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Library

Neilson Library - Special Collections

Institution

Smith College

Job Title

Director of Special Collections

Closing Date

2013-01-31

Description

Director of Special Collections Libraries Smith College Smith College invites nominations and applications for the position of Director of Special Collections. The Director will have faculty status and will provide energetic leadership, creative vision, and strong management to the Special Collections Group: the Sophia Smith Collection, the College Archives and the Mortimer Rare Book Room. The Smith College Libraries Special Collections represent one of the most important college library special collections in America. The Sophia Smith Collection is an internationally recognized repository of manuscripts, archives, photographs, oral histories, periodicals and other primary sources that document the history of women including personal and family papers of artists, filmmakers, writers, and activists as well as papers from more than 80 organizations. The Collection houses more than 700 collections with subject strengths ranging from birth control and reproductive justice, women's rights, and suffrage to the contemporary women's movement across race, class, and sexual orientation, and transnational activism of U.S. women. Among the many highlights of the collection are the Garrison Family Papers, a rich resource for the study of abolition and women's rights in the 19th century, and the extensive records of the YWCA of the USA and its work for working-class women, racial justice, and transnational understanding in the 20th century. The College Archives documents the history of Smith College from the 1860s to the present through extraordinarily rich collections. Together they represent one of the largest women’s history archives in the world. The Mortimer Rare Book Room houses the college's rare books and literary manuscripts. Broad in scope, it includes works from all time periods and in subject areas as diverse ancient history and zoology. Among the highlights of the collections are the papers of Sylvia Plath and Virginia Woolf. As leader of the Special Collections Group the Director will lead, guide and support all aspects of the Group’s services and operations. The Director will directly oversee operations of the Sophia Smith Collection and the College Archives; the Rare Book Room will report to the Director. Through existing resources and funding from foundations, individuals and other sources the Director will develop and implement strategies that sustain and expand the Group’s excellent collections, that increase access to the collections through digitization initiatives and services, and that support teaching and research at Smith and the evolving and emerging areas of women’s history research. As a member of the Libraries’ leadership the Director will collaborate with colleagues to realize the mission and vision of the Libraries. The Director will contribute to library-wide strategic planning, policy development, assessment and resource management and will demonstrate leadership in and commitment to the concepts and practices of the learning organization. Requirements: a Master's degree, PhD preferred, in a field relevant to archives use and/or management; 5 years of progressively responsible experience in planning, implementing, and managing archives, including digital archives; substantial supervisory and leadership experience; demonstrable subject knowledge in women’s history, cultural production and/or social movements; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. The successful candidate will exhibit the abilities: to think strategically at both a systems level and a group level; to apply critical, analytical and innovative thinking to work; to successfully manage projects, prioritize work, and identify and solve problems. Excellent written and oral communication skills and familiarity with best practices in special collections and digital scholarship are essential. Located in Northampton, MA, Smith College offers an opportunity to live and work in an area known for its lively arts scene as well as the strong cultural and intellectual life of the Five Colleges and natural beauty of the Pioneer Valley. Review of applications will begin immediately. To be considered for this position and to review a full position description, apply on-line at http://jobs.smith.edu/postings/3581 Smith College is an equal opportunity employer encouraging excellence through diversity.

URL

http://jobs.smith.edu/postings/3581