What are the responsibilities and job description for the SCRC Curator position at Syracuse University?
Job Description
The Syracuse University Libraries invites applications for a Curator in our Special Collections Research Center (SCRC). Reporting to the Lead Curator, the Curator (who concentrates on the historical era of the 20th century – present) is a valued member of the curatorial team and is charged with the continued development and interpretation of and teaching with the SCRC’s collections of rare books, archives, manuscripts, media, and more.
The Curator evaluates the Center’s existing collections to ensure collection development strategies align with established priorities. The Curator facilitates the interpretation of the Center’s collections through an ambitious program of exhibitions, instruction sessions, and outreach and communicates the vision and mission of the SCRC through clear and engaging writing and public speaking. In collaboration with colleagues, the Curator helps establish priorities for preservation and access to the collections and provides advanced reference assistance and outreach to donors, faculty, and the broader community.
The Center fosters a flexible, collaborative work environment and a strong team spirit within the department. In a fast-paced environment, the Center provides high-quality service to a diverse and inclusive campus and local and researcher communities.
SU Libraries / Library
Education and Experience
Best Combination Of
Outreach & Visibility
N/A
Tools/Equipment
N/A
Application Instructions
In addition to completing an online application, please attach a resume and cover letter.
About Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings, and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and over 150 years of history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience.
The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors, 100 minors, and 200 advanced degree programs offered across the University’s 13 schools and colleges; over 15,000 undergraduates and over 6,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit http://www.syracuse.edu.
About The Syracuse Area
Syracuse is a medium-sized city situated in the geographic center of New York State approximately 250 miles northwest of New York City. The metro-area population totals approximately 500,000. The area offers a low cost of living and provides many social, cultural, and recreational options, including parks, museums, festivals, professional regional theater, and premier shopping venues. Syracuse and Central New York present a wide range of seasonal recreation and attractions ranging from water skiing and snow skiing, hiking in the Adirondacks, touring the historic sites, visiting wineries along the Finger Lakes, and biking on trails along the Erie Canal.
EEO Statement
Syracuse University is an equal-opportunity institution. The University prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law to the extent prohibited by law. This nondiscrimination policy covers admissions, employment, and access to and treatment in University programs, services, and activities.
Commitment to Supporting and Hiring Veterans
Syracuse University has a long history of engaging veterans and the military-connected community through its educational programs, community outreach, and employment programs. After World War II, Syracuse University welcomed more than 10,000 returning veterans to our campus, and those veterans literally transformed Syracuse University into the national research institution it is today. The University’s contemporary commitment to veterans builds on this historical legacy, and extends to both class-leading initiatives focused on making an SU degree accessible and affordable to the post-9/11 generation of veterans, and also programs designed to position Syracuse University as the employer of choice for military veterans, members of the Guard and Reserve, and military family members.
Commitment to a Respectful and Welcoming Community
Syracuse University fosters a welcoming learning environment where students, faculty, administrators, staff, curriculum, social activities, governance, and all aspects of campus life reflect a broad range of perspectives and experiences. The University community values the many similarities and differences among individuals and groups. At Syracuse, we are committed to preparing students to engage with and appreciate the richness of backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences that shape our society. To achieve this, we strive to cultivate a community that respects and encourages open dialogue, understanding, and mutual respect.
The Syracuse University Libraries invites applications for a Curator in our Special Collections Research Center (SCRC). Reporting to the Lead Curator, the Curator (who concentrates on the historical era of the 20th century – present) is a valued member of the curatorial team and is charged with the continued development and interpretation of and teaching with the SCRC’s collections of rare books, archives, manuscripts, media, and more.
The Curator evaluates the Center’s existing collections to ensure collection development strategies align with established priorities. The Curator facilitates the interpretation of the Center’s collections through an ambitious program of exhibitions, instruction sessions, and outreach and communicates the vision and mission of the SCRC through clear and engaging writing and public speaking. In collaboration with colleagues, the Curator helps establish priorities for preservation and access to the collections and provides advanced reference assistance and outreach to donors, faculty, and the broader community.
The Center fosters a flexible, collaborative work environment and a strong team spirit within the department. In a fast-paced environment, the Center provides high-quality service to a diverse and inclusive campus and local and researcher communities.
SU Libraries / Library
Education and Experience
- Accredited MLS with a special collections’ focus and an advanced degree in a relevant discipline or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Minimum of three years working in an academic special collections or archives environment.
- Minimum of two years teaching in an academic environment.
- Willingness to travel to examine collections on offer and engage with dealers and potential donors.
- Familiarity with the development and interpretation of special collections materials.
- Evidence of or interest in publication and participation in professional and/or academic societies.
- Familiarity with the rare book and manuscript trade.
- Familiarity with collections care and security protocols within a special collections’ environment.
- The ability to work well with others and perform in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.
