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This pivotal role demands strategic vision, leadership, and collaboration to propel SCUA into its next phase amid departmental growth, increased use, and enhanced services in line with the Library’s overall strategy of creating impact through the expansion of distinctive collections services.
Salary Range: 85,000 – 135, 000
Click here to learn more: https://library.uoregon.edu/sites/default/files/2024-03/Compressed_UO_SCUA_Director_position_2024.pdf
This position will remain posted until filled, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by the review date of April 17, 2024.
Please submit the following with your online application:
• A cover letter in which you clearly describe how your knowledge, skills, and abilities prepare you for the job responsibilities and requirements outlined in the job announcement.
• A resume/CV that outlines your educational and professional work experience. These details are used to determine if applicants meet the qualifications of this position.
Position Summary:
As the SCUA Director, you will lead a skilled and cohesive team that is already on a strong forward trajectory and is eager to push the leading edge of practice. They will guide the continued development of programs in alignment with the Library and University’s existing strategic plans, including efforts to expand the scope of collections to include marginalized voices; do reparative descriptive work, and engage communities in the active preservation of their histories. In this position, you will also partner with Library departments in the advancement of critical digital infrastructure to broaden discovery, access, and preservation of primary source materials, including computational approaches to research and scholarship. Your passion for SCUA’s vital role in education and scholarship will foster connections across campuses, professional associations, and communities, amplifying impact; while your knack for creative problem-solving will help overcome hurdles and optimize resources to continually advance the department’s programs.
This role collaborates closely with other library departments to strengthen SCUA’s acquisitions, digitization, teaching, outreach, conservation, and scholarship programs, and functions as an important contributing member of the Library’s leadership team. At the same time, the Director will exercise significant autonomy and independence to set and sustain leading standards and practices for the department.
As the Director, you will play a central role in the library’s philanthropic endeavors, ensuring responsible stewardship of endowed funds while actively engaging with donors. You will participate as a member of the library’s cross-divisional development team to develop and implement the library’s next major fundraising campaign and will meet regularly with the University Librarian and/or library development officers to collaborate on philanthropic strategy.
As a faculty member in this role, you will engage in governance activities and maintain scholarly pursuits for career growth.
Supported by the Giustina Forest Foundation endowment, this position offers ample opportunities for professional development, a supportive and collaborative team environment, and a vibrant home in Eugene, Oregon, nestled in the culturally rich Pacific Northwest.
We are aware that some people are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every qualification in the job description including the preferred qualifications. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job and recognize that a successful candidate may come from a less traditional career trajectory, such as having skills and abilities gained outside a classroom context, or an equivalent skill set. We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of our preferred qualifications.
Minimum Requirements
**The Director is eligible to be appointed at the associate or senior faculty librarian rank, dependent on experience and demonstrated professional accomplishment.
Minimum Qualifications for the Rank of Associate Librarian:
• Master’s degree in library/information science from an ALA-accredited institution OR professional terminal degree, OR international equivalent, AND
• Six years post-MLIS professional library experience
• At least 7 years of experience in a special collections or archival setting
• At least 5 years of supervisory and/or budget & program management experience. Including direct experience in budget management, capacity planning, and resource allocation.
Minimum Qualifications for the Rank of Senior Librarian:
• Master’s degree in library/information science from an ALA-accredited institution OR professional terminal degree, OR international equivalent, AND
• Twelve years post-MLIS professional library experience
• At least 7 years of experience in a special collections or archival setting
• At least 5 years of supervisory and/or budget & program management experience. Including direct experience in budget management, capacity planning, and resource allocation.
Supervisory and/or budget experience can be concurrent with special collections experience and post-MLIS experience.
Professional Competencies
• Enthusiasm for cultivating meaningful connections with donors and dedicated to fostering strong relationships that drive impactful philanthropy.
• Demonstrated track record of enacting commitments to diversity and equity within archives and special collections, and of exercising leadership in fostering open dialogue to continuously define and implement effective practices.
• Commitment to fostering excellence in the generation, dissemination, preservation, and application of knowledge in a supportive team environment.
• Proven proficiency in managing and resolving compliance and legal inquiries pertinent to archival and special collections settings; adept at proactive management and resolution, with a demonstrated ability to collaborate with the University’s Office of General Counsel in mitigating risk and developing legally sound policies and practices to fortify the department.
• Overall knowledge of the full lifecycle of collections management and use within archives and special collections.
• In-depth knowledge of professional best practices for one or more areas of SCUA’s areas of focus (University Archives, rare books, visual resources, early and modern manuscripts, archival instructional programs, conservation) with demonstrable interest in the other areas.
• Effective communication skills, including the ability to interact, communicate, and work effectively with individuals, recognizing and respecting the many and varied identities of each person.
Preferred Qualifications
• Donor relations and fundraising experience with a record of achievement in obtaining grants, gifts, or awards.
• Successful grant writing and grant management experience.
• Interest or background in subject areas that reflect the University’s academic strengths and areas of SCUA collection strength.
About Special Collections and University Archives:
Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) is the primary repository for the University of Oregon’s archives, rare books, historic photographs, and one of the largest historical manuscripts collections in the Pacific Northwest. SCUA is also home to the Beach Conservation Lab, which works to conserve library materials while exposing students to conservation methods and education.
Our mission is to advance educational and research opportunities by acquiring, preserving, and making available a clearly defined set of primary sources and rare books, reflecting the written, visual, and audio history and culture of Oregon, the Pacific Northwest, and selected aspects of American and world history.
We play an active and creative role in the teaching, research, and service missions of the University, educating hundreds of students each year in SCUA’s dedicated Ken Kesey classroom and serving thousands of requests annually in the beautiful, historic, and well-equipped Paulson reading room.
SCUA is a leader and committed partner in many Library and campus-wide efforts to correct the colonial influence on our collections, descriptive practices, and physical spaces. Current initiatives include efforts to implement the Protocols for Native American materials; sponsorship of various oral history projects to document and preserve the local experience; and an ongoing partnership with the social justice group Don’t Shoot Portland to host biannual plenaries on the importance of Black Memory within the archive.
SCUA contributes substantially to intellectual life on campus, through invited talks, lectures, and the production of interpretive exhibits. SCUA’s impact extends beyond the campus community through partnerships with regional and national libraries, museums, non-profits, and other cultural heritage organizations.
Please see full position description and apply at https://careers.uoregon.edu/en-us/job/533474/giustina-director-of-special-collections-and-university-archives
University of Oregon