Curator of Modern Books & Manuscripts

Overview

Position Overview:

The Curator of Modern Books and Manuscripts is responsible for stewarding, developing, and promoting the use of collections in the Boston Public Library’s Rare Books and Manuscripts Department that date from approximately 1800 through the present day. Typical duties include researching and interpreting existing collections; working with colleagues to facilitate processing, description, and preservation of collection materials; participating in reference, instruction, and outreach efforts; and evaluating and recommending potential acquisitions that support the library’s collecting strategy and mission.

 

Reports to:

Manager of Rare Books & Manuscripts

 

Supervises:

Staff as assigned

Responsibilities

Scope of Responsibility:

• Develops, maintains, and actively promotes the Rare Books & Manuscripts Department’s extensive collection of modern printed books, manuscripts, archival collections, and related materials dating from approximately 1800 through the present day.
• Contributes to the development and implementation of procedures and workflows for a range of stewardship activities, including collection management, acquisition, description, processing, documentation, storage, security, and digitization.
• Works with colleagues to establish priorities and work plans for special collections cataloging and for arrangement and description of archival and manuscript collections. Depending on the incumbent’s level of expertise, may occasionally participate in the work of cataloging, arrangement, and description.
• Researches and makes recommendations for the acquisition of rare books, manuscripts, archives, manuscript collections, and related materials that broaden the scope of the library's modern holdings and build deeper, richer collections that represent the history and diversity of Boston communities. Assists curators and other colleagues across Special Collections with acquisition decisions, suggesting areas for future growth, and reviewing purchase, donation, and gift proposals.
• Contributes to public services initiatives, both in person and online, which includes answering difficult and complex reference queries and teaching with the library’s collections.
• Alternates with other staff members to supervise the reading room in such a way as to maintain an atmosphere that is welcoming and conducive to research while responsibly preserving and protecting collection materials.
• Contributes expert interpretation and contextualization of collections for exhibitions, public programs, publications, speaking engagements, web-based projects, and social media outlets.
• In collaboration with colleagues, establishes digitization priorities and designs and implements project plans to address those priorities.
• Assumes administrative responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the department in the absence of the Department Head or other ranking staff member.
• Participates in stacks maintenance and inventory projects and conducts periodic conservation assessments in collaboration with conservation and preservation staff. Suggests items or collections in need of conservation, makes recommendations for reformatting of materials.
• Keeps abreast of current trends in scholarship in order to match research needs with collection development priorities.
• Contributes to cultivation and stewardship of prospective donors.
• Contributes as appropriate to the development of grant narratives, work plans, and budgets.
• Prepares statistical and other reports and analyses, as assigned.
• Performs other related and comparable duties as assigned.

Minimum Entrance Qualifications

• Education - Bachelor’s degree from a recognized college or university and a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from an ALA accredited library school. Relevant subject knowledge and/or specialized training required. In exceptional circumstances, specialized training/experience may substitute all or part of the educational requirement.                     
• Experience - Four years recent professional experience in a Special Collections department or equivalent setting. Two years of supervisory experience preferred. Fluency or reading knowledge of languages other than English—sufficient to support the ethical development of collections that represent the history and culture of diverse Boston communities—is strongly desired.
• Some evening and weekend hours.
• Demonstrated experience stewarding or contributing to the stewardship of rare book and manuscript collections, including overseeing or contributing to acquisitions or collection development.
• Demonstrated experience and cur