Original Job posting: https://jobs.sjsu.edu/en-us/job/545198/senior-assistant-librarian-special-collections-librarian

Position Description

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library at SJSU welcomes applicants for a full-time, tenure-track position as Special Collections Librarian. Joining a team of three full-time staff in Special Collections & Archives (SC&A), the Special Collections Librarian is responsible for overseeing SC&A public services and processing (i.e., arrangement and description) of Special Collections. In collaboration with the Director, the Special Collections Librarian will also develop and maintain new acquisitions of personal and organizational papers, and rare and unique books that comprise the vast and multitudinous Special Collections of the unit. These include Political Papers, LGBTQ+ Collections, Women’s Collections, Chicana/Chicano Collections, Oral History Collections, Artist and Fine Press Books, and other materials that fulfill the teaching and research missions of San José State University. Additionally, the Special Collections Librarian will contribute to SC&A digital initiatives, outreach, exhibitions, and event programming.

As a member of the Library Faculty, the candidate participates in the library liaison program and is expected to engage in service activities pertaining to library and university governance and research, scholarship, and creative activities, all of which are required for tenure and promotion. This is a hybrid position requiring a minimum on-campus presence of three days a week.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association or an equivalent international degree by the time of hire.
• Demonstrated experience with facilitating special collections and archives researchers, arrangement and description of physical collections, engaging in outreach activities, and curating exhibitions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of current national archival descriptive standards and best practices such as EAD and DACS, and tools such as ArchivesSpace.
• Demonstrated awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching, and other comparable experience.
• Demonstrated ability to engage in professional and scholarly activity to meet requirements for tenure and promotion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Priority will be given to candidates who possess one or more of the following:
• Experience in academic libraries.
• Experience with supervising and training student assistants.
• Experience with contributing to grant proposals.
• Experience with donor relations.
• Experience as a liaison librarian.
• Familiarity with archival appraisal and accessioning of collections.
• Ability to stay current on topics that intersect with special collections and archives, including privacy, confidentiality, and copyright.
   

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee public services for SC&A, which averages over 200 in-person and virtual research requests per year.
• Oversee the arrangement and description of SC&A collections in physical and digital formats, including supervising student work.
• Contribute to the acquisition of SC&A collections of enduring historical value and which support the teaching and research missions of San José State University.
• Contribute to grant proposals to support the development of physical and digital Special Collections.
• Promote visibility and usage of SC&A collections through instruction, outreach, public presentations, tours, and exhibitions.
• Assist with supervising and training Student Assistants (SAs) in facilitating researchers, processing collections, and curating exhibitions.
• Participate in shared governance, usually in department, college, and university committees and other service assignments.
• Build a record of progressive scholarly and professional achievement to fulfill the University requirement of retention, tenure, and promotion.
• Demonstrate awareness and experience understanding the needs of a student population of great diversity – in age, abilities, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, economic background, primary language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and academic preparation – through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies, and advisement.

Application Procedure

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

• A letter of interest that addresses the required qualifications for the position, including the applicant’s approach to supporting the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population
• Curriculum vitae
• Diversity Statement (optional)
• Three references with contact information (only finalists’ references will be contacted)

Refer to https://sites.google.com/sjsu.edu/librarian-position-faqs/home for more information about the position. Interested candidates who would like to learn more about the position, library, or University are encouraged to attend one of two information sessions. We will begin with a short presentation about the position and the library, and then will open it up to your questions. Anonymity will be ensured as the participants list will be hidden.

March 19, 2025 at 12:00-1:00 pm PST

March 19, 2025 at 6:00-7:00 pm PST

Further inquiries may be directed to the Search Committee Chair: Ann Agee, ann.agee@sjsu.edu

Apply online here

Submit specified application materials to ann.agee@sjsu.edu.