Director, Rare Book School Charlottesville, VA

The Rare Book School Board of Directors and the University of Virginia announce a search for a new director of the Rare Book School (RBS). Founded by Terry Belanger at Columbia Library School in 1983 and moved to UVA in 1992, RBS is the most distinguished institution in the field, offering immersive, hands-on courses in the interdisciplinary study of rare books, manuscripts, the history of the book, and related fields -- courses that have become integral to the education of librarians, scholars, and dealers and book collectors in the United States and internationally. Building on a quarter century of achievement by Belanger, a MacArthur Foundation Fellow, the new director will provide intellectual leadership for the School while assuming responsibility for its operations, budget, staff, and extensive teaching collections. The director sets the curriculum, recruits expert instructors, and supervises a year-round administrative staff. The director works with the board of the RBS (a 501(c)3 organization) in the areas of development, finances, and public relations. At a time when the written and printed record confronts the implications of new technologies of communication, the next director will have the opportunity to shape the future of the RBS in preserving and transmitting the heritage of books and other printed matter to a world experiencing a digital revolution.

The search committee invites applicants with a distinguished record of accomplishment in fields relevant to the mission of the RBS and is prepared to recommend the appropriate senior academic or administrative appointment at the University of Virginia for the successful candidate at a salary commensurate with experience.

To apply online, complete a Candidate Profile and attach a letter of application, CV, and contact information for three (3) references through Jobs@UVA (https://jobs.virginia.edu); search on Posting Number 0602716. Review of applications will begin November 15, 2008; however, the position will remain open to applications until filled.

For more information, contact: Beverly Lynch, Professor, Graduate School of Education & Information Studies, UCLA 241 GSEIS Building, Mailbox 951520, 300 North Charles E. Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1520 (310) 206-4294 bplynch@ucla.edu

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.