[LIBJOBS] Open Position: Head of Special Collections, Penn State University Libraries, University Park, PA

Dorothy Foehr Huck Chair and

Head, The Eberly Family Special Collections Library

Penn State University Libraries

 

The Pennsylvania State University Libraries seek applications and nominations for the position of Dorothy Foehr Huck Chair and Head of Special Collections. This chaired, senior faculty position will provide strategic leadership and administration of the Special Collections Library, forge dynamic partnerships within the university community and academic institutions statewide, and provide expertise and creativity in developing rare book and modern manuscript collections in a variety of physical and digital formats. As an endowed faculty position, the Huck Chair manages a versatile discretionary fund in support of Special Collections programs, collection development, travel, and research. 

 

Responsibilities: Reporting to the Associate Dean for Research, Collections, and Scholarly Communication, the Huck Chair:

• provides direction for over twenty (20) full-time faculty and staff, plus part-time employees, graduate students, and interns, organized into five functional areas of operation: Curatorial Services, Research Services, Collection Management, Digital Services, and University Archives,
• has oversight of the operations of the Special Collections Library including reference and instructional services; promotion, marketing and outreach services; collections management, preservation, and processing; the University’s records management program; development of digital projects; budgeting and personnel management; and space planning,
• plays a major role in donor relations and development activities
• serves as a member of the Dean’s Library Council and collaborates with other administrators to advance the Libraries’ Strategic Plan and to contribute to Libraries-wide budgeting, planning, and policy development
• provides leadership for special collections and archives maintained by the University’s commonwealth campus libraries, and manages the archival staff of the Coal and Coke Heritage Center located at Penn State’s Fayette Campus.
• sets priorities for collection development for digital and physical special collections; identifies and initiates new collecting areas in support of the University’s evolving research and teaching mission.
• works with other Library departments and staff to develop priorities, technical infrastructure, and workflows in support of an ambitious large-scale digitization goal for special collections, as defined in the Libraries’ Strategic Plan.

Description: Consisting of over 225,000 volumes, strengths include Rare Book collections of English and American literature; art and architectural history; emblem books; the history of photography; works of Joseph Priestley; African-Americana and the African Diaspora; art education; utopian literature; and German literature in English translation. Literary manuscript collections include the papers of John O’Hara, Chip Kidd, and Kenneth Burke. Historical collections and labor archives document Pennsylvania social, political, and economic history with special emphasis devoted to labor, business, and the evolution of nineteenth and twentieth century industrial society. Core archival research collections include: the United Steelworkers of America, the United Mine Workers of America, the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, Pennsylvania railroad records, and business ledgers documenting the early iron industry in central Pennsylvania. The papers of Pennsylvania political figures such as Governors William W. Scranton and Robert P. Casey, as well as Civil War era diaries and letter collections are also part of the Library. The official records maintained by the University Archives document the University’s 160+ year history and include university business records (paper and electronic), papers of Penn State presidents, faculty, and alumni, papers of numerous scholarly and professional associations and documentation of student organizations. The Library also manages the University Records Management Program and Inactive Records Center, an extensive sports archives, wide-ranging photograph and audio-visual collections, as well as the archives of choral music pioneer and entrepreneur, Fred Waring. For more information about the Special Collections Library, visit http://sites.psu.edu/huckchair/.

 

Required Qualifications: Masters of Library Science degree from an ALA-accredited program (or equivalent); experience administering special collections within a major research library; familiarity with 21^st century special collections practices and initiatives, including digital strategies; excellent oral and written communications; strong collaborative and empathetic leadership skills; strong commitment to outreach and student engagement; knowledgeable about development and donor relations; understanding of intellectual property and copyright issues pertaining to special collections and records management; commitment to diversity; demonstrated record of accomplishment in collection development and management; and distinguished scholarship and professional accomplishments meriting appointment at Librarian (Professor) rank.

 

Preferred: Specialization in Rare Books or Archival Administration in an academic or special library; participation in digital and scholarly communications initiatives; experience with the applications of information technologies (the Special Collections Library is charter member of ArchivesSpace, uses Aeon for reading room management, Archive-It for web-archiving, and is developing a Hydra-based digital repository among other technical initiatives); strong experience with budgeting and strategic planning; and success in securing and managing grants; additional advanced subject degree(s).

 

Environment:

Penn State, a land-grant institution, is a member of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC), a consortium of the Big Ten universities plus the University of Chicago. Based on current Association for Research Libraries investment rankings, The Pennsylvania State University Libraries are ranked among the top ten research libraries in North America. A student survey completed in 2014 found overall student satisfaction with the University Libraries to be at the top of its category. The University Libraries hold membership in ARL, CRL, CLIR, and DLF. Collections exceed 5.8 million volumes and include more than 102,000 current serial subscriptions. The University Libraries are located at University Park and 22 other locations throughout Pennsylvania, and they serve approximately 6,300 faculty and 46,000 students at University Park, and more than 95,000 students system-wide.

 

The University Park campus is set in State College, a university town located in central Pennsylvania. State College offers a vibrant community with outstanding recreational facilities, a low crime rate, and excellent public schools. The campus is within a half-day drive to Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, or Pittsburgh. The University Park Airport is served by three major carriers with flights to Washington, Philadelphia, and Detroit. For more information, please visit http://www.libraries.psu.edu and http://www.cbicc.org.

 

Compensation and Rank:

Based upon the University and Libraries’ standards in librarianship, research, and service, and outreach, it is anticipated that the successful candidate will be appointed at the rank of Librarian with tenure. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Fringe benefits include liberal vacation, excellent insurance and health care coverage, state or TIAA/CREF retirement options, and educational privileges. In addition, faculty in the University Libraries are afforded funds for professional development travel annually. Faculty may be asked to travel as official representatives of the Libraries to certain events and those trips are reimbursed at full cost within limits established by the University.

 

To apply, please visit http://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/jobs/facjobs/huck.html.   To be considered for the position, interested candidates should upload a letter of application, resume or C.V., and the names and contact information of three professional references (including email addresses).   Review of applications will begin September 15, 2015 and continue until position is filled.  Questions may be addressed to Lindsey Harter, Faculty Search Coordinator, at lap225@psu.edu.

 

Employment will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. 

 

Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to minorities, women, veterans, disabled individuals, and other protected groups.

 

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS: For more about safety at Penn State, and to review the Annual Security Report which contains information about crime statistics and other safety and security matters, please go to www.police.psu.edu/clery/, which will also provide you with detail on how to request a hard copy of the Annual Security Report.