RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
September 8, 2023 ACADEMIC POSITION PROFILE APP 23FA0914
TITLE: Director, Special Collections and University Archives(SC/UA)
Rutgers University Libraries
POSITION SUMMARY: Rutgers University Libraries seeks an experienced and innovative administrator to lead the department of Special Collections and University Archives (SC/UA). Reporting to the Associate University Librarian, New Brunswick Libraries, this position provides vision and direction for a team of professional librarians, archivists, and staff with the goal of strengthening the discovery, visibility, accessibility, and impact of the Libraries’ nationally and internationally recognized special collections and archives. The Director for SC/UA is responsible for developing mission-oriented digital and collections strategies that reflect currentbest practices and for initiating services and programs that meet the needs of our users and stakeholders. The Director will develop a deep understanding and appreciation of SC/UA’s collections and identify forward-looking and synergistic opportunities and partnerships that advance the university’s mission. This opportunity comes at a transformational time for the Rutgers Libraries as it seeks to connect the work of its distinctive collections to each other and across campuses to elevate their visibility and amplify their reach and scale. The SC/UA is also in the process of reimagining its spaces in the wake of storm damage that impacted the safety of the collections. The successful candidate will be a critical actor in this transformation.
Located in the Archibald S. Alexander Library on Rutgers–New Brunswick’s College Avenue campus. SC/UA holds unique primary source collections such as the Sinclair New Jersey Collection, Manuscripts Collection, Rare Books Collection, and University Archives that are complemented by other special collections in formats such as maps, broadsides, pictorial materials, newspapers, and ephemera. SC/UA also houses the William Eliot Griffis Collection on Meiji Japan and Japanese overseas students, the Miriam Schapiro Archives on Women Artists, and New Jersey political papers collections such as the Senator Frank R. Lautenberg papers. SC/UA librarians and archivists are focused on building world-class collections that document all aspects of New Jersey, the history of Rutgers University, and strategicareas that supportthe curriculum and the university’s priorities. SC/UA’s collections are heavily used by Rutgers undergraduate and graduate classes and by researchers ranging from international scholars to membersof the New Brunswick community. The department has an active digital exhibit and public program schedule to continuously engage current and potential users with its expansive collections.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
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Advocates for the needs of collections, personnel, researchers, and other stakeholders.
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Fosters professional growth and accomplishment for departmental faculty and staff; holds direct responsibility for personnel matters including the recruitment, appointment, and evaluation of faculty, full-time staff, and student and hourly support staff.
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Advances a workplace culture that is collaborative, productive, empowering, and mutually respectful.
- Plans, administers, and manages unit resources, services, and operations including the unit budget, as well as gifts and grants.
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Prioritizes, assigns, and directs projects and workflows to ensure the unit’s priorities are achieved in accordance with deadlines and budget allowances.
- Develops, implements, and assesses outreach programming to further promoteknowledge, encourage teaching and research use of the collections, and increase engagement with the academic and general communities.
- Advances the Libraries’ and University’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility goals.
- Participates and represents the Libraries in national,regional, and localarchival organizations.
QUALIFICATIONS: Required: A master’s degree in library, information, or archival sciences from an ALA-accredited institution, or an equivalent advanced degree & relevant experience. Successful record of increasingly responsible experience in special collections administration, collection development, and management. Working knowledge of appropriate technologies for managing, processing, digitizing, and making discoverable primary sources and other rare or unique material is essential. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills; the ability to work both independently and in a collegial environment; and experience working effectively with a diverse clientele are also required. Candidates must have successful experience managing budgets; strong projectmanagement experience; and evidenceof successful donor relations, and/or grant-writing experience. Familiarity with intellectual property issues related to special collections and archives is necessary.
Preferred: A second master’sdegree in a subject area. Experience implementing emerging technologies in a special collections environment.
Must qualifyfor tenure on appointment.
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
SALARY: Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
STATUS/BENEFITS: Faculty status with a calendar year appointment. Benefitsinclude retirement plans; life/health insurance; prescription drug, dental, and eyeglass plans; tuition remission; vacation and sick accrual per current university policy.
LIBRARY PROFILE: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a leading national research university and the state of New Jersey’s preeminent, comprehensive public institution of higher education. Established in 1766, the university is the eighth oldest higher education institution in the United States. More than 67,000 students and 22,000 faculty and staff learn, work, and serve the public at Rutgers locations across New Jersey and around the world. Its 29 schools and colleges offer over 150 undergraduate majors, more than 400 graduate programs, and over 180 study-abroad programs. Rutgers is a member of the Association of American Universities, the Big Ten, and the Big Ten Academic Alliance—the nation’s premier higher education consortium of top-tier research institutions.
As the flagship of Rutgers University, the Carnegie Classified R1 Doctoral University, Rutgers–New Brunswick supports over 67,000 graduate and undergraduate students in approximately 150+ undergraduate programs, more than 80 graduate/professional programs,and 60 doctoral programs. Spanning New Brunswick, Piscataway, and adjacent towns in central New Jersey, Rutgers–New Brunswick is located at the center of the Boston to Washington, DC, corridor, with easy access to New York and Philadelphia by public transit.
Rutgers University Libraries are the intellectual center of the university—serving all members of the university community, supporting all disciplines, and playing a key role in advancing student learning and faculty research. The Libraries serve all institutions that comprise Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey: Rutgers University–New Brunswick, Rutgers University–Newark, Rutgers University–Camden, and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences. The Libraries have a highly valued workforce of about 180, who are committed to developing innovations in undergraduate support, information control, and digital initiatives.
Rutgers University Libraries operate with a budget of $46 million and have outstanding collections, especially in jazz and New Jerseyana. Collectively, the Libraries’ holdings include more than six million print and digital resources in 11 libraries and five distinctive collections throughout the university’s three regional campuses. The Libraries hold memberships in library organizations such as AAHSL, ARL, ARL-CNI, BTAA, CRL, Lyrasis, Metro, NERL, NJLA, PALCI, VALEnj, SPARC, and the Coalition of Open Access Policy Institutions (COAPI).
Special Collections and University Archives(SC/UA) collects, preserves, and makes availablerare, unique, or specialized sources to support study and research in the humanities and social sciences; New Jersey state, local, and cultural history; and the history of Rutgers University.
For more information about Rutgers University Libraries, please check the Libraries website:https://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/
TO APPLY: REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS AND INTERVIEWS WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY AND CONTINUE UNTIL THE POSITION IS FILLED. SUBMIT RESUME, COVER LETTER, AND NAMES OF THREE
REFERENCES TO: https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/210680
All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of all pre-employment screenings.
It is university policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all its employees and applicants for employment regardless of their race, creed, color, national origin, age, ancestry, nationality, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, disability status, liability for military service, protected veteran status, affectional or sexual orientation, atypical cellular or blood trait, genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing), or any other category protected by law. As an institution, we value diversity of background and opinion, and prohibit discrimination or harassment on the basis of any legally protected class in the areas of hiring, recruitment, promotion, transfer, demotion, training, compensation, pay, fringe benefits, layoff, termination or any other terms and conditions of employment. For additional information please see the Non-Discrimination Statement at the following web address: http://uhr.rutgers.edu/non-discrimination-statement
The Libraries are strongly and actively committed to diversity and seek candidates who will contribute creatively to the University’s multicultural environment.