Head of Special Collections

The Head of Special Collections oversees the collections, services, staff, and operations of the Department of Special Collections, the University of Wisconsin-Madison's primary home for rare books, manuscripts, and other rare and unique collections. With approximately 300,000 rare books and many manuscript and archival collections, the holdings in the Department of Special Collections include internationally prominent collections in literature, global history and culture, and the history of science.

The Head of Special Collections directs and provides vision for researcher support, class support, outreach, and faculty engagement. This position articulates collection priorities and works with curators to develop collections to support faculty instruction and research. The Head of Special Collections collaborates with others to ensure the proper cataloging, description, digitization, and preservation of collections and is responsible for external fundraising, including donor development and grant writing. They build creative and collaborative partnerships with faculty, academic departments, archives, museums, and libraries across campus and around the world.

As the primary leadership position for Special Collections, the department head establishes strategic directions, sets goals, and promotes a vision for the future. This position directly supervises four full-time permanent staff members. The Head of Special Collections reports to the Associate Dean for Collections.

The UW-Madison Libraries lead in curating, preserving, and sharing knowledge through environments that inspire engagement, discovery, and learning. We deliver exemplary information services to advance the mission and strategic priorities of one of the nation's leading research universities. Shared values at the UW-Madison Libraries include respect, inclusion, communication, collaboration, and empowerment.

The successful candidate will perform a variety of duties, including, but not limited to:

Management and Leadership

• Provides vision and leadership for the Department of Special Collections and establishes goals and priorities for the department and its staff.

• Hires, manages, trains, and supervises four direct reports (4.0 FTE).

• Conducts annual employee reviews and provides feedback to employees about their ongoing performance to contribute to their professional growth and development, as well as to the strategic advancement of the organization.

• Oversees operations of the Department of Special Collections including facilities and security.

• Sets priorities and oversees cataloging, processing, preservation, and digitization projects.

• Collaborates closely with library departments including Cataloging, Digital Collections, Preservation, and International and Area Studies.

Collection Development

• In collaboration with library staff, develops extensive collections that support campus research, teaching, and learning.

• Oversees collections funds, including endowments and gift funds.

• Develops relationships with collection donors and oversees the acceptance and management of gifts-in-kind.

Liaison and Instructional Services

• Provides direction for the provision of research services, access services, and instructional services for special collections.

• Provides expert research services.

• Leads and participates in outreach activities.

• Participates in instructional services.

• Collaborates with communications staff to promote library services, staff, and collections.

Donor Stewardship and Fundraising

• Works closely with the Associate Dean for Advancement and Communication on donor relations and stewardship.

• Identifies and pursues grant opportunities to fund library and campus initiatives.

Professional Development and Service

• Stays informed of trends and issues in libraries, with particular focus on topics related to special collections librarianship.

• Participates in professional library organizations.

• Participates in library and campus committees and outreach activities to further the library's mission.

• Participates in research and scholarship, as appropriate.

This position is eligible for partial remote work. A remote work agreement may allow for a maximum of 20% remote per week.

This position is full-time, 100%.

Ongoing/Renewable

• Resolves complex issues which may impact policies and procedures within the unit (10%)

• Designs, develops, and provides leadership on projects, programs, procedures, and services (20%)

• Actively participate in an inclusive, welcoming and respectful workplace (5%)

• Communicates the strategic direction of the department as determined by leadership (10%)

• Advances librarianship/archives at the campus, local, and state level through committee participation (5%)

• Oversees day-to-day management of unit operations, services, and space (15%)

• Collaborates with other managers to develop and implement initiatives and technological enterprises which directly affect the libraries (15%)

• May supervise unit personnel. May hire, train, coach, and evaluate employees to manage and improve performance (15%)

• May manage the operating budget (5%)

Libraries, Special Collections

Starting salary will be based on experience and qualifications. Well-qualified applicants can anticipate earning between $75,000-$105,000 with final salary based on experience and qualifications.

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. For a summary of benefits, please see https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/fasl.pdf.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. Benefits information can be found at (https://hr.wisc.edu/benefits/).

• At least three years of professional experience working in a special collections setting in an academic or research library

• Experience with public services in an academic or research library

• Experience with collection development in an academic or research library

• Supervisory experience or experience leading teams or projects

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues, faculty, students, and other stakeholders

• Deep and broad knowledge of best practices in special collections and archives

• Demonstrated knowledge of the history of books and printing

• Proven sensitivity and care stewarding culturally or historically sensitive materials and making them accessible to all library users

• Experience with digital initiatives such as digitization, digital humanities, and digital arts projects

• Experience working with prospective donors to cultivate gifts, and the ability to establish and maintain successful donor relationships

Master's degree in Library Science, Library and Information Services, or a related field required, or a PhD in a relevant field.

Click the "Apply" button to start the application process. You will be prompted to upload the following documents:

• Resume

• Letter of Qualifications

Applicants should attach a letter of qualifications and resume detailing their training and experience relating to the required and preferred qualifications referenced above. The application reviewers will be relying on written application materials to determine which qualified applicants will advance in the recruitment process.

References will be requested from finalists only and are not required with the initial application. Reference requests will be sent via email from SkillSurvey.

Failure to submit the required documents will result in no longer being considered for the position.

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

Abram Hopp, abram.hopp@wisc.edu, (608)890-1795

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. SeeRELAY_SERVICEfor further information.

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal OpportunityEmployer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgroundsand encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodationfor any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR)in the division you are applying to.Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

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