The Librarian for Special Collections contributes to teaching, learning, and research at Pepperdine by serving as a contributing member of the Special Collections and Archives Group. In this capacity, the Librarian provides curatorial oversight of the Malibu Historical Collection, the Starr Art and Music Collection, and related rare book and archives collections. The Librarian, who enjoys faculty status and is guided by the librarian handbook, focuses on rare book curation, collection development, research support, and preservation. The incumbent is involved in classroom instruction, focusing on classes related to Malibu history, the history of the book, printing history, and manuscripts. Additionally, the Librarian supervises graduate and undergraduate interns and is responsible for coordinating the student-employee program for the department.
In alignment with the University’s mission and strategic plan, the Librarian works with their colleagues in special collections to develop exemplary collections of rare and special materials in all formats for research and teaching purposes, including materials that reflect the University’s heritage. In so doing, the Librarian collaborates closely with team members and liaises with academic partners across the schools, departments, and divisions, as well as with partners external to the university.
Duties
- Create meaningful class sessions based on course syllabi; work with faculty to develop outside assignments that utilize special collections resources; prepare and teach sessions.
- Establish intellectual control of and curatorial oversight for special collections materials based on library best practices and research and learning needs, including arrangement, description, interpretation, and preservation.
- Ensure the consistent acquisition of historic materials by identifying potential acquisitions and donors, specifically focusing on Malibu history, rare books, and materials related to the arts.
- Promote, publicize, and expand awareness of collections through exhibits, programs, written materials, displays, public lectures, workshops, tours, and other methods.
- Oversee departmental student employees and undergraduate and graduate interns, including hiring, training, and supervising.
- Provide public services to students, faculty, and scholars by offering research guidance, answering reference questions, developing research guides, and facilitating reproduction of materials, by working closely with other units in the library.
- Participate in other department activities as needed, including scholarly research, data management, digital and physical preservation, grant writing, and digital humanities initiatives.
- Other duties as assigned, including tracking instructional and usage statistics.
- Uphold University mission and Libraries core values through work performed.
The above information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.
Skills and Qualifications
Required: Master’s degree in library or information science; coursework in one or more areas central to special collections’ priority areas, such as rare books, manuscripts, archives, media, or digital libraries An appreciation for and commitment to the university’s Christian mission and a desire to contribute actively to that mission; demonstrated commitment to promoting inclusive excellence; demonstrated sound judgment and emotional intelligence; clear and concise verbal and written communication skills; ability to be self-directed and work independently on a variety of initiatives, including collection development and assessment, and to carry work out to completion; evidence of commitment to public service and experience working collaboratively with staff, faculty, and researchers; ability to lift up to 40 pounds. Familiarity with Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) and other relevant tools, standards, and best practices for archival and special collections processing; Microsoft Office; Google Suite; Zoom
Preferred: A discipline-specific undergraduate degree; a master’s degree in a related field. Experience working in a busy collaborative environment. Successful relevant experience working in a library, museum, archive, or special collections department; demonstrated ability in processing and curating special collections materials. Supervisory experience Experience using Encoded Archival Description (EAD); experience using ArchivesSpace and CONTENTdm (or equivalent archival management and digital collections software)
Qualified individuals should be able to articulate a strong commitment to diversity, and have the ability to work effectively with individuals from different backgrounds.
Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal, education, and employment screening. Qualified individuals with criminal histories will be considered for employment in compliance with applicable laws.
This is a Regular, Exempt, 40 hour per week position.
Expected Pay Range: $66,560 – $70,000 per year
The above pay range reflects what Pepperdine University reasonably expects to pay for this position at time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on relevant factors such as work experience, market conditions, education/training, and skill level. In addition to base pay, Pepperdine offers a robust and highly competitive benefits package.
Pepperdine is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.