Best Combination Of
- A strong understanding of scholarship, including the role of primary source materials in research, teaching, and learning.
- Demonstrated experience working effectively with faculty and students.
- Proven ability to stimulate interest in printed materials as cultural artifacts and primary sources for research.
- Strong commitment to providing high quality service in a collaborative, team environment to a diverse and inclusive campus and researcher community.
- Ability to model the safe and secure handling of special collections materials.
- Ability to provide careful and ethical stewardship for existing gifts and awards.
- Commitment to a reparative framework in the collection areas.
- Willingness to teach and present within subject areas of which one is not an expert.
- Familiarity with conservation, preservation and collection management practices relating to special collections.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Passion for learning and working collaboratively with faculty, researchers, students, and the broader public.
- Demonstrated service to the field and/or record of publications/presentations/exhibitions.
- Experience supervising student employees and/or interns.
Outreach & Visibility
- Maximize student, faculty, researcher, and community engagement with the SCRC’s collections by creating and delivering exhibitions, programming, presentations, social media, and publications.
- Actively engage in outreach to SU faculty, staff, students, visiting researchers, and the broader community to promote awareness and use of SCRC resources, services, programs, and initiatives.
- Work with the curatorial unit to participate in Libraries, university-wide, and broader initiatives that showcase special collections and use of such collections.
- Work closely with SCRC and Libraries staff to ensure SCRC’s physical and digital collections are represented outwardly within a reparative framework through user access points.
- Maximize student and faculty engagement with the SCRC’s holdings by creating and delivering interactive instructional sessions with the collections.
- Serve as a member of the SCRC Instruction team under the direction of the SCRC Instruction and Education Librarian to incorporate pedagogical best practices into instruction sessions and contribute to team goals and collective resources.
- Research collections to build sessions in collaboration with faculty to meet student curricular goals best and further embed SCRC materials into undergraduate and graduate research and scholarship.
- Manages incoming donations and donation requests, makes recommendations on new acquisitions, and tracks acquisition decisions, including spending down acquisition funds, in accordance with SCRC’s collecting goals and policies, including undertaking research for attribution, provenance, and faculty support of new materials.
- Assists with cultivating donor relationships, conducts a thorough and ongoing analysis of existing collection strengths and weaknesses, and consults with colleagues on processing cataloging preservation and conservation priorities.
- Participates in maintaining SCRC collection development policies and is an active member of the SCRC Acquisitions Team.
- Contribute to the day-to-day work of the SCRC by serving on the reference desk, providing advanced reference assistance.
- Engages in activities that contribute to the advancement of the Libraries, the university, and the library profession.
- Maintains awareness of professional developments, issues, and practices through research and activities that increase one’s knowledge and abilities, and that positively impact one’s performance and service contributions.
- Performing other duties as needed.
N/A
Tools/Equipment
N/A
Application Instructions
In addition to completing an online application, please attach a resume and cover letter.
About Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings, and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and over 150 years of history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience.
The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors, 100 minors, and 200 advanced degree programs offered across the University’s 13 schools and colleges; over 15,000 undergraduates and over 6,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit http://www.syracuse.edu.
About The Syracuse Area
Syracuse is a medium-sized city situated in the geographic center of New York State approximately 250 miles northwest of New York City. The metro-area population totals approximately 500,000. The area offers a low cost of living and provides many social, cultural, and recreational options, including parks, museums, festivals, professional regional theater, and premier shopping venues. Syracuse and Central New York present a wide range of seasonal recreation and attractions ranging from water skiing and snow skiing, hiking in the Adirondacks, touring the historic sites, visiting wineries along the Finger Lakes, and biking on trails along the Erie Canal.
EEO Statement
Syracuse University is an equal-opportunity institution. The University prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law to the extent prohibited by law. This nondiscrimination policy covers admissions, employment, and access to and treatment in University programs, services, and activities.
Commitment to Supporting and Hiring Veterans
Syracuse University has a long history of engaging veterans and the military-connected community through its educational programs, community outreach, and employment programs. After World War II, Syracuse University welcomed more than 10,000 returning veterans to our campus, and those veterans literally transformed Syracuse University into the national research institution it is today. The University’s contemporary commitment to veterans builds on this historical legacy, and extends to both class-leading initiatives focused on making an SU degree accessible and affordable to the post-9/11 generation of veterans, and also programs designed to position Syracuse University as the employer of choice for military veterans, members of the Guard and Reserve, and military family members.
Commitment to a Respectful and Welcoming Community
Syracuse University fosters a welcoming learning environment where students, faculty, administrators, staff, curriculum, social activities, governance, and all aspects of campus life reflect a broad range of perspectives and experiences. The University community values the many similarities and differences among individuals and groups. At Syracuse, we are committed to preparing students to engage with and appreciate the richness of backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences that shape our society. To achieve this, we strive to cultivate a community that respects and encourages open dialogue, understanding, and mutual respect.
