Administrator Division of Library- Archives

Administrator Division of Library-Archives

Job Announcement Code:    11-00496

Location: Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) Headquarters Building, 816 State Street; Madison, Wisconsin
County:         Dane
Classification Title:        Unclassified Indefinite Agency Appt. – 20.923(4) ESG 3
Job Working Title:        Administrator, Division of Library-Archives (State
Archivist)
Type of Employment:    Full Time (40 hours/week)
Salary:    $93,960 to 107,406 annual salary depending on qualifications plus excellent state benefits.  This is a non-represented position in pay schedule and range 90-03. This is an indefinite appointment; the incumbent serves at the discretion of the Director.

Special Qualifications: 
 A criminal background check will be conducted prior to an offer of employment.  Verification of academic degrees will be conducted prior to an offer of employment.

Contact:  
Brian Schroeder, Human Resources Specialist, Telephone 608/264-6409; Fax 608/264-6415; E-Mail BrianL.Schroeder@wisconsinhistory.org

Bargaining Unit:        Non-represented

Area of Competition:    Open

Deadline to Apply:        Completed materials must be received by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, May 2, 2011.

Introduction:
The Wisconsin Historical Society seeks an innovative leader and dynamic manager to be the Director the Society’s Library and Archives Division and to serve as the Wisconsin State Archivist.  The Society is a self-governing agency of the State of Wisconsin.  The Division manages a staff of 43 permanent employees plus many  part-time temporary and student workers, an annual budget of $5,220,669 and a collection numbering nearly four million items and 100,000 cubic feet of public and private records.  One of the nation’s premier research libraries, this Division serves as the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s North American History Library and administers the Wisconsin State Archives, a repository for state and local government records.  The Library-Archives Division is also widely known for its national holdings in genealogy, newspapers and periodicals, mass communications history, social action, organized labor, and film and theater history.  The Wisconsin Historical Society has a strong tradition that promotes the accessibility of all of its collections.

For additional information about the Wisconsin Historical Society Library-Archives, please see the website at: http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/libraryarchives/about.asp

Job Duties:
Under the direction and supervision of the Society’s Director, the Administrator of the Library-Archives Division performs professional administrative duties and is responsible for the development, operation, programming and overall management of the Division.  The Administrator directs staff in the areas of collection development, acquisitions, preservation, collection management, technical services, reference and public services, and outreach.  The Administrator is responsible for all aspects of a major state and national history research collection with a library of more than four million items (books, serials, state and federal government publications, digital collections, special collections, and other formats) and an archives of more than 100,000 cubic feet of textual collections, plus large holdings of visual materials, cartography, sound recordings, electronic records, and moving image film.  As State Archivist, this position is responsible for the program that manages and preserves the historical records of both state and local government and has delegated authority for making decisions regarding that program.  In addition, the Administrator coordinates the development and operation of the network of 13 Area Research Centers throughout Wisconsin.  The Administrator represents the Society on several state boards, University of Wisconsin (UW) committees and partnerships with other organizations.  The Administrator is the Society’s primary liaison with the University of Wisconsin and UW-Madison’s libraries for issues affecting the Society’s Library.  The Administrator plays the essential role in developing a vision for the future work of the Division in collecting, presenting, and preserving information in digital and electronic formats, while also understanding the issues relevant to protecting the Society’s important legacy collections.

Special Notes:
1.    A criminal background check will be conducted prior to an offer of employment to determine if the circumstances of any conviction may be related to the job.
2.    The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 requires employers to hire only individuals who are eligible to work in the United States.  Upon reporting for work, an individual will be expected to present proper evidence establishing employability.
3.    Verification of academic degrees will be conducted prior to an offer of employment.

Job Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
This position is responsible for administering a nationally known library and archives collection.  This position is unclassified and thus open to a variety of candidates with varying but applicable backgrounds.  A well-qualified candidate will have, at a minimum, a master’s degree.  The successful candidate will also possess a clear vision of the profession’s future including a commitment to the management and preservation of electronic records and information, an understanding of the issues associated with legacy collections, a sympathy for a high level of access to the collections, an affinity for a strong relationship with the University partner and the Society’s network of 13 Area Research Centers.  The candidate will have a demonstrated ability to manage a complex division, work well with a parent institution, administer budgets and office operations, create a collaborative environment, communicate very well, raise funds, and articulate priorities, values and needs across a diverse constituency including students, faculty, donors, elected officials and the general public. 

Because of the importance of working with a governing Board of Curators and of fundraising to supplement legislative appropriations, the Division Administrator should also have experience working in a non-profit organization.  Because of the importance of the Society’s academic audiences, the person in this position must also have a thorough background in the goals and requirements of undergraduate and graduate education so that the Division’s collections and programs can be improved to support these priorities.  This position requires an understanding of several disciplines including history, political science, journalism, business, economics and anthropology.  The Administrator must be conversant with a broad range of historical subjects and understand how research is evolving in a wide variety of disciplines in order to guide the development of the collections and the services provided to all researchers. 

How to Apply:
Please submit electronically a résumé and a cover letter detailing your qualifications for this position by e-mail to:
Brian Schroeder, Human Resources Specialist, Wisconsin Historical Society, 816 State Street, Madison, WI 53706-1482; Telephone 608/264-6409; E-mail at BrianL.Schroeder@wisconsinhistory.org

Completed materials must be received by 4:00 p.m. on Monday May 2, 2011.

Materials will be evaluated and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process. Questions may be directed to Brian Schroeder, Human Resources Specialist, Wisconsin Historical Society, 816 State Street, Madison, WI 53706-1482; Telephone 608/264-6409; Fax 608