Head of Library Services

Join to apply for the Head of Library Services role at The Museum of Modern Art

Join to apply for the Head of Library Services role at The Museum of Modern Art

The Museum of Modern Art Library (MoMA), as one of the world’s leading art research libraries, is a comprehensive collection devoted to modern and contemporary art. The non-circulating collection documents painting, sculpture, drawings, prints, photography, architecture, design, performance, video, film, and emerging art forms from 1880 to the present (from 1830 for photography). The Library’s holdings include over 400,000 books and exhibition catalogs, 15,000 artists' books, 5,000 periodical titles, and over 90,000 files of ephemera about individual artists and groups.

The Library is a founding member of the New York Art Resources Consortium (NYARC).

Position summary:

MoMA is currently recruiting for a Head of Library Services to lead collection development and management, and service-related activities at the MoMA Library. Specific areas of responsibilities include managing reference, acquisitions, circulation, preservation, and overall use of and access to the Library’s collection. Directly manages, at both the day-to-day and strategic levels, a team of professionals and paraprofessionals. Develops, mentors, and grows a highly customer-service oriented, responsive, and professional staff through both modeling and performance development.

Periodically assesses and surveys Museum staff and public researchers and then develops and delivers new library services in response to those needs. Reporting to the chief of ALRC, serves as one of three senior staff in the department, working closely with the head of Archives Services and the head of Metadata and Systems, in a collaborative environment to insure the continued excellence and innovation in a renowned center for art research and scholarship.

As a key member of the ALRC management team, closely partners with the chief of Archives, Library, and Research Collections in short and long-term strategic planning, and proactively assesses current library services and needs, researches best practices, and makes recommendations to the chief to ensure the highest caliber program.

Responsibilities:

• Provides vision, oversight, and coordination for reference, collection management, and outreach, including recommending best practices and evaluating and maintaining up-to-date knowledge of trends and new ideas in information science management.
• Manages reader services for Museum staff and public researchers, as well as staffing the reference desk, in order to provide the best scholarly and customer service.
• Provides oversight of all collection management functions, including circulation, interlibrary loan, and space planning.
• Establishes assessment and benchmarking needs for the Library, with data analysis and statistics related to library collection usage and visitor data, and prepares and evaluates related reports.
• Leads strategic effort to analyze and assess overall collection strengths, needs, priorities, and goals in relation to available resources.
• Develops and updates a collection development policy in consultation with curators and colleagues across the Museum to conscientiously and strategically build the collection.
• Directs acquisitions activities.
• Oversees the development of and procedures for physical and electronic collection access, preservation and conservation to provide excellent and efficient service while safeguarding materials.
• Ensures effective stewardship of the materials budgets, including routine monitoring of acquisition and preservation budgets.
• Continuously evaluates publication trends in art history and visual culture to remain abreast of how new developments may impact the field.
• Actively promotes the Library locally and globally to build awareness and develops strategies to increase use through presentations at seminars, professional associations, etc.
• Is fluent in current technologies and plans for their long term evolution and new developments.
• Leads recruitment efforts for select open positions and makes hiring decisions for staff vacancies, internships, and library fellows. Develops,…