholarship programs and other archival repository platforms.
• A record of professional, scholarly research activity.
• Membership and activity in professional associations such as the Society of American Archivists or the Rare Books and Manuscript Section of the ACRL.

Application review process begins May 10, 2021 and will continue until a qualified candidate is selected and recommended for appointment. A complete application must include a letter of interest, resume or curriculum vitae, and the names of three current, professional references (please include mailing addresses, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers). The candidate selected for this position must be able to meet eligibility requirements to work in the United States at the time appointment is scheduled to begin and continue working legally for the proposed term of employment. For questions, contact the search committee chair, Nadine Ellero at npe0003@auburn.edu.

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