Harvard University
Position Title: Special Collections Librarian and Diversity Fellow
Req ID: 67676BR
School or Unit: Harvard Library
Description: Job Summary
**This is a two-year residency**
Although this position will remain posted until filled, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by the end of the day on January 21, 2025.
The Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library holds a wealth of special collections across a variety of formats. We seek an innovative, collaborative, and user-centered professional to be our Special Collections Librarian and Diversity Fellow. Working with colleagues across the Music Library and the Harvard Library, the Special Collections Librarian and Diversity Fellow will play a lead role in our efforts to curate, steward, highlight, and promote our special collections.
The Special Collections Librarian and Diversity Fellow will have responsibilities spanning the main areas of special collections librarianship. In collaboration with the Curator for the Archive of World Music, other Music Library colleagues, and colleagues throughout the Arts, Archives, and Special Collections portfolio, they will contribute to archival processing and finding aid production, appraise and select materials for digital preservation, and participate in collection development activities. They will provide reference services and research consultations relating to Music Library special collections, and they will collaborate with Music Library colleagues to provide direct instruction to undergraduate and graduate students for classes, orientation sessions, and other related educational activities utilizing Music Library special collections. The Special Collections Librarian and Diversity Fellow will additionally have the opportunity to pursue targeted initiatives relating to their interests and areas of expertise. Possible examples include developing exhibits or events showcasing core Music Library special collections, developing projects that highlight diverse voices and perspectives represented in Music Library special collections, collection development projects addressing diversity in Music Library special collections, or digital exhibits/digital humanities projects highlighting Music Library special collections.
The Special Collections Librarian and Diversity Fellow will leave Harvard having attained substantial practical experience across core functions performed by special collections librarians. They will also gain experience in newer areas such as born-digital processing and digital preservation, as well as a holistic understanding of the ways that libraries curate, steward, highlight, and promote special collections.
Music librarianship as a profession struggles with issues of diversity and representation, perhaps even more so than the library field at large. The Music Library is committed to supporting efforts to diversify our profession. Our participation in this program is one important way that we can help to remove barriers and provide a path for entry into the profession. The Music Library plans to offer a Fellow the same professional development opportunities other Music Library staff enjoy.
Applicants wishing to be considered must submit a cover letter in addition to their resume.
Position Description
- Contributes to archival processing efforts. Develops documentation and workflows for Music Library archival collections. Processes selected collections. Works with colleagues in the Arts, Archives, and Special Collections portfolio's Technical Services for Archives and Special Collections Department to identify opportunities to streamline and/or coordinate workflows.
- Appraises and selects materials for digital preservation.
- Contributes to Music Library collection development activities as related to special collections. Develops and implements policies, selects materials, participates in collection management and analysis activities.
- Collaborates with faculty, instructors, and other librarians to provide direct instruction to undergraduate and graduate students for classes, orientation sessions, and other related educational activities utilizing Music Library special collections.
- Provides expert research assistance relating to Music Library special collections holdings.
- Serves on Library and University committees as appropriate.
- Remains current on developments in the field and represents the Library at relevant professional and scholarly meetings and conferences; contributes to the profession with research, presentations, publications, and/or participation in professional organizations.
- Other duties as assigned, with consideration for the knowledge, skills, and professional goals of the successful candidate.
Basic Qualifications- Master's degree in library or information science, or an equivalent graduate degree from an ALA-accredited program, upon start date.
Additional Qualifications and Skills- Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.
- Experience working in or subject-knowledge of music, special collections, archives or other related area.
Working Conditions- Hybrid position. The position is based onsite in Cambridge, MA. There may be opportunities for remote work.
- Work location is responsive and subject to change based on business needs. Requests for flexibility will be considered consistent with Harvard University flexwork policies.
- Interacting with collections and spaces that may contain dust, mold, or other contaminants.
- The work associated with this position may be performed in library, office, classroom, and events-space settings with intra-campus ambulatory travel between libraries and other university buildings.
Additional InformationWe regret that the Harvard Library does not provide visa sponsorship.
An ideal candidate is highly motivated and passionate. Applicants who meet the basic requirements are encouraged to apply. Opportunities for training, mentorship, and support from individuals with a variety of skill sets exist locally and nationally, if needed. Applicants are encouraged to include all relevant previous experience and education/training in their application documents, regardless of the field or format in which it was obtained.
BenefitsWe invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website (https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:
- Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
- Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
- Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
- Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
- Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
- Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
- Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
- Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
- Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.
LinkedIn Recruiter Tag (for internal use only)#LI-MG1
Department Office Location: USA - MA - Cambridge
Job Code: 386056 Library Professional
Job Function: Library
Work Format: Hybrid (partially on-site, partially remote)
Sub Unit: ------------
Salary Grade: 056
Department: Harvard Library Administration
Salary Range: $72,000
Union: 00 - Non Union, Exempt or Temporary
Time Status: Full-time
Pre-Employment Screening: Criminal, Education, Identity
Commitment to Equity Diversity Inclusion and Belonging: Across the Harvard Library, our work is enriched by our diverse campus community. Our unique and wide-ranging abilities, experiences, and perspectives are integral to achieving Harvard University's mission of excellence in research, teaching, and learning for our patrons, our collections, and our workplace. We believe that an inclusive environment that cultivates and promotes understanding, respect, and collaboration across our diverse workforce enables our success.
We invite individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences and abilities to be a part of our community of over 700 staff members. Our work with faculty, students and researchers to explore answers to intellectual questions, enduring and new, and to seek solutions to the world's most consequential problems, requires that we not only reflect, but also champion our diverse society.
Harvard Library inspires collaboration, reflection, experimentation, and discovery connecting users to related disciplines and to University-wide teaching resources. The Library engages users through curated discovery, digital collections, reimagined physical space, and specialized research support. Today, Harvard Library's holdings range from traditional print collections to rapidly expanding access to digital resources. Harvard Library provides the University's faculty, students, and researchers-now and in the future-with exceptional experiences and comprehensive access to these materials.
Learn more about our contributions to the academic enterprise by visiting us at http://library.harvard.edu and about the Harvard University community at http://hr.harvard.edu/why-harvard.
The Harvard Library is a proud member of the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) Diversity Alliance.
EOE Statement: We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.
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