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 JOB DESCRIPTION:
Position Number: 326

Fashion Institute of Technology

Seventh Avenue at 27 Street, New York City 10001

Incumbent: Karen Trivette

Job Title: Head of Special Collections and College Archives

Supervisor: Greta Earnest, Library Director

Sr. Admin: Library Director

Current Salary Schedule: 83

Department: Library

Schedule: Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm

   

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Head of Special Collections provides leadership for a unit with two part-time staff. Student internships and student work study staff may be available. The Head of Special Collections will be expected to:

  • Provide leadership, set priorities, and assign responsibilities for acquiring, organizing, preserving, making accessible and promoting Special Collections and College Archives resources

  • Evaluate staff

  • Establish and continually update a strategic plan for the unit 

  • Coordinate the delivery of reference and instructional services for the unit

  • Coordinate the stacks management, preservation, security and inventory for the collections

  • Coordinate manuscript archival processing and the use of web-based finding aids of the unit 

  • Coordinate outreach and information dissemination activities of the unit (service publications, coordination with overall library web, targeted promotion of Library resources, targeted tutorials, news releases)

  • Mentor faculty and staff to encourage professional growth supportive of the Library’s mission 

  • Direct the development, implementation, and assessment of new services, and assess existing services 

  • Use assessment as a means of continuous service improvement throughout the unit

  • Participate in developing and updating the library’s online catalog (ExLibris Aleph)

  • Participate in developing and updating the library’s archive of digital resources (MDID)

  • Collaborate with other Special Collections directors and with the larger library community within the state, across the country, and internationally

  • Collaborate with the Library’s Digital Library and Archives Department

  • Work with the dean and the library development officer on library fundraising activities  

  • Participate in minimal general reference and information literacy instructional services including answering online reference questions

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

  • MLS from ALA accredited library school

  • Two years of progressive leadership experience, supervising staff in special collections or archives in an academic library

  • Knowledge or experience with preservation and conservation programs

  • Experience in handling rare books and manuscripts

  • Professional accomplishments, publications and experience 

  • Understanding of important academic and library issues of the 21st century

  • Excellent interpersonal skills

  • Excellent communication skills

  • Experience in applying MARC and other meta scheme alternatives as appropriate to Special Collections or digital projects 

  • Experience partnering in library-related projects with other academic units

  • Ability to create productive working relationships within the library and between the library and the academic faculty, students, and staff 

  • Technical skills for the application of appropriate technologies in support of innovative library services

  • Ability to work a flexible schedule with possible evening and weekend hours


PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

  • Fund-raising experience in an academic environment

  • Experience working with museum curatorial staff and researchers

  • Experience planning and designing exhibitions

  • Grant application and management experience

  • Academic work relevant to one of the department’s collection highlights: fashion studies, textile studies, art, fashion illustration, or design