Archivist and Director of Special Collections

Job Summary

The University Archivist and Assistant Director for Special Collections provides leadership, mentorship, and vision for programs and services that document, preserve, and share the rich historical legacy of the WPI community and its cultural and intellectual life through the university's archives and special collections.

This position is responsible for overseeing the entire scope of collections and service operations for WPI Institutional Archives, Manuscripts, Rare Books, and Art & Objects. The successful candidate will establish intellectual control of archival materials, provide public services to students, faculty, and scholars, and develop a strong collection of library materials and primary sources for research use.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish intellectual control of archival materials based on archival theory and research needs, including preservation, arrangement, description, and creation of finding aids.
• Provide public services to students, faculty, and scholars by offering research guidance, answering reference questions, developing research guides, and facilitating the reproduction of materials.
• Develop a strong collection of library materials and primary sources for research use by conducting outreach to faculty, administrators, and donors and by assessing the historical research value of potential acquisitions.
• Curate WPI's world-class collection of material related to English novelist Charles Dickens.
• Participate in other department activities and projects such as writing grants, initiating digital projects, and engaging in multi-institutional collaboration.
• Promote, publicize, and expand awareness of collections through exhibits, programs, written materials, displays, public lectures, workshops, tours, and other methods.
• Oversee the growth and stewardship of the Rare Books Collection.
• Establish new personal and corporate names and uniform titles, with appropriate cross-references, for inclusion in the name authority file. Where appropriate, revise existing authority records.

Leadership and Management

• Train, mentor, support, and guide staff in developing and managing projects and services, including two professional archivists and student employees.
• Develop written performance expectations for staff; evaluate their performance and counsel them on the provision of high-quality service, on professional development, and professional reading, and writing.
• As a member of the Library Leadership Team (LLT), regularly confer on current service programs, budgeting, staff development, strengthening resources, long range planning and other matters affecting the quality of WPI Archives & Special Collections and the Gordon Library.

Stewardship of WPI's Digital Collections and Exhibitions

• Digital WPI – serve as part of the steering committee responsible for creating policies, providing end user support, and determining strategic goals for WPI's open-source digital repository.
• Digital Exhibits – Create digital exhibits that showcase WPI's history and culture on both Digital WPI's Spotlight repository as well as other resources including but not limited to Omeka and WordPress.
• Exhibits – Research, plan, and install physical exhibits on campus and at special events off campus.
• Artwork – Serve as ex-officio member of Board of Trustee's Campus Art Committee. Oversee the curation and installation of WPI's campus art collection.
• Managing digitization requests and supporting digitization projects.

Expert Institutional and Leadership Support

• Regularly write articles or serve as a resource on articles written about WPI Archives & Special Collections.
• Develop and present public programs to increase awareness of WPI's unique collections and history.
• Provide support to marketing and advancement engagement efforts, preparing and delivering personalized orientations and meetings with donors, alumni, and visitors both on campus and through off-campus visits.
• Provide confidential and timely research and evidence on WPI history, documentary records, and precedent to support campus leadership up to and including the Office of the President and the Board of Trustees.
• Consult with campus leaders and departments to provide guidance on the disposition and care for historic objects, works of art, records, and materials under their care, and determine which materials are appropriate for transfer to the Archives.

Library, Professional, and Community Engagement

• Participate in providing direct services to library users and customers or providing informed referrals.
• Participate in collaborative library programs and activities including outreach events, strategic and annual planning, and collaborations with university community offices and student groups.
• Participate in and contribute to WPI committees, initiatives, and goals contributing to WPI and library strategic initiatives.
• Engage in and contribute to the profession through continuing learning, service, research, presentations, or professional communications.

Requirements

• Master's degree in library or archival science or comparable master's degree in a related field.
• Minimum of six years of experience in a professional position within an archives, special collections, or similar repository.
• Knowledge of current archival arrangement and description standards and relevant descriptive standards (AACR2, MARC, Dublin Core, EAD, DACS), and experience arranging, describing, and preserving archival and manuscript collections.
• Strong command of archival theory and best practices, including standards for archival description, preservation, digitization, metadata, digital access, and digital preservation.
• Working knowledge of laws and regulations affecting retention, access, and use of institutional records and archival materials.
• Working knowledge of a range of format and metadata standards for diverse collections, commercial and open source collections management and repository architectures and platforms, as well as challenges facing libraries and archives, and trends in scholarly communication.
• Minimum of 1 year providing mentorship and supervision to professional staff.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; ability to advocate for the library to a variety of constituents; positive customer service orientation.
• Excellent organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills with proven success in independently prioritizing work and managing competing deadlines.
• Strong user-centered approach and knowledge of assessment for decision-making.
• Ability to work independently, constructively, and collaboratively with a variety of staff in a rapidly changing environment.
• Demonstrated record of ongoing activity and contribution (e.g., publications, presentations, service) in professional organizations.

Preferred

• Graduate degree with emphasis on archives.
• Second master's degree in a related field.
• Teaching experience.
• Experience in grants and donor development and other fund-raising activities.
• Proficiency working with ArchivesSpace and/or other archives collection management systems.
• Experience working with an institutional repository platform.
• Experience providing reference services in an archives or manuscripts repository.
• Experience working with college or university records.
• Significant experience working with rare books, special collections, and/or archives in a university setting.

Please include a cover letter with a resume for consideration

FLSA STATUS

WPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer that actively seeks to increase the diversity of its workplace. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability. It seeks individuals with​ diverse backgrounds and experiences who will contribute to a culture of creativity, collaboration, inclusion, problem solving, innovation, high performance, and change making. It is committed to maintaining a campus environment free of harassment and discrimination.