Librarian of the Lewis Walpole Library
Lewis Walpole Library
Farmington, CT
Yale University
Rank: Librarian 3-4
Requisition: #23568BR
www.yale.edu/jobs
Position Focus:
The Lewis Walpole Library is a research center for the study of the eighteenth century. Its collections are centered around Horace Walpole and his times with strong collections of books, manuscripts and prints. Reporting to the Director of the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, the Librarian is responsible for establishing a vision for the Lewis Walpole Library and setting priorities that support both Yale University’s teaching and research mission as well as scholarship about eighteenth-century Great Britain. The Librarian oversees all administrative aspects of the Library, including public services, collection development, digital collections, technical services, academic programs, exhibits, personnel management and facilities management. Responsibilities also include playing an active role in the Farmington, Yale University, and international scholarly communities. The Librarian has a generous acquisition budget to acquire books (both modern and antiquarian), manuscripts, prints and other material. The Lewis Walpole Library is committed to building on its already extensive outreach and academic programs including active research fellowship and publication programs, exhibitions, and master classes.
The Librarian develops and maintains strong ties with the University Library, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale Center for British Art, Yale University Art Gallery, and faculty at Yale University. This individual develops and maintains strong relations with the eighteenth-century academic community and works closely with the Lewis Walpole Library Board of Managers, an advisory group established by the will of Wilmarth S. Lewis.
The Librarian oversees a staff of 14 FTEs who acquire, describe, preserve, make accessible, and promote the Lewis Walpole Library’s collections as well as maintain the Library’s facilities, which include both eighteenth-century buildings and a modern library located on a 14-acre property in Farmington, Connecticut.
While the position is located in Farmington, Connecticut, the Librarian will regularly attend meetings on the Yale University campus in New Haven. The individual hired must have a car available for regular travel.
Education, Skills and Experience:
Requirements include: Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited library school or equivalent accredited degree, or a postgraduate degree in museum studies or a related discipline and a minimum of five years of related experience. Preferred: Master’s or Ph.D. in British literature, history or art history, with a strong focus on the eighteenth century. Requirements also include demonstrated ability to provide leadership and direction in a research library; experience managing staff, budgets, and capital projects; strong commitment to collection building and innovative public service programs; proven ability to articulate a vision and lead a special collections library in the twenty-first century with a clear understanding of current trends in special collections librarianship and digital humanities; strong commitment and ability to provide outreach at all levels with well-developed interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work collegially with staff, researchers and colleagues. A valid driver’s license is required.
Preferred: Demonstrated understanding of current trends in scholarship in eighteenth-century British studies; experience developing innovative programs and outreach initiatives, managing historic properties, curating exhibitions and managing a publication program.
Yale University assigns ranks to librarian positions based on a combination of professional experience and accomplishments (see range assigned to this description as noted in the posting position title). Librarian ranking information can be found at: http://www.library.yale.edu/about/departments/lhr/rank.html.
The University and the Library:
The Yale University Library, as one of the world’s leading research libraries, collects, organizes, preserves, and provides access to and services for a rich and unique record of human thought and creativity. It fosters intellectual growth and supports the teaching and research missions of Yale University and scholarly communities worldwide. A distinctive strength is its rich spectrum of resources, including around 12.8 million volumes and information in all media, ranging from ancient papyri to early printed books to electronic databases. The Library is engaging in numerous projects to expand access to its physical and digital collections. Housed in eighteen buildings including the Sterling Memorial Library, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, and the Bass Library, it employs a dynamic and diverse staff of approximately five hundred who offer innovative and flexible services to library readers. For additional information on the Yale University Library, please visit the Library’s web site at www.library.yale.edu.
The Lewis Walpole Library:
The Lewis Walpole Library is a research library for eighteenth-century studies and the prime source for the study of Horace Walpole and Strawberry Hill. Its collections include significant holdings of eighteenth-century British books, manuscripts, prints, drawings and paintings, as well as important examples of the decorative arts. Housed in an historic frame house in Farmington and given to Yale by Wilmarth Sheldon Lewis and Annie Burr Lewis, the Lewis Walpole Library is a department of Yale University Library, open to researchers by appointment. For additional information on the collections, please visit online at www.library.yale.edu/walpole.
Salary and Benefits:
We invite you to discover the excitement, diversity, rewards and excellence of a career at Yale University. One of the country’s great workplaces, Yale University offers exciting opportunities for meaningful accomplishment and true growth. Our benefits package is among the best anywhere, with a wide variety of insurance choices, liberal paid time off, fantastic family and educational benefits, a variety of retirement benefits, extensive recreational facilities, and much more.
How to apply: Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Applications, consisting of a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information of three professional references, should be submitted by applying online at http://www.yale.edu/jobs. The STARS req. ID for this position is 23568BR. Please reference #23568BR in your cover letter. Please feel free to contact Janet Adami, Senior Recruiter, Yale University (janet.adami@yale.edu), with any questions.
Yale University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Yale values diversity in its faculty, staff, and students and strongly encourages applications from women and members of underrepresented minority groups.
SLIS Jobs 