University of California - Riverside
Director of Special Collections and University Archives
University of California - Riverside, Riverside, California, United States, 92504
Position overview
Position title:
Director of Special Collections and University Archives Salary range:
$75,958 - $173,482 Anticipated start:
Winter/Spring 2026 Application Window Open date:
September 16, 2025 Next review date:
Friday, Nov 21, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee. Final date:
Friday, Nov 21, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Applications will continue to be accepted until this date. Position description
The University of California, Riverside (UCR) Library seeks applications for an innovative, dynamic and collaborative change agent to serve as the Director of Special Collections and University Archives. The ideal candidate will be committed to building comprehensive research collections that support creative scholarship, be passionate about special collections, and an expert in new and emerging information and library technologies. The Director of Special Collections and University Archives serves as a member of the UCR Library leadership team and plays an integral role in strategic planning within an innovative, deeply collaborative environment. The Director of Special Collections and University Archives is responsible for the collaborative strategic direction, administration, and day-to-day operations of Special Collections and University Archives. Located an hour's drive to the east of Los Angeles, an hour west of Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, an hour east of ocean beaches, ninety minutes north of San Diego, and an hour south of mountain ski resorts, UCR is located in an area of dramatic landscapes and rich cultural traditions. The University is a dynamic, aggressively developing land grant research institution dedicated to preparing its diverse student body to be successful competitors in the world marketplace of ideas. Over the past few years, UCR has accumulated numerous accolades for its achievements. In 2022, it received the following rankings: No. 1 public university in the U.S. for social mobility four years in a row - U.S. News & World Report No. 1 for Hispanic enrollment among selective universities - Urban Institute No. 2 in the country for financial aid - Business Insider No. 2 in Entomology research in the world - Center for World University Rankings No. 3 in Hispanic STEM graduates in the nation - National Science Foundation No. 4 for Pell Grant student performance - Washington Monthly No. 9 among public universities for sustainability - Princeton Review No. 11 most diverse medical school - U.S. News Top 12 public university - Forbes \"America's Best Value Colleges\" No. 14 public university - CNBC \"Colleges That Pay Off the Most\" No. 20 public university - Princeton Review Best Schools for Making a Public Impact No. 31 in the world in plant and animal sciences - U.S. News & World Report In addition, it has attracted faculty with some of the highest academic honors, including: 2 Nobel Prize Winners 2 Guggenheim Awards 4 UC University Professorships 11 Fulbright Scholars 28 National Academies Members The UCR Library is a critical partner in preparing UCR's students to be globally competitive while simultaneously preparing them to be transformative leaders in the Inland Empire and beyond. The mission of the UCR Library is to bring the world's information resources to the UCR community and to ensure that UCR students, faculty, and staff have the skills to fully exploit those resources to change the world for the better. The UCR Library is a team of intensely collaborative, forward-thinking colleagues dedicated to providing exemplary services to our students, faculty, and community members in a rapidly evolving information environment. The successful candidate will be technologically-sophisticated; committed to problem-solving in local, regional, national, and international arenas; able to develop innovative solutions to complex problems; and a dynamic and effective leader. The UCR Library comprises two facilities housing more than 4,900,000 volumes, 1,740,000 electronic books, 120,000 print and electronic journals, and 2,300,000 microforms. The Library provides services to more than 27,000 students and nearly 2,000 faculty and other academics in an institutional environment planning for and experiencing extensive growth. The successful candidate will join an enthusiastic staff of 100, including 36 FTE librarians and 65 FTE staff personnel as well as students, in building a research library of excellence within a dynamic and diverse university ranked among the top 50 in the nation. The UCR Library is a member of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Among the unique collections of the UCR Library is the Eaton Collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy, the Water Resources Collections & Archives, the Rupert Costo Library of the American Indian, the Paul Chou Collection of Chinese history and culture, the George Brown Papers, the Tomas Rivera Papers, and the Inland Empire Memories Initiative. Information about the UCR Library is available at http://library.ucr.edu. The UCR Library is an integral part of the University of California library system. With collections totaling 40.8 million volumes, including 4.3 million digitized contents contributed to HathiTrust, UC's more than 100 libraries are surpassed in size on the American continent only by the Library of Congress collection. In addition, UC's California Digital Library (CDL) provides the core of the University's digital collections. CDL also assists UC to share resources and holdings more effectively, and provides leadership in applying technology to the development of library collections and services. Organizationally situated within the UC Office of the President, the CDL operates in close collaboration with all UC campuses and their libraries. Key Responsibilities Include: The Director of Special Collections and University Archives provides leadership to a team of librarians and professionals and is responsible for the collections, services, operations, development and stewardship of Special Collections and University Archives. Specific responsibilities include: Provided leadership and management of a forward-thinking Special Collections and University Archives program through engagement in strategic planning, team leadership, assessment, reporting, and continuous process improvement Provided overall direction for a diverse team of professionals within a collaborative environment Empowers team members to make independent