Job Opening Title: Curator for Collections on Ethnicity and Migration
Employer Name: Harvard Radcliffe Institute
Job Location: Cambridge MA
Application Deadline:
Salary Range:
Link to job posting: https://sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/Home/Home?partnerid=25240&siteid=5341#jobDetails=1976256_5341
Years of experience required: 6+
Job Description (if URL to posting not available). Please include instructions for how to apply.: Job Summary :
The Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America is a special collections library that collects broadly across formats to document American women’s public and private lives and furthers the Radcliffe Institute’s commitment to the study of women, gender, sexuality, and society.
We seek a visionary candidate to fill the newly established position of Curator for Collections on Ethnicity and Migration. We seek candidates with knowledge of collections in one or more areas of race, ethnicity, and migration—including but not limited to Asian American and Pacific Islander, Latinx, and/or other diasporic communities—with the ability to work in comparative perspective across communities. The position will be part of a cohort of curators committed to building and sustaining collections, including the newly created position of Curator for African American and African Diasporic Collections and the current Curator for Gender and Society. The curator team plays a vital part in the Library’s ongoing work to build a more complete historical record with the collections of historically excluded communities in order to support research and learning. Working as part of a collaborative cohort of curators as well as independently, the curator works with other Library staff to ethically develop collections documenting the history and contributions of women and organizations under-represented in Schlesinger’s collections.
Reporting to the Executive Director and closely collaborating with the Pforzheimer Foundation Faculty Director, other curators and Library staff, the Curator leads the development of collections in Asian American and Pacific Islander, Latinx, and/or diasporic communities. The curators determine strategic priorities, manage acquisitions, and establish relationships with collections holders and their communities to support this crucial facet of the Library’s mission. They work with colleagues to steward and ensure equitable access to the Library’s existing collections, building sustainable relationships with donors about ongoing collection issues, and offering intellectual guidance to colleagues on the processing of newly acquired collections. The Curator also works with Library and faculty colleagues to elevate inclusive stories from within Schlesinger’s existing collections for the broader public.
Position Description :
Work collaboratively with curators and other library staff to deepen our world-class collections for American women’s and gender history, especially collections that document the experiences of historically excluded groups
Build relationships with potential donors of archival collections
Work with other Schlesinger curators to build and manage advisory working groups comprised of scholars, Library staff, and philanthropic supporters
Oversee acquisitions budgets, monitors funds, manages gift and purchase agreements, and documents all facets of their ongoing work
Report on their efforts in collections development to varied stakeholders, contributing and assessing data as needed
Work with Library leadership to further a comprehensive strategy of community engagement to support our enhanced collecting mission. Such a strategy will include:
Collaborating with Radcliffe colleagues to develop vibrant public programming,
Working with Harvard faculty and colleagues in Research Services to enhance and support teaching and learning through our collections
Building partnerships with faculty across Harvard University, and engaging researchers, donors, and the broader community in learning about the Schlesinger Library
Planning and curating exhibitions of Schlesinger materials
Representing the Library at community events
Maintaining high visibility in the archival profession and in Harvard and Radcliffe publications
Serve on the Schlesinger Library’s Acquisitions Committee and recommend potential acquisitions (both donations and purchases)
Negotiate the terms of deeds of gift and agreements to purchase
Promote awareness, understanding and recognition of legal issues which may arise from working with unpublished collections in areas such as copyright, privacy, confidentiality, right-to-know, and ownership
Leverage technology to expand collection development in a technology-driven collecting landscape
Represent the Schlesinger Library on Harvard Library committees
Performs other duties as assigned.
Basic Qualifications :
Content expertise in the areas of our collections, as demonstrated by a Master’s degree in a related field including American Studies, Latina/o or Asian American Studies, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, History, Public Humanities, or related fields; ALA-accredited MLS/ MLIS.
Two or more years of collection development experience; plus, four or more years work experience in a special collections or archival setting, or as part of collection-focused public history or cultural heritage project.
Successful candidate will have:
Demonstrated experience working with individuals, donor communities, and organizations.
Demonstrated ability to work productively, both independently and collaboratively, in a highly collegial and team-based environment.
Excellent organizational skills, including experience with budget and records management
Excellent interpersonal skills and professionalism to interact with a wide range of people at different levels of the organization and the public
Demonstrated ability to build effective long-term relationships both internally and externally and the ability to advocate for organizational goals
Demonstrated experience and background in research and writing that establishes expertise in an area of study
Exceptional verbal and written communication demonstrated presentation skills.
Advanced technology skills including social media, Google Docs, One Drive, and database-management applications
Proven ability to manage multiple priorities effectively and efficiently, with competing deadlines
Demonstrated project management skills
Additional Qualifications and Skills :
Experience building community relationships
Language expertise relevant to the Curator’s particular collecting missions
Knowledge of archival theory, practice, and technologies, including in relation to born digital material
Familiarity with conservation and preservation practices relating to special collections and ability to assess the conservation / preservation demands of potential acquisitions, including born digital material
Familiarity with reparative and post-custodial archival practice
Certificates and Licenses :
Physical Requirements :
Physical Requirements:
The demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Employee must have the ability to work at a desk for extended periods and complete tasks requiring repetitive use of hands to type, handle library materials, computers, and phones; reach with hands and arms.
Regularly required to talk or hear and frequently required to stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel.
This position involves lifting and must be able to lift 40 pounds, manage cartloads of material weighing up to 240 pounds and climb ladders to retrieve or reshelve collections.
Working Conditions :
This job is generally performed in a temperature-controlled office environment.
The position entails occasional visits to donor homes, speaking engagements at offsite locations, and some travel to conferences/meetings.
There may be exposure to dust and occasional limited exposure to mold, particularly in the handling of gift collections.
To learn more and apply, visit
https://sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/Home/Home?partnerid=25240&siteid=5341#jobDetails=1976256_5341
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