Job Opening Title:
Special Collections Librarian
Name of Employer:
George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Job Site Location (City, State) :
Mount Vernon, VA
Application Deadline:
June 31, 2024
Minimum Degree Requirement:
Masters
Years of experience required:
3-5 years
Salary Range:
starting at $65,000
Job Opening URL:
https://jobapply.page.link/3pS6t
Job Description (if URL to posting not available). Include instructions for how to apply.:
Special Collections Librarian
Full-Time
Introduction:
Opened in 2013, the Washington Library is a center for research and scholarship about George Washington and America’s Founding era and is an important component of George Washington’s Mount Vernon, which welcomes more than one million visitors per year. A completely private and independent research library, it is owned and maintained, along with the historic estate of George Washington, by The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association of the Union. In addition to its special collections and archives, the Library hosts a large collection of research, bibliographic, and visual resources to support the work of students, teachers, and scholars as well as the historians, curators, horticulturalists, archeologists, interpreters, and other staff and volunteers of Mount Vernon. The Library also supports a large online collection of digital resources and third-party databases and is a fully staffed modern research library.
Position Overview:
In coordination with the Chief Librarian, the Special Collections Librarian serves the central role in serving, stewarding, and developing the special collections through acquisitions and interpretation. In consultation with archives and technical services staff s/he is responsible for the bibliographic description, interpretation, identification, and organization of the collection. In coordination with the Chief Librarian, s/he also manages the long-term care, and preservation of the collection of nearly 5,000 rare books, including a substantial portion of Washington’s own library, and approximately 700 linear feet of manuscript collections, including invaluable material related to the life and legacy of George and Martha Washington, the Washington and Custis families, Mount Vernon in both the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and colonial, Revolutionary, and early national American history. The Special Collections Librarian is a key part of the Research Library team creating and implementing a vision for the growth and interpretation of the special collections of the Washington Library and to fully integrate the library and its collections into the research and public outreach of George Washington’s Mount Vernon.
Compensation:
Starting at $65,000
Essential Functions:
Provide reference and research services relating to special collections holdings
Present publicly and institutionally on Special Collections topics and current research
Collaborate and participate in Estate-wide public programs, educational initiatives, and scholarly activities of the institution, working to promote the special collections of the Library to a wide and diverse audience
Select, recommend, and acquire materials within the collecting policy and work in coordination with the Chief librarian, manage and update the collection development policy for special collections
Develop relationships with rare book dealers, auction houses, and book collectors to facilitate acquisitions at the Washington Library
Work with Chief Librarian to manage the museum rotation schedule, Estate document viewings, and installations
In coordination with the Chief Librarian, assist in setting cataloging and processing priorities, policies, and quality assurance.
Coordinate with Technical Services Librarian to assure accurate and timely description of rare books
Coordinate with Special Collections Archivist to assure accurate and timely description of manuscript holdings
Assist in loan requests, deaccessioning, space planning, and other collections-based work.
In coordination with the Library-wide collections care, manages collection maintenance, preservation and conservation initiatives for Special collections
Manage and administer a portion of the Library’s resources, developing work plans and budgets, preparing monthly and other reports as required, and supervising the work of assigned staff.
Other duties as assigned
Required Qualifications:
An MLS from an ALA-accredited institution or an equivalent degree
Minimum of five years of experience with rare books and manuscripts
Demonstrated competence in Special Collections rare books and document handling, and safeguarding collections
Thorough knowledge of eighteenth-century American history and/or bibliography with a proven track record of scholarly engagement and professional service
Experience with archival and bibliographic description standards
Minimum three years experience with collections management systems, e.g. ArchivesSpace
Experience with reference and research services across multiple platforms
Exceptional social, interpersonal, and written communication skills and an ability to write for both general and scholarly audiences
Familiarity with Deed of Gifts and custody rights
Experience working with rare book dealers and auction houses and familiarity with those processes
Ability to foster a positive work environment and evidence of professional initiative and flexibility
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in archival processing (appraisal, arrangement, and description) at item level
Knowledge of Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) Encoded Archival Description (EAD), and Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)
Knowledge of and/or experience with rare book descriptive standards
Familiarity with preservation and conservation issues and practices
Experience with Collections management systems like OCLC Worldshare Management
Ph.D. in a field related to the collections
Benefits:
403(b) Retirement plan with employer matching
Employee recognition at 5 years of service
Monthly employee events
Employee referral program
On-site Library
Discount on Public Event Tickets
Discount in the Mount Vernon Shops
Discount at the Mount Vernon Inn and Food Court Pavilion
Free parking
Health, Vision, and Dental insurance
Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, and Life Insurance
Paid leave for Sick Time, Vacation and Holidays
Flexible spending account for medical care
Mount Vernon is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are committed to building and retaining a team that represents a variety of skills, experiences and perspectives. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, performance, and qualifications without regard to race, religion or belief, national or ethnic origin, gender/sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital or domestic partnership status, veteran and military status, family or parental status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. Mount Vernon will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.
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