Serve as a Curator of Rare Books in the Cooper Hewitt Library!

Cooper Hewitt’s Library and its collection of more than 110,000 volumes play a pivotal role in fostering scholarship and advancing discourse that illuminates the importance of design both historically and in the present day.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Research and development work will involve expertise in curation of rare books and distinctive collections of/on American, European, global, and contemporary design. Perform original research, writing and other duties associated with collections research and cataloging and define topics of genuine significance that will support publications, exhibitions, and future scholarship.

• Research on existing rare books and distinctive collections, as well as main collections (onsite and offsite) and new items for acquisition in support of the library’s collection development plan will require the review/enhancement of catalog records, safe/secure handling and storage of collections, donor/creator stewardship and supporting digital initiatives.

• Support for exhibition initiatives using rare books and distinctive collections will involve loans, consultations, curation within Smithsonian and with outside partners, outreach in collaboration with education colleagues on corollary programming to initiate and develop ways to interpret, expand audiences and optimize opportunities to disseminate knowledge about design history and design scholarship.

• Service as a specialist in reference and information research and technologies to work with researchers in advanced fields of knowledge will require using a wide variety of databases and primary source materials using rare and distinctive library and archive collections.

• Write within chosen historical field (e.g. scholarly essays, book chapter) and for museum or library visitors.

• Speak publicly and address wide audiences.

Submit specified application materials to carlosge@si.edu.