Head of Library & Archives - Full-time position. The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
- America’s oldest public art museum - was founded by arts patron
Daniel Wadsworth in 1842, opening three decades before the Metropolitan
Museum of Art in New York and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
Principal purchases by Wadsworth paved the way for encyclopedic museums
across the country, and active acquisitions by patrons, directors and
curators since have grown the museum’s collection to more than 50,000
works of art spanning 5,000 years, from Greek and Roman antiquities to
the first museum collection of American contemporary art.
The Auerbach Art Library is of more recent vintage. It
originated as the Avery Memorial Library, a prominent feature of the
avant-garde Avery Memorial Building completed in 1934. The library
moved to its current location in 1969, and was renamed at that point in
memory of Beatrice Fox Auerbach, Hartford-born philanthropist, and
President and Director of G. Fox & Co. from 1938 – 1959. Since
then, the library has quintupled in size and continues to function as a
highly visible symbol of the Atheneum’s commitment to scholarship and
public service.
The organization and identification of the Museum
Archives began in 1981, beginning with a vigorous search for archival
materials in the closets, vaults, offices, and basements of the
Atheneum, which were then moved to a concrete sub-basement of the
Wadsworth Building. The Archives constitute a treasure house of
documents spanning the history of the museum from its founding in 1842
to the present.
POSITION DESCRIPTION: The Head of Library and Archives
is responsible for administering, planning, organizing, and managing
all aspects of the information management policies and procedures of the
Auerbach Art Library and the Museum Archives in accordance with ALA and
SAA best practices. This includes collection development, professional
reference services, bibliographic instruction, preservation management,
preparing and monitoring statistics, and budget management.
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES: Responsible for the daily
operation of the Library and Archives in terms of overall technical and
professional responsibility. Plan, develop, and implement library
services and programming according to museum goals, user feedback and
statistical data. Manage acquisitions, cataloging and access for the
library’s collection; manage appraisal, arrangement, description, and
creation of access tools for archival records, including correspondence,
photographs, financial records, administrative files, and publications.
Determine cataloguing and data entry standards for the library and
archival collections, and manage and maintain library and archival
databases, finding aids, and inventories. Provide reference and research
services related to the history of the museum, its collections and
exhibitions to museum staff, docents and public patrons. Assist with
long-term planning of library and archives to increase visibility,
improve access and efficiency, and enhance user experience. Plan for
preservation and conservation of archival and library materials
utilizing accepted preservation methods to extend the life of the
collection; ensuring the proper care, handling, storage and treatment of
library and archive materials.
Education and Experience: Qualified applicants will
have an ALA-accredited MLS degree with an academic background in art,
art history or related discipline; specialization in archives
administration or ACA certification; or an equivalent combination of
education and experience. Minimum of 3 – 5 years’ experience working
with special collections and archives. Experience with cataloguing and
providing library reference, preferably in a museum or academic library.
Skills and Abilities: Qualified applicants will have
strong written and verbal communication skills, organizational skills,
attention to detail, excellent problem-solving and interpersonal skills.
Knowledge of computer standards and applications in archives and
libraries, including MARC21, EAD, and digital imaging. Knowledge of
current archival arrangement and description standards and relevant
descriptive standards (AACR2, DACS). Supervisory experience is also
required. Reading knowledge of art historical French and/or German
desirable. Aptitude in MS Office programs including Word, PowerPoint,
and Excel.
To apply, please send cover letter, resume, and salary
requirements to: Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Attn: HR Department,
600 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06103; Or Email HR@wadsworthatheneum.org. Deadline for applications: April 28, 2017. The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
