The New York Public Library (NYPL) seeks a proven and collaborative leader to expand and strengthen its current operations devoted to processing and cataloging its special collections. The Associate Director for Special Collections Processing will provide vision, leadership, and oversight for a team that processes collection material in all formats held across the curatorial divisions at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and the Library for the Performing Arts ensuring timely access to the Library’s special collections.   

The position, reporting to the Rabinowitz Director for Preservation and Collections Processing, will shape and articulate the library-wide strategic direction for special collection processing and the principles that inform Special Collections Processing’s priorities and queues; lead the development, refinement, and documentation of descriptive standards and practices for special collections, including those for reparative description initiatives; oversee its staff’s participation in the assessment of acquisitions, coordinating this work with curators, colleagues in Collection Management, and other stakeholders; and collaborate closely with Development, curators, and other partners on the development of grant and other fundraising proposals. 

The Associate Director leads and inspires teams responsible for archival processing, special collections cataloging, audio and moving image description, and metadata services. While based at the Library Services Center (LSC) in Long Island City, Queens, the Associate Director works across the organization to optimize workflows and establish collaborative relationships that unify and strengthen special collections processing and the Library’s stewardship efforts.

 

We are looking for someone we can count on to:

Own:

• Plan, coordinate, and effectively manage the department's day-to-day operations to advance collection processing priorities and institutional goals.

Teach:

• Develop, maintain, and communicate standards and best practices for the description of special collections while fostering a community of practice that values problem-solving, collaboration, and innovation.
• Inform stakeholders across NYPL about ongoing developments and strategic plans and develop new staff engagement and communication strategies.

Learn:

• Become familiar with the scope of NYPL’s research collections, its researchers, and strategic priorities and goals to ensure our diverse collections are accessible to the broadest number of patrons.  

Improve:

• Clarify policies, optimize processes, and strengthen communication channels and staff engagement to help the staff work better together.
• Evaluate current departmental structure and reporting lines and propose short- and long-term changes.
• Assess, establish, and measure the effectiveness of workflows drawing on the use of emerging technologies and aligning with best practices.
• Contribute to improving and strengthening NYPL’s Total Cost of Stewardship model by optimizing acquisition assessment processes.

Some expectations for this role are that within:

1 month, this person will: 

• Understand the roles and responsibilities of their teams, the scope of projects underway, shared goals and dependencies with other departments, and library-wide initiatives; meet key partners in Collections and Research Services, Preservation and Collections Processing, BookOps, and the Research Centers. 

3 months, this person will:

• Be a member of key committees and contribute to strategic planning efforts, especially those that intersect with the department.
• Gain a better understanding of their department’s structure, staff roles and responsibilities, and begin prioritizing and scoping outstanding resource needs and new performance goals.
• Understand gaps in policies and procedures and develop a preliminary plan for aligning research staff around a shared vision.
• Meet key external partners.

6 months and beyond, this person will:

• Have a clear sense of the long-term roadmap and near-term goals for special collections processing to balance and maintain production outputs while addressing legacy backlogs, data remediation and migration projects, and new initiatives.
• Propose potential new organization models and reporting structures for the department to support strategic priorities.

 

Responsibilities: 

• Leads strategic initiatives to consolidate the processing and cataloging of NYPL’s special collections.
• Oversees the maintenance of processing queues, sets benchmarks for staff, and collaborates with curatorial staff to ensure queues reflect curatorial and institutional priorities.
• Leads the development and documentation of special collection processing standards and procedures; refines workflows for processing born-digital archives and audio and moving image material. 
• Leads the strategy to establish new communication channels and engagement with curators and other stakeholders to build trust, discuss priorities and updates, and partner on new initiatives. 
• In partnership with departmental staff, the leadership of Preservation and Collections Processing and other stakeholders advances and refines the Library’s Total Cost of Stewardship Model; in partnership with departmental staff, curators, and Collection Management, supports the assessment of archival acquisitions.
• Manages department budget and grants and contributes to fundraising initiatives. 
• Provide regular statistical and narrative reports, as well as occasional reports required for grants and other special projects
• Contributes to discussions around the prioritization of collections for digitization and aligns description and metadata priorities and queues to support these activities.
• Collaborates and aligns workflows and systems with other departments, including Collection Management, Conservation, Digital Preservation, Collection Development, Access and Discovery, and Digital, to create new access pathways for special collections.
• Establishes a collaborative working relationship with the head of BookOps Cataloging to coordinate and align cataloging policies and best practices across NYPL.
• Manages, recruits, mentors, and retains a diverse and highly skilled professional staff. 
• Fosters and supports a culture of inclusion that values and respects the diversity of perspective, background, and experience.
• Participates actively in the archives and special collections community of practice, representing the Library in local and national-level conferences and consortia.

 

Required Education and Certifications 

• ALA-accredited MLS / MLIS and substantial research library experience or advanced degree and relevant, substantial research library experience in special collections.

 

Required Experience

• Experience in special collections with a minimum of seven years of experience in special collections cataloging and/or archival processing with a minimum of four years of management experience. 
• Successfully demonstrated experience in strategic planning, people management, project or resource management, problem-solving, and decision-making in a collaborative and coordinated work environment; a proven team player.
• Demonstrated experience in analyzing processes, developing policies, and implementing change to promote alignment and greater efficiency of operations.
• Demonstrated experience evaluating the effectiveness of products and systems that support the description, management, and processing of special collections.

 

Required Skills 

• Demonstrated experience with cataloging and processing tools, utilities, content standards, and data models, including RDA, AACR2, DCRM, MARC, LCSH, LC/NAF, AAT, TGM, OCLC Connexion, Catalogers Desktop, RDA Toolkit, DACS, EAD, and Archives Space, EAC, SNAC
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to build consensus and promote productive teamwork
• Knowledge of current issues and emerging trends in special collections, archival processing, cataloging, and metadata. 
• Strong organizational and project management skills and attention to detail.

 

Managerial/Supervisory Responsibilities: 

• Four direct reports, oversees a department of 35, including a combination of union and non-union staff.

 

NYPL Core Values:  

All team members are expected and encouraged to embody the NYPL Core Values:

• Be Helpful to patrons and colleagues
• Be Resourceful in solving problems 
• Be Curious in all aspects of your work
• Be Welcoming and Inclusive

 

Work Environment

• Office, some hybrid accommodated

Physical Duties

• No

Pre-placement Physical Required? 

No

Schedule 

• 9-5, M-F

 

This job description represents the types and levels of responsibilities that will be required of the position and shall not be construed as a declaration of all of the specific duties and responsibilities for the role. Job duties may change if Library priorities change. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description as needed.

Apply online here

Submit specified application materials to hrd@nypl.org.