decisions at appropriate operational levels and evaluates accountability Leads the department by example, establishes workloads and procedures, delegates responsibility, regularly assesses performance, and provides guidance, coaching, and support to achieve department goals Collaboratively establishes policies and priorities for collection development for digital and physical special collections, focusing on unique collections to support original scholarship, innovative learning, transformative teaching, and the University's academic priorities Works closely with Collection Strategies, Research Services, Teaching and Learning, and other library units to ensure that all University Library collections grow in alignment with University academic priorities Identifies, analyzes, and initiates new collecting areas based on University programs and initiatives Works with the Library's Research and Technology Division and other Library and University departments and community members to develop infrastructure that establishes a national presence for UCR as a center for digitization and digital humanities Serves as a chief strategist for identifying distinctive collections materials to be digitized and made available to a wider audience Serves as administrator for Special Collections and University Archives, overseeing daily operations including research, reference, access services, instruction programs, collection development and management, preservation, budgets, program development and execution, and outreach Oversees the Library's exhibition program Participates in the Library's and University's outreach to university, community, and wider audiences, including donor development, fundraising and grant-writing, in collaboration with library administrators and University development officers Represents Special Collections and University Archives and the UCR Library at events, regional, national, and international meetings and conferences, and campus, consortia, organizational and professional activities Fosters and sustains collaborative relationships with faculty and researchers related to supporting new services and initiatives Fosters, leads and sustains operational and strategic relationships with peer institutions, consortia, and vendors Participates in library-wide activities, administrative committees, special projects and library programs; representing the UCR Library on UC standing committees and ad-hoc groups, as assigned Appointment at rank of Associate Librarian to Librarian - Potential Career depending upon qualifications and experience. Advancement through the librarian ranks at the University of California is through a series of merit-based evaluations, every two to three years, with peer review. See Table 26-A: Non-Represented Librarian Series for salary range. A reasonable estimate for this position is $75,958 - $140,182. Excellent retirement system, health, and vacation benefits. Department : https://library.ucr.edu/ Qualifications
Basic qualifications
(required at time of application) ALA-accredited Master’s Degree or equivalent or advanced degree in relevant fields Demonstrated leadership with progressively increasing scope of management in a research library or similar setting Record of accomplishment in collection development and management, including digitized and born-digital materials Ability to articulate vision for the value of special collections and archives to learning, research, teaching, and community engagement Ability to provide organizational leadership Experience managing professional library staff Experience working with collectors and donors to cultivate gifts of collections and financial resources, and donor relationships Experience with management and preservation of archival and special collections in textual and non-textual formats Knowledge of digital scholarship initiatives Experience building relationships within the library, university departments, community, alumni Ability to thrive in a dynamically-evolving organization Experience with change management methodologies Understanding of changes in academic library research and reference trends and ability to adapt Assessment and data analysis skills Creative thinking about library services and technologies Excellent organizational skills and ability to balance multiple projects Initiative and creativity Effective oral and written communication Record of sustained scholarly/professional achievement Strong interpersonal skills for collaboration with diverse groups Preferred qualifications Additional advanced degree; Ph.D. is desired Reading/speaking a foreign language; Spanish desirable ArchivIdentity certification Familiarity with copyright and intellectual property issues Familiarity or connections in the rare book world Fundraising experience, including grants and gifts Experience developing educational programs that showcase special collections Commitment to opportunities for underrepresented and first-generation students and professionals Application Requirements
Document requirements Curriculum Vitae Cover Letter Statement of Research (Optional) Statement of Teaching (Optional) Reference requirements 3-5 required (contact information only) Please provide contact information for a minimum of three references. Apply link:
https://aprecruit.ucr.edu/JPF02156 Help contact:
libhr@ucr.edu About UC Riverside
The University of California, Riverside is a world-class research university with an exceptionally diverse undergraduate student body. UCR is a member institution of the American Association of Universities (AAU) as well as the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HSRU). A commitment to the UCR mission is a preferred qualification. We seek to hire scholars who will advance our research directions and educate our students, while engaging with University service activities. Research and teaching statements are opportunities to share knowledge and goals supporting the mission of UCR. For more information on UC criteria for successful faculty, refer to Academic Personnel Manual (APM) 210. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories. It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor. As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements. Federal, State, or local directives may impose additional requirements. As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining misconduct. Misconduct includes violations of policies or laws governing conduct at the previous place of employment. A Misconduct Disclosure Survey will be completed through Truescreen. For UC policies on violence, harassment, anti-discrimination, and related matters, please visit: policy.ucop.edu Job location: Riverside, CA
