Library Director

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, seeks an experienced and visionary leader to serve as Library Director. The Winterthur Library is a leading independent research library for the study of more than four centuries of American art, design, history, and culture in a global context with over a million books, manuscripts, ephemera, archives and related materials. A dynamic hub of discovery and learning, the library supports a community of scholars, students, and curious thinkers who come from around the world to explore, learn from, and be inspired by its extraordinary collections. The Library is uniquely situated alongside Winterthur's world-class museum, gardens and graduate programs. The Library plays a central role in scholarship: providing expertise, resources, and services to support interdisciplinary research, teaching, and knowledge creation. The Director is a collaborative leader with a passion for service who will sustain Winterthur's place as a hub for scholarly research while also welcoming a wide range of patrons, from schoolchildren to daily visitors. With a talented staff, newly updated systems, and an energized donor base, the successful candidate will find the library in a strong position to strategically grow and thrive. The Director is responsible for overseeing and balancing existing library services and resources with emerging technologies, ensuring the library remains a vital resource for all of Winterthur's patrons. 

Compensation: $95,000 minimum starting salary

Benefits:  Including, but not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance; generous paid time off plan including 10 holidays, vacation, personal, and sick time; 403b with employer match for eligible employees; discounts in the museum store and cafe; free general admission for you and your immediate family

Work Schedule:  Monday – Friday, 35 hours/week

Responsibilities:

1. Develops vision, strategic direction, and long-term goal setting for the Winterthur Library and the Imaging Production team and guides implementation efforts and activities.
2. Leads a team of professional staff encompassing library and imaging production services, providing supervision, training, and mentorship, and supporting staff development.
3. Leads Library staff in promoting and providing broad access to the collection through research support, digital initiatives, teaching, public outreach and engagement, exhibitions, and more.
4. Leads imaging production services staff in the creation and management of visual assets for institutional and external projects. Sets strategic near- and long-term priorities, develops holistic policies and workflows, and oversees departmental activities.
5. Ensures good communication and coordination between Library and Winterthur staff, Trustees, and external constituents.
6. Fosters collaboration between the Library team and Winterthur staff in the development of programming and other institutional initiatives; oversees library participation in cross-institutional efforts and strategic initiatives.
7. Upholds and enhances use of existing collections and programs, and builds collections and projects in anticipation of future research interests and for the ways research libraries can best serve future stakeholders. 
8. Seeks the most efficient organization of staff and operational modes to ensure effective means of upholding and advancing the Winterthur Library’s tradition of excellent and expert service to patrons, including researchers, staff, students.
9. Develops and oversees the Library’s annual budget and sets priorities for resource allocation across all Library departments and activities.
10. Serves as a liaison for the needs of Winterthur’s internal and external communities as they relate to the library. Manages the library’s relationship with the Research Fellowship Program.
11. Manages major projects for the library, ensuring the safety, security, and longevity of the library facility through space planning, collections emergency planning, and collections policies
12. Collaborates closely with Winterthur’s Development department to foster relationships with donors and to develop and steward gifts. Represents the library in the cultivation and stewardship of supporters and donors.
13. Serves as Winterthur representative to member organizations such as IRLA and actively engages with organizations such as ALA, RBMS, Rare Books School and other international, national, and regional library, information, and special collections affinity groups.

Salary : $95,000