Head of Special Collections and Senior Archivist, Benson Latin American Collection, UT Libraries

Job Posting Title:

Head of Special Collections and Senior Archivist, Benson Latin American Collection, UT Libraries

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Hiring Department:

UT Libraries

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Exempt from FLSA

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Earliest Start Date:

Jan 01, 2027

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

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Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

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Job Details:

General Notes

The University of Texas Libraries advances teaching, catalyzes

research, and democratizes learning in order to develop critical thinkers and global citizens. As an essential campus partner in building a rich research and learning ecosystem, we are committed to creating and sustaining a community that welcomes and respects all individuals, celebrates different perspectives and experiences, and fosters belonging. To learn more about UT Libraries, please visit our website: https://www.lib.utexas.edu/

Purpose   

The Head of Special Collections and Senior Archivist for the Benson Latin American Collection provides senior leadership for the acquisition, stewardship, preservation, processing, and accessibility of the collection’s rare books and manuscripts. This position is responsible for fostering the care, management, and use of collections that document Latin America, Latina/o communities in the United States, and the Black diaspora in the Americas.

 

Responsibilities

 

Special Collections Administration and Operations

• Manage the daily operations of the Benson's Special Collections program, including the security, preservation, and accessibility of rare books, archival collections, audiovisual materials, and other collection materials.
• Oversee archival processing activities, including accessioning, arrangement, description, and preservation of collections in a variety of formats.
• Coordinate management of collections housed onsite and in remote storage facilities.
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate Benson Special Collections staff and student employees and foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment.
• Contribute to planning, assessment, and operational initiatives as a member of the Benson Leadership Team.

 

Special Collections Stewardship, Access, and Preservation  

• Partner with colleagues within the Benson Latin American Collection staff and across UT Libraries to support the preservation, digitization, description, discovery, and responsible use of special collections materials.
• Collaborate on collection development activities related to rare books and manuscripts.
• Coordinate with Benson Collection and UT Libraries staff on exhibition and collection material loans to external institutions.
• Manage budgets and resources supporting collections preservation activities. Ensure compliance with established practices related to acquisitions, accessioning, and rights management.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with donors, collection creators, and other stakeholders in support of collection stewardship and development.
• Contribute to archival processing, cataloging, and special projects as needed.

 

Public Services (Reference, Instruction, Outreach)

• Provide leadership for public service in Special Collections. Provide research assistance in person and remotely to faculty, students and other researchers. Serve as lead administrator for Rare Books Room public service point.
• Develop and deliver instructional sessions, workshops, presentations, and tours that promote the use of special collections in research and teaching.

 

Professional Engagement and Advancement

• Represent the Benson Latin American Collection at meetings and conferences concerned with special collections, archives, and Latin American librarianship.
• Contribute to the profession through presentations, publications, service, and other scholarly and professional activities.
• Partner with UT Libraries development and stewardship colleagues to support donor engagement, fundraising, and collection advancement activities.
• Other related functions as assigned.  

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in library and information science or a related field.
• Minimum of four years of relevant experience, such as work in an archive repository or other rare materials setting.
• Experience providing library and/or special collections public service.
• Understanding of and experience with archival processing, rare book librarianship, and related practices.
• Knowledge of professional standards and practices related to archival management and preservation.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, or leading staff.
• Proficiency in Spanish and/or Portuguese. Knowledge of the history and culture of Latin America.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, especially the ability to demonstrate tact, diplomacy, and discretion. Ability to work independently and as a team member.
• Ability to organize short- and long-term priorities and projects and work with multiple deadlines.
• Experience dealing with confidential and sensitive information.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues and engage thoughtfully with the communities served.
• Must be flexible and willing to take on new responsibilities.

 

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• More than four years of professional experience in archives, special collections, or manuscript repositories.
• Experience in an academic research library, special collections environment, or other research-intensive organization.
• Knowledge of digitization standards, workflows, and digital preservation practices.
• Knowledge of rare books cataloging. Experience with curation and preservation of rare books.
• Experience providing instruction, outreach, or research support using archival or special collections materials.
• Experience working with international populations.
• Experience with and commitment to digital initiatives.
• Experience managing budgets.
• Experience with ArchivesSpace.
• Experience supporting donor relations, fundraising, or community partnerships.

 

We want to emphasize that the preferred qualifications are not required and that we are committed to helping our future colleagues develop these preferred skills.

Salary Range

$70,000 + depending on qualifications

 

Working Conditions:

 

Typical office and library conditions.

This position is located in Austin, Texas and requires regular onsite work.

Must be able to travel internationally.

Lifting and moving up to 25 pounds.

 

Work Hours/Shift:

• Monday through Friday between the hours of 7am - 6pm, as arranged with supervisor.
• Occasional evening or weekend work is required.
• Regular onsite work is expected but once training and onboarding is complete, there will be an option for a flexible work arrangement allowing for a flexible number of days working remote and in-person each week.

Required Materials (.pdf preferred)

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

During your application, you will be asked the following questions:

• Describe a time you worked with people who had different roles, priorities, or perspectives to achieve a shared goal. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?

 

• Describe a situation in which you had to balance multiple priorities or respond to an unexpected challenge. How did you determine what to address first?

• Describe an experience in which you built relationships with researchers, donors, collection creators, community partners, or other stakeholders. How did you approach the relationship, and what did you learn from the experience?

• Please describe the ethical principles that guide your approach to archival work, and give one example of how those principles shaped a decision you made.

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length. This position has the option to elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) instead of TRS, subject to the position being 40 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form.  You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States.  Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment.  Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.