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Position title:
Director of Special Collections and University Archives Salary range:
$75,958 - $173,482 Anticipated start:
Winter/Spring 2026 Application Window Open date:
September 16, 2025 Next review date:
Friday, Nov 21, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee. Final date:
Friday, Nov 21, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Applications will continue to be accepted until this date. Position description
The University of California, Riverside (UCR) Library seeks applications for an innovative, dynamic and collaborative change agent to serve as the Director of Special Collections and University Archives. The ideal candidate will be committed to building comprehensive research collections that support creative scholarship, be passionate about special collections, and an expert in new and emerging information and library technologies. The Director of Special Collections and University Archives serves as a member of the UCR Library leadership team and plays an integral role in strategic planning within an innovative, deeply collaborative environment. The Director of Special Collections and University Archives is responsible for the collaborative strategic direction, administration, and day-to-day operations of Special Collections and University Archives. Located an hour's drive to the east of Los Angeles, an hour west of Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, an hour east of ocean beaches, ninety minutes north of San Diego, and an hour south of mountain ski resorts, UCR is located in an area of dramatic landscapes and rich cultural traditions. The University is a dynamic, aggressively developing land grant research institution dedicated to preparing its diverse student body to be successful competitors in the world marketplace of ideas. Over the past few years, UCR has accumulated numerous accolades for its achievements. In 2022, it received the following rankings: No. 1 public university in the U.S. for social mobility four years in a row - U.S. News & World Report No. 1 for Hispanic enrollment among selective universities - Urban Institute No. 2 in the country for financial aid - Business Insider No. 2 in Entomology research in the world - Center for World University Rankings No. 3 in Hispanic STEM graduates in the nation - National Science Foundation No. 4 for Pell Grant student performance - Washington Monthly No. 9 among public universities for sustainability - Princeton Review No. 11 most diverse medical school - U.S. News Top 12 public university - Forbes \"America's Best Value Colleges\" No. 14 public university - CNBC \"Colleges That Pay Off the Most\" No. 20 public university - Princeton Review Best Schools for Making a Public Impact No. 31 in the world in plant and animal sciences - U.S. News & World Report In addition, it has attracted faculty with some of the highest academic honors, including: 2 Nobel Prize Winners 2 Guggenheim Awards 4 UC University Professorships 11 Fulbright Scholars 28 National Academies Members The UCR Library is a critical partner in preparing UCR's students to be globally competitive while simultaneously preparing them to be transformative leaders in the Inland Empire and beyond. The mission of the UCR Library is to bring the world's information resources to the UCR community and to ensure that UCR students, faculty, and staff have the skills to fully exploit those resources to change the world for the better. The UCR Library is a team of intensely collaborative, forward-thinking colleagues dedicated to providing exemplary services to our students, faculty, and community members in a rapidly evolving information environment. The successful candidate will be technologically-sophisticated; committed to problem-solving in local, regional, national, and international arenas; able to develop innovative solutions to complex problems; and a dynamic and effective leader. The UCR Library comprises two facilities housing more than 4,900,000 volumes, 1,740,000 electronic books, 120,000 print and electronic journals, and 2,300,000 microforms. The Library provides services to more than 27,000 students and nearly 2,000 faculty and other academics in an institutional environment planning for and experiencing extensive growth. The successful candidate will join an enthusiastic staff of 100, including 36 FTE librarians and 65 FTE staff personnel as well as students, in building a research library of excellence within a dynamic and diverse university ranked among the top 50 in the nation. The UCR Library is a member of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Among the unique collections of the UCR Library is the Eaton Collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy, the Water Resources Collections & Archives, the Rupert Costo Library of the American Indian, the Paul Chou Collection of Chinese history and culture, the George Brown Papers, the Tomas Rivera Papers, and the Inland Empire Memories Initiative. Information about the UCR Library is available at http://library.ucr.edu. The UCR Library is an integral part of the University of California library system. With collections totaling 40.8 million volumes, including 4.3 million digitized contents contributed to HathiTrust, UC's more than 100 libraries are surpassed in size on the American continent only by the Library of Congress collection. In addition, UC's California Digital Library (CDL) provides the core of the University's digital collections. CDL also assists UC to share resources and holdings more effectively, and provides leadership in applying technology to the development of library collections and services. Organizationally situated within the UC Office of the President, the CDL operates in close collaboration with all UC campuses and their libraries. Key Responsibilities Include: The Director of Special Collections and University Archives provides leadership to a team of librarians and professionals and is responsible for the collections, services, operations, development and stewardship of Special Collections and University Archives. Specific responsibilities include: Provided leadership and management of a forward-thinking Special Collections and University Archives program through engagement in strategic planning, team leadership, assessment, reporting, and continuous process improvement Provided overall direction for a diverse team of professionals within a collaborative environment Empowers team members to make independent decisions at appropriate operational levels and evaluates accountability