Collection Manager, Library Services Center

The New York Public Library • New York, NY

8d • $80,000 - $85,000 • Onsite

About The Position

For more than 125 years, The New York Public Library (NYPL) has been an essential provider of books, information, ideas, and education. With collections numbering more than 56 million items and serving more than 16 million patrons in person each year and millions more online, NYPL’s reach is both local and global. Our mission is to inspire lifelong learning, advance knowledge, and strengthen our communities.
At our world-class research centers–including the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Library at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, the Library for the Performing Arts, and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture–expert staff facilitate the work of our diverse communities, offering inspiring reading rooms, programs, exhibitions, fellowships, and a dynamic range of research services. Their work is supported by dedicated staff on the Collections and Research Services teams. We are proud to be the most public and widely used research library in the world.
Collections and Research Services encompasses several departments focused on managing the ongoing development of our exceptional research collections, advancing unified discovery and expanding access, both in-person and online, and ensuring stewardship of the collections at every stage of their lifecycle.
The Library Services Center (LSC) Collection Manager, based at the NYPL’s technical services facility in Long Island City, Queens, arranges special collections acquisition logistics, working with NYPL staff, dealers, donors, and shippers to manage packing and shipping projects and addresses any preservation issues in received materials. The position oversees collection care, control, and storage for materials stored at LSC during processing, treatment, and digitization, leading preventive conservation activities and working closely with Facilities staff to protect collections and remediate issues. The Collection Manager coordinates with research center collection managers and others to transfer collections to research centers and offsite storage facilities.
Some expectations for this role are that within:
1 month, this person will:
Become familiar with all LSC spaces and departments
Establish working partnerships with Special Collections Processing Services and other Collections & Research units, Curatorial units, Procurement, Facilities and other staff
Become familiar with current acquisitions projects and learn all NYPL Procurement processes to assume site visits, packing, and shipping soon after onboarding
Oversee all transfers of processed collections to storage in research centers and offsite storage
3 months, this person will:
Be fully responsible for all special collections acquisition logistics, including site visits, packing planning, procurement, and preservation interventions
Conduct monthly LSC Collection Manager and Facilities meeting to address environmental issues
6 months and beyond, this person will:
Collaborate with Senior Manager, Special Collections Acquisitions and Manager, Archival Accessioning to align acquisitions, logistics, and accessioning workflows
Begin collaborations with Facilities to address prioritized environmental improvements
Identify locations within LSC where storage can be improved.

Requirements

• ALA-accredited Master’s degree in Library and Information Science, or Master’s degree in Museum Studies, Arts Administration, or other Master’s degree in the arts or humanities
• 5+ years experience in archives management or registration in an acquisitions context and applying preventive conservation or collections care principles for a range of collection materials
• Project management experience related to cultural heritage collections shipping, remediation, and storage projects, including a working knowledge of shippers, budgets, customs requirements, permits, domestic and international shipping
• Excellent customer service, professional verbal and written communication and extensive experience working with donors and dealers
• Familiarity with professional standards, laws and regulations, and best practices in archival and special collections materials
• Knowledge of a wide range of special collections formats, including archives, rare books, audio and visual media, framed works, and 3-D objects, and their related preservation issues, including handling, packing, shipping, and storage
• Knowledge of packing methods and materials. Must be able to assess and articulate risks associated with different methods and direct vendors on packing strategies
• Familiarity with collection storeroom management and capacity planning
• Can apply a variety of descriptive, project management, and financial systems to manage and participate in collaborative projects, including Sierra, ArchivesSpace, Airtable, Trello, Workday, and others
• Can apply preventive conservation knowledge and conduct research to address preservation issues in collection storage and workspaces in an active collections work facility
• Attention to detail and excellent verbal and written communications, including experience working with donors

Responsibilities

• Manages special collections acquisitions logistics for multiple projects simultaneously, overseeing preservation and custody control, collaborating closely with the Senior Manager, Special Collections Acquisitions and the Manager, Archival Accessioning. Conducts site visits, develops plan, requests quotes, arranges POs, and manages packing and shipping services for acquisitions ranging from small local pick-ups to large high-profile collections from domestic and international sites
• Collaborates with and teaches cross-functional partners regarding preservation issues in new acquisitions and guides decision-making around potential remediation strategies prior to processing
• Oversees appropriate storage, movement, and tracking of special collections materials at LSC, supporting collection security and project management
• Manages transfer of materials to research centers and offsite storage post-processing. Collaborates with various partners including other Collection Managers, Conservation, and Special Collections Processing Services to affirm newly housed and processed material before it is delivered to the research centers. Ensures all collection material is adequately documented and tracked in accordance with internal standards
• Deploys specialized preventive conservation knowledge and liaises with Facilities, Security, and Capital Planning staff to maintain an appropriate environment for special collections
• Coordinates collections emergency preparedness activities at LSC, serves on the cross-center collection emergency response team and leads that team when required
• Performs other related duties as required

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level