Exempt

At the Frick Collection we pride ourselves on promoting an open and welcoming workplace culture that supports diversity and work-life balance. The Frick strives to provide our employees with competitive salaries and exceptional benefits in a beautiful and pleasant work setting while providing an excellent opportunity to appreciate some of the world’s finest works of art.

The Frick requires all employees be fully vaccinated and to have received a booster vaccine against COVID 19. 

 

Benefits in Employment with the Frick Collection

Paid Holidays: All full-time employees are eligible for 14 paid holidays, all federal holidays, plus Lincoln’s birthday, Juneteenth, Election Day, and two floating holidays to be used in the last quarter of the year.

Sick and Vacation time: All eligible full-time employees accrue up to 12 sick and 12 vacation days their first year of employment. In subsequent years, eligible full-time employees accrue up to 12 sick days and 25 vacation days/year. 

Family leave: We provide all eligible employees with bereavement leave and paid parental leave, and we adhere to federal family leave laws. 

Health, Dental, and Vision insurance: All eligible full-time employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in employee-sponsored benefit plans. Employees contribute to the cost of health insurance based on income level and type of coverage selected. 

Short- and Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance: The Frick covers the entire cost of these benefits for all eligible full-time employees. The life insurance benefit is up to three times the employee’s annual salary. 

Retirement: The Frick supports all employees in planning for retirement by offering participation in a Tax Deferred Savings Plan – 403(b) and a defined benefit pension plan.

Wellness Programs at the Frick include an Employee Assistance Plan, a discount on Citi Bike memberships, and a discount on bike helmets. 

Additional benefits include discounted Metro Cards/Transit Checks and flexible spending accounts for health, dependent care, and commuting costs.

 

Background

Opened to the public in 1935, The Frick Collection is a world-renowned art museum consisting of more than 1,500 works of art from the ninth to the nineteenth centuries displayed in the intimate surroundings of the former home of Pittsburgh industrialist Henry Clay Frick. It is considered one of the world’s most perfect museums, and the residence is one of New York City’s few remaining Gilded Age mansions. The Frick welcomes nearly 300,000 visitors a year to its tranquil mansion on the Upper East Side, encouraging visitors to closely observe, reflect, and engage with its esteemed collection. 

The Frick Art Reference Library, founded by Mr. Frick’s daughter, Helen Clay Frick, in 1920, is an internationally recognized research library that serves as one of the world's most complete resources for the study of Western art. Our entire staff ensures that the resources of The Frick Collection are made accessible and inviting to “all persons whomsoever,” in accordance with the wishes of the museum’s founder.

The Frick has moved into its temporary home—Frick Madison—in the Breuer building at 75th Street and Madison Avenue (the former Whitney Museum), while renovations are underway to the newer parts of the building at 1 East 70th Street. 

 

Position Summary

The Frick Art Reference Library book collection consists of over 400,000 monographs, exhibition and collection catalogs, catalogues raisonnés; over 3,000 periodical titles; and over 90,000 auction catalogs from more than 1,000 auctions houses in Europe, Australia, and the Americas. Coverage includes paintings, drawings, sculpture, and prints by artists from Europe and the Americas created in the Western tradition from the fourth to the mid-twentieth century and European decorative arts from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. Materials are collected in any format and in any language with approximately 6,000 new titles added to the collection annually.

Reporting to the Associate Chief Librarian for Content, the Acquisitions Lead is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of acquisitions and cataloging and supervises two full-time and two part-time staff.

 

Responsibilities 

• Oversees daily operations of acquisitions, serials, and cataloging
• Develops workflows and updates policies and procedures related to acquisitions and collection development
• Supervises and trains staff, interns, and volunteers
• Maintains Collection Development Policy
• Evaluates collection resources and identifies areas of growth
• Works with the Andrew W. Mellon Librarian and Associate Chief Librarian, Content, on major acquisitions
• Reviews and maintains current approval plans
• Manages acquisitions budget, compiles reports detailing acquisition spending by category, and works closely with accounts payable
• Maintains vendor relationships and responds accordingly to acquisitions related inquiries from internal and external stakeholders
• Resolves issues with orders, renewals, invoicing, processing, claims, canceled orders, and records in the Library’s integrated library system
• Oversees processing of gift accessions
• Leads and serves as a member of interdepartmental working groups

 

Requirements 

The education and/or experience requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and ability required to successfully perform the essential duties of this position. 

• Master’s degree in library or information science from an ALA-accredited program
• Additional undergraduate and/or graduate degree in art history
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant professional experience in acquisitions including supervisory experience
• Experience in an academic or research library 
• Experience with integrated library systems, ExLibris Alma/Primo VE preferred 
• Knowledge of cataloging and metadata standards including MARC, BIBFRAME, and linked data principles
• Experience with OCLC Connexion Client and copy cataloging in RDA
• Reading knowledge of one or more languages in addition to English preferred 
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with a broad range of library and museum colleagues
• Commitment to professional development and growth
   

 

Compensation

Annual salary for this exempt role is $68,000.

 

Application Process

Apply here or send resume and cover letter to:

Sabina and Harlan Stone Associate Chief Librarian, Content
Frick Madison
30 East 75th Street
New York, NY 10021
 

Equal Employment Opportunity has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at The Frick Collection, where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, alienage or citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, military status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status or any other protected characteristic as established by law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

This description shall not be construed as a contract of any sort for a specific period of employment.

 

Apply online here