Philip Hofer Curator of Printing and Graphic Arts
Harvard University Job Location: Massachusetts Date Created: 03-05-2020
- Establishes and implements vision and strategic and annual goals for Printing and Graphic Arts.
- Collaborates with faculty to design and host classes that allow students to learn directly from the primary source holdings of P&GA.
- In collaboration with the Director of Scholarly and Public Programs, promotes P&GA by planning, managing, and creating content for a robust program of exhibitions, lectures, symposia, workshops, publications, websites, and other activities that present and interpret the holdings of P&GA for a wide set of audiences.
- Provides expert reference and research consultation for users of P&GA and, as appropriate, the holdings of Houghton Library.
- Creates and implements a strategy to guide collection development and works with dealers, private collectors, and donors to acquire materials for the collection through purchase and gift.
- In collaboration with the Director of Operations and Finance, manages the P&GA budget for acquisitions and programs.
- Participates in development efforts by cultivating donors and preparing funding proposals for gifts and grants.
- Develops a network of faculty, professional colleagues, book and manuscript dealers, donors, and others to advance the goals of P&GA and the library at large.
- Assists with the cataloging and archival processing of new acquisitions and materials in backlogs by assessing collections, establishing priorities, and providing input on catalog records and finding aids.
- Collaborates with librarians and library staff at Houghton, Harvard, and other institutions, as well as scholars and students, to identify, plan, and execute projects that supply access to P&GA holdings in digital form, so that they can be discovered and utilized using emerging research and teaching methodologies.
- Identifies items in need of conservation treatment and works with staff to develop, review, and approve treatment plans.
- Coordinates with Houghton registrar to review loan requests.
- Collaborates with Houghton administration, curators, and other staff to publicize, select, manage, and host research fellowships.
- As a member of the Collections Division, works with Houghton curators and other staff on long-range and annual planning and the development and implementation of curatorial policies and procedures.
- Collaborates as appropriate with staff of library collections and programs at Harvard, whose missions align with P&GA including the Fine Arts Library, the Harvard Art Museums, and others.
- Participates and assumes leadership roles in appropriate groups in Houghton Library, Harvard Library, and the university.
- Cultivates and maintains a strong presence in the research communities related to printing and graphic arts and in the library, archives, and museum profession.
- May supervise staff, students, and interns, as needed.
- Advanced degree(s) in Art History, History, Library Science, and/or another subject area relevant to the collections of the Department of Printing and Graphic Arts.
- Minimum 5 years work experience in a special collections environment.
- Record of scholarly production and professional activities.
- Experience teaching with primary sources and working with students in classroom settings.
- Demonstrated experience and fluency with emerging fields of digital scholarship and outreach around the history of the book.
- Reading knowledge of at least one foreign language.
- Experience in an academic research library preferred.
- ALA accredited MLS strongly preferred.
- PhD in a subject relevant to the collections strongly preferred.
- A commitment to diversity and to serving the needs of a diverse population.
- General knowledge of cataloging, archival processing, digitization, and conservation methodologies and standards used in rare book and manuscript libraries.
- Advanced knowledge of printing history and graphic processes and ability to master over time the wide range of materials and time periods represented in the collection.
- Knowledge of intellectual property and scholarly communication issues and trends related to libraries, archives, and special collections.
- Knowledge of the antiquarian book market.
- Knowledge of current practices and emerging trends in the book arts.
- Demonstrated abilities to manage programs and complete projects that require collaboration with a wide variety of colleagues.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Excellent organizational, time, and project management skills.
- Ability to work creatively, collaboratively, and effectively both as a team member and independently and to promote teamwork among colleagues.
- Familiarity with digital printing technologies, including digital typefaces.