Curator of Rare Books and Global Print Culture

Curator of Rare Books and Global Print Culture Department: Library Special Collections Rank and Salary: Assistant Librarian – Associate Librarian ($60,116-$82,767) Position Availability: Immediately Application deadline for first consideration: December 14, 2022     The Curator of Rare Books and Global Print Culture for Library Special Collections (LSC) is responsible for developing and promoting the Library’s wide-ranging rare book holdings and facilitating and encouraging the use of LSC’s collections as an integral part of the Library’s research and teaching mission. As part of the curatorial team, the curator will collaborate with faculty and students in a variety of disciplines across the curriculum, and provide specialized reference, instruction, outreach, and exhibit development to increase engagement throughout the communities we support.  The curator will work with colleagues within LSC and Distinctive Collections to develop rare book and print culture initiatives and programming.   The ideal candidate will be an enthusiastic, innovative librarian/curator able to thrive in a large and busy department within an R1 Research library while attentively developing, activating for use in instruction, and promoting its diverse collections of rare books and printed materials.  We seek candidates who have demonstrated commitment to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion and to expand the canon in Library Special Collections and across the Library.  The candidate selected must be an open, communicative, and confident professional with strong analytical skills and creativity and must exhibit a high degree of receptivity to new ideas and different fields of study.   Position Duties Under the direction of the Head of Curators, the Curator Rare Books and Global Print Culture is responsible for the following duties:  

• As a member of the curatorial team, carries out the collection management, development, and acquisition of materials to support research and teaching, including purchasing responsibilities for specific endowments and funds associated with the collections.
• Collaborates with colleagues through the library and university to support both faculty and student research utilizing the collections, works with faculty to integrate the collections into their curricula and serves as key instructor and support for teaching with the rare book and history of printing collections.
• Provides specialized reference services to support researchers and collections.
• Develops collecting priorities for rare books and the history of printing that meet and anticipate future academic needs and that reflect a broad understanding of global book history and ongoing discussions within the profession on productive approaches to diversifying collections.
• Works with Distinctive Collections colleagues and Library Development staff to identify funding opportunities and prepare project funding proposals.
• Works with Library Development in the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of individual and institutional donors, including participating in meetings, events, and targeted presentations; preparing funding requests; and providing stewardship information on the use of endowment funds and Library resources.
• Cultivates beneficial relationships with antiquarian booksellers, funding entities, donors, and potential donors and handles correspondence, invoices, and gifts paperwork in a professional manner consistent with University and Library policies.
• Works closely with collection management to inform cataloging priorities and the re-appraisal and evaluation of backlog print materials.
• Works closely with UCLA research fellows, specifically recipients of the Karmiole and Ahmanson Research Fellowships, to encourage and support their research and coordinate scholarly presentations.
• Participates in departmental, Library-wide, and University committees as appropriate.
• Works collaboratively with colleagues in the department and throughout the Library to develop and present exhibits featuring rare books and book history from a global perspective.
• Participates in professional library and bibliographic organizations and maintains expertise in rare books librarianship via both print and virtual professional publications, and by attendance at professional conferences, presentations, and publishing.

  The successful candidate will be committed to promoting and enhancing diversity through engagement with and promotion of the [UCLA Principles of Community]( http://www.ucla.edu/about/mission-and-values).   Description of Unit Library Special Collections (LSC) builds and stewards special collections resources, services, and operations. The department consists of three units: Curatorial; Collection Management; and Public Services, Outreach, and Community Engagement (PSOCE). The Curatorial Unit is responsible for collection development and acquisition of materials in support of research and teaching. The Collection Management Unit makes collection material discoverable and accessible through ethical and iterative processing. The Public Services, Outreach, and Community Engagement Unit integrates public-facing operations for LSC including reference and instruction, exhibits, programmatic events and activities, outreach and community engagement, as well as the Center for Primary Research and Training. The entire staff of approximately 30 FTE work together holistically as a team to build, preserve, and provide access to the outstanding special collections of the UCLA Library. LSC works closely with our colleagues within the distinctive collections portfolio to steward a range of international resources in support of UCLA’s mission for the betterment of our global society.   Anyone wishing to be considered for this position should apply here: https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/JPF08039

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