Leads the department by example, establishes workloads and procedures, delegates responsibility, regularly assesses performance, and provides guidance, coaching, and support to achieve department goals Collaboratively establishes policies and priorities for collection development for digital and physical special collections, focusing on unique collections to support original scholarship, innovative learning, transformative teaching, and the University's academic priorities Works closely with Collection Strategies, Research Services, Teaching and Learning, and other library units to ensure that all University Library collections grow in alignment with University academic priorities Identifies, analyzes, and initiates new collecting areas based on University programs and initiatives Works with the Library's Research and Technology Division and other Library and University departments and community members to develop infrastructure that establishes a national presence for UCR as a center for digitization and digital humanities Serves as a chief strategist for identifying distinctive collections materials to be digitized and made available to a wider audience Serves as administrator for Special Collections and University Archives, overseeing daily operations including research, reference, access services, instruction programs, collection development and management, preservation, budgets, program development and execution, and outreach Oversees the Library's exhibition program Participates in the Library's and University's outreach to university, community, and wider audiences, including donor development, fundraising and grant-writing, in collaboration with library administrators and University development officers Represents Special Collections and University Archives and the UCR Library at events, regional, national, and international meetings and conferences, and campus, consortia, organizational and professional activities Fosters and sustains collaborative relationships with faculty and researchers related to supporting new services and initiatives Fosters, leads and sustains operational and strategic relationships with peer institutions, consortia, and vendors Participates in library-wide activities, administrative committees, special projects and library programs; representing the UCR Library on UC standing committees and ad-hoc groups, as assigned Appointment at rank of Associate Librarian to Librarian - Potential Career depending upon qualifications and experience. Advancement through the librarian ranks at the University of California is through a series of merit-based evaluations, every two to three years, with peer review. See Table 26-A: Non-Represented Librarian Series for salary range. A reasonable estimate for this position is $75,958 - $140,182. Excellent retirement system, health, and vacation benefits. Department : https://library.ucr.edu/ Qualifications
Basic qualifications
(required at time of application) ALA-accredited Master’s Degree or equivalent or advanced degree in relevant fields Demonstrated leadership with progressively increasing scope of management in a research library or similar setting Record of accomplishment in collection development and management, including digitized and born-digital materials Ability to articulate vision for the value of special collections and archives to learning, research, teaching, and community engagement Ability to provide organizational leadership Experience managing professional library staff Experience working with collectors and donors to cultivate gifts of collections and financial resources, and donor relationships Experience with management and preservation of archival and special collections in textual and non-textual formats Knowledge of digital scholarship initiatives Experience building relationships within the library, university departments, community, alumni Ability to thrive in a dynamically-evolving organization Experience with change management methodologies Understanding of changes in academic library research and reference trends and ability to adapt Assessment and data analysis skills Creative thinking about library services and technologies Excellent organizational skills and ability to balance multiple projects Initiative and creativity Effective oral and written communication Record of sustained scholarly/professional achievement Strong interpersonal skills for collaboration with diverse groups Preferred qualifications Additional advanced degree; Ph.D. is desired Reading/speaking a foreign language; Spanish desirable ArchivIdentity certification Familiarity with copyright and intellectual property issues Familiarity or connections in the rare book world Fundraising experience, including grants and gifts Experience developing educational programs that showcase special collections Commitment to opportunities for underrepresented and first-generation students and professionals Application Requirements
Document requirements Curriculum Vitae Cover Letter Statement of Research (Optional) Statement of Teaching (Optional) Reference requirements 3-5 required (contact information only) Please provide contact information for a minimum of three references. Apply link:
https://aprecruit.ucr.edu/JPF02156 Help contact:
libhr@ucr.edu About UC Riverside
The University of California, Riverside is a world-class research university with an exceptionally diverse undergraduate student body. UCR is a member institution of the American Association of Universities (AAU) as well as the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities (HSRU). A commitment to the UCR mission is a preferred qualification. We seek to hire scholars who will advance our research directions and educate our students, while engaging with University service activities. Research and teaching statements are opportunities to share knowledge and goals supporting the mission of UCR. For more information on UC criteria for successful faculty, refer to Academic Personnel Manual (APM) 210. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories. It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor. As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements. Federal, State, or local directives may impose additional requirements. As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining misconduct. Misconduct includes violations of policies or laws governing conduct at the previous place of employment. A Misconduct Disclosure Survey will be completed through Truescreen. For UC policies on violence, harassment, anti-discrimination, and related matters, please visit: policy.ucop.edu Job location: Riverside, CA
#J-18808-Ljbffr