Rare Materials Cataloging Librarian


Position Overview

The University of Kansas Libraries seeks a flexible, innovative, and experienced, cataloger for the position of Rare Materials Cataloging Librarian. Reporting to the Head of Cataloging & Archival Processing, the Rare Materials Cataloging Librarian will be a member of the Spencer Cataloging Unit and be responsible for cataloging rare and contemporary books, early printed books, artists’ books, maps, audiovisual materials, etc. for the collections in KU Libraries’ Kenneth Spencer Research Library. The Rare Materials Cataloging Librarian will also contribute to department level formulation of cataloging policies and procedures by active participation in meetings, cataloging activities, and the sharing of expertise and innovative ideas.

The Cataloging & Archival Processing Department of the University of Kansas Libraries is responsible for the cataloging and processing of all resources for the Libraries and the Department is heavily involved in the inventory of books and the updating of records associated with materials being moved to the Library Annex. The Department consists of 28 FTE staff members in a variety of classifications along with many student assistants and has offices in both Watson Library and Kenneth Spencer Research Library. This position will be located in Spencer Research Library.

The cataloging unit in Spencer Research Library catalogs materials from the following four collecting areas: 1) Kansas Collection, our regional history collection; 2) Special Collections, which ranges from medieval manuscripts to contemporary literature in several areas of focus; 3) University Archives and 4) the Wilcox Collection, one of the country’s largest assemblages of American left- and right-wing materials.

KU’s excellence is a result of the rich tapestry of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of our faculty, staff, students, and colleagues from across our nation and the globe. At KU, we invest in continuous learning and growth by creating a climate where people engage in respectful dialogue and debate and support each other’s success. We foster a culture of care where each person is seen, heard and valued. When people feel a true sense of belonging, we believe they are better able to reach their full potential and achieve remarkable things.

The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of the appointment.

This is a full-time, 12-month, tenure-track faculty position. Rank considerations are based on professional performance, research, and service experience sufficient to qualify for appointment at the rank of Assistant Librarian or Associate Librarian. See the Libraries Criteria for Academic Ranks document: http://policy.ku.edu/libraries/criteria-academic-ranks-library-faculty

Additional information about the Libraries promotion and tenure procedures can be found at the following website: https://policy.ku.edu/ku-libraries/promotion-and-tenure-procedures-faculty

Job Description

Professional Responsibilities (70%)
  • Follows national and local standards in providing original, complex and regular copy cataloging for materials published in a variety of formats and in multiple languages in Spencer Research Library’s collections. Resolves cataloging conflicts, e.g. duplicate records, incorrect holdings, records that do not match items-in-hand, etc.
  • Verifies and/or establishes personal names, corporate names, conference names, geographic names, uniform title headings, and subject headings; ensures headings are in the correct form on the bibliographic record being processed, creates and/or updates authority records in the Libraries’ local system or NACO.
  • Maintains awareness of best practices and emerging standards/technologies.
  • Works collaboratively as part of a team to support cataloging activities, goals, and initiatives.
RESEARCH (20%)
Contributes to the profession’s collective knowledge by engaging in scholarly research activity. Research may involve the publication of articles, books, book reviews, grant-supported inquiry, or editorial work.

SERVICE (10%)
Contributes to the profession's collective knowledge by engaging in scholarly research activity. Research may involve the publication of articles, books, book reviews, grant-supported inquiry, or editorial work.

Required Qualifications

*Required Qualifications for all Candidates
  • ALA-accredited master’s degree in Library/Information Science or equivalent from a foreign institution by date of appointment OR a PhD in library and information science from an LIS program that also offered an ALA-accredited master’s degree at the time the PhD was awarded.
  • Minimum of two years’ successful original cataloging experience.
  • Demonstrated experience with common cataloging standards, e.g., Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (DCRM), Resource Description and Access (RDA), Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), MARC21 formats, etc.
Additional Qualifications for Associate Librarian
  • Minimum of four years of successful professional experience at the rank of Assistant Librarian.
  • Documented evidence of high level, professional expertise, and have a demonstrated record of accomplishments that advances the goals of the KU Libraries, the University, and the profession.
  • Appropriate record of consistent, quality research contributions in areas related to librarianship, or a specialized subject area as it relates to their practice of librarianship or a related area.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Knowledge of bibliographic description for rare materials in an academic or research library setting.
  • Reading knowledge of at least one western European or Cyrillic language other than English.
  • Demonstrated proficiency and capability with information technology systems in the context of an academic library, e.g. OCLC, Voyager, RDA Toolkit, ClassWeb Plus, etc.
  • Ability to use common cataloging tools to catalog a variety of bibliographical formats, including but not limited to: monographs, early printed works, realia, sound recordings, visual materials, etc.
  • Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • Strong attention to detail.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently, collaboratively, and in teams.

Additional Candidate Instructions

Applicants should attach a cover letter, resume/CV, and contact information for three professional references (including at least one previous or current supervisor) to this online application. Please use your cover letter to address how you meet the required and preferred qualifications. An online application must be completed to be considered for this position.

Review of applications will begin on December 11th. Please submit a complete application no later than midnight on December 10th for consideration.

Contact Information to Applicants

Tonia Morgan
morgt@ku.edu

Advertised Salary Range

Commensurate with experience

Application Review Begins

Tuesday December 10, 2024

Anticipated Start Date

Tuesday March 18, 2025

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Posting Information

  • Posting ID:  29302BR
  • Department:  Libraries-General
  • Primary Campus:  University of Kansas Lawrence Campus
  • Reg/Temp:  Regular
  • Employee Class:  F-Faculty
  • Review Begins:  10-Dec-2024

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