Description:
Ohio University Libraries seeks an innovative, collaborative, and service-oriented Head of Archives & Special Collections & Rare Book Librarian. The Head of Archives & Special Collections and Rare Book Librarian is essential to Libraries’ initiatives that advance the University’s Dynamic Strategies through leadership in collaborative and innovative approaches to interdisciplinary and inclusive pedagogy for primary source, visual, and other literacies. The position works with direct reports in the Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections, Libraries’ department heads, and instructors to coordinate departmental outreach to faculty, students, researchers, and the public, ensuring that the Mahn Center provides equitable, consistent, and effective services. The position leads Libraries initiatives to integrate special collections into OHIO teaching, learning, and research, develops the scholarly use of OHIO Special Collections globally, and fosters innovate experiential learning opportunities that make the OHIO student experience unique.
Responsibilities:
- Leads the development and implementation of collaborative and inclusive outreach and instruction methods and programs that center experiential learning, that develop critical thinking, analysis, description, and questioning skills, and that teach historical and cultural empathy to successfully build multidisciplinary relationships and promote the wide use of and engagement with Archives & Special Collections within Ohio University, the Athens community, and beyond.
- Assesses the impact of engagement and primary source, visual, and other literacies through instruction for the department. Leads the development of shared practices that support accessibility and equity of instruction across services and collecting areas.
- Leads and supervises staff to develop, achieve, and assess departmental goals that center equity and access. Collaborates with the Heads of Research Services and Learning Services as well as with campus and community faculty and other instructional partners in support of the development and sustainability of complimentary experiential and inclusive instruction, research, and creative activity efforts and initiatives throughout the libraries.
- In collaboration with the Director of Archives and Special Collections, Preservation and Digital Initiatives plans and tracks student, supply, and acquisitions budgets from multiple gift accounts in accordance with gift agreements, departmental, and Libraries priorities.
- Works with collection donors and relevant development officers and advises libraries administration on potential gift strategies for endowment accounts and potential prospects for Libraries advancement.
- Curates the Rare Book Collection, prioritizing equity and access, by engaging in collection development, management, and stewardship, outreach, research, reference, instruction, and programming, and by collaborating with colleagues to prioritize and create efficient workflows for rare book cataloging, preservation, digitization, access, and usage. Develops and provides experiential learning opportunities in rare books librarianship for OHIO students through mentorship, internships, research apprenticeships, graduate assistantships, and similar opportunities.
- Engages in regular professional development through research, publications, presentations, and participation in regional, national, and/or international professional bodies as part of a continuing commitment to bringing best practices and innovative services to the Libraries. Serves on Libraries committees, task forces, and/or other groups in support of advancing the Libraries strategic goals.
Minimum Qualifications
- Master’s degree, MLIS
- 3 years of related work experience
- minimum of one year management experience