Special Collections Library Lead for Archival Processing and Collection Strategies

This role advances Penn State's strategic priorities by strengthening research infrastructure, expanding access to distinctive collections, and supporting student-centered learning through engagement with rare and unique materials. Reporting to the Head of the Eberly Family Special Collections, the Lead for Archival Processing and Collection Strategies provides strategic and operational leadership for the full lifecycle stewardship of collections in all formats and mediums in the Eberly Family Special Collections Library (SCL).

About the Eberly Family Special Collections Library

The Eberly Family Special Collections Library (SCL) preserves and provides access to Penn State University's rare book, manuscripts, archives, oral histories, photographs, and other distinctive collections in support of research, teaching, and public engagement. As part of one of the nation's leading research libraries, SCL is building a future-focused program that combines exceptional stewardship with innovative approaches to teaching, scholarship, and access. Through collaborative partnerships across the University and beyond, Special Collections is expanding opportunities for students, faculty, researchers, and communities to engage with rare and unique collections in meaningful and transformative ways. The library is committed to responsible stewardship, inclusive description, emerging technologies, and creating new pathways for discovery that ensure distinctive collections remain vital to the University's land-grant mission.

Responsibilities

• Collections Services Leadership
  • Leads strategy and operations for the full cycle of collections management in SCL, including accessioning, processing, arrangement and description, digitization coordination, rehousing, and collections maintenance.
  • Supervises and mentors collections services employees, building a stable and collaborative team culture grounded in transparency, accountability, and shared purpose.
  • Establishes and maintains policies, procedures, and documentation standards to ensure consistency, efficiency, and adherence to professional best practices.
  • Sets and manages processing priorities in alignment with SCL’s collection development plan, donor commitments, teaching and researcher demand, and institutional goals.
  • Oversees accessioning workflows, including documentation, donor agreements coordination, and integration of new acquisitions into collection management systems.
  • Ensures compliance with archival standards (e.g., DACS, EAD, ArchivesSpace practices) and promotes scalable, sustainable processing models.
  • Tracks and reports on collections access metrics, backlog reduction, and stewardship outcomes.
• Preservation, Conservation, and Digitization Coordination
  • Serves as the primary liaison between Special Collections and Preservation, Conservation, and Digitization units.
  • Collaborates on prioritization of conservation treatments, rehousing initiatives, environmental monitoring, and preservation planning.
  • Coordinates digitization workflows for archival collections in alignment with access priorities and resource capacity.
  • Ensures that digitization initiatives are integrated into overall collections strategy rather than functioning as isolated projects.
  • Partners with Digital Collections colleagues to support responsible digital stewardship and long-term preservation planning.
  • Contributes to shared infrastructure planning for physical and digital collection care.
• Access and Stewardship Strategy
  • Advances access to collections while safeguarding their long-term preservation by developing processing strategies that balance researcher access, preservation needs, and available staffing resources.
  • Collaborates with Research Services to align description and processing decisions with teaching and research use.
  • Supports the integration of newly processed collections into instruction, exhibitions, fellowships, and public programming.
  • Ensures ethical stewardship practices that reflect commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and responsible archival representation.
• Contributions to Special Collections Leadership
  • Advises the Head of Special Collections on collections stewardship strategy, space planning for processing and storage, and staffing needs.
  • Contributes to long-range planning related to facilities, environmental controls, and collections growth.
  • Participates in the Special Collections Curation Team and collaborates on prioritizing acquisitions and stewardship commitments.
  • Supports Penn State’s learning and teaching mission, faculty research, and land-grant commitment through accessible and well-stewarded collections.
  • Participates in donor stewardship efforts related to processing, preservation, and access outcomes.
  • Provides reference service to faculty, students, and researchers on a rotating basis.
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
  • Integrates inclusive and ethical practices into all aspects of collections stewardship, including accessing, description, prioritization, and access.
  • Attends to culturally responsive description and expanding access to collections that document historically underrepresented communities.
• Research, Service, and Professional Development
  • Maintains an active research agenda appropriate to rank and tenure status (if applicable).
  • Represents the Special Collections Library on relevant library and university committees and task forces.
  • Participates in the governance structure of the Libraries and advances the mission and values of the University.
  • Engages in service to the profession through scholarship, presentations, and professional organizations.
  • Pursues continuing education and professional development in archival stewardship, preservation strategy, and leadership.

Requirements

• Required Qualifications
  • Master’s degree in library and information science from an ALA-accredited program or an equivalent combination of advanced degree and relevant experience.
  • Demonstrated experience leading archival processing, arrangement and description, accessioning, collections management, or related archival stewardship functions.
  • Demonstrated leadership experience, such as supervision, mentoring, fostering a collaborative work environment, and/or project management.
  • Knowledge of archival standards, practices, and technologies, including DACS, EAD, ArchivesSpace, and contemporary archival processing methodologies.
  • Effective written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
  • Evidence of the potential to meet the University Libraries’ expectations for research and service, and scholarship as a tenure-line faculty member.
• Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience coordinating with preservation, conservation, and/or digitization initiatives.
  • Experience working with born-digital archival materials and digital stewardship.
  • Experience with Aeon.
  • Experience using data and assessment to inform collections priorities and operational decision-making.
  • Experience supporting archival instruction, exhibitions, or public engagement.
  • Experience working with community archives or culturally responsive stewardship practices.
  • Record of scholarly publication, grant activity, or professional leadership.
  • Experience leading organizational change or implementing new workflows.
  • Familiarity with AI-enabled tools and emerging technologies that support archival processing, description, and discovery.

Schedule

The University expects regular onsite presence to fully participate in their university workspace or on-campus intellectual and educational community. Occasional hybrid work may be permissible upon approval of the supervisor.

Benefits

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional wellbeing. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans. One of the standout benefits is the generous tuition discount for employees and eligible family members.