Head of Special Collections

About the role

The Head of Special Collections oversees the collections, services, staff, and operations of the Department of Special Collections, the University of Wisconsin‑Madison’s primary home for rare books, manuscripts, and other rare and unique collections. With approximately 300,000 rare books and many manuscript and archival collections, the holdings in the Department of Special Collections include internationally prominent collections in literature, global history and culture, and the history of science. The Head of Special Collections directs and provides vision for researcher support, class support, outreach, and faculty engagement. This position articulates collection priorities and works with curators to develop collections to support faculty instruction and research. The Head of Special Collections collaborates with others to ensure the proper cataloging, description, digitization, and preservation of collections and is responsible for external fundraising, including donor development and grant writing. They build creative and collaborative partnerships with faculty, academic departments, archives, museums, and libraries across campus and around the world. As the primary leadership position for Special Collections, the department head establishes strategic directions, sets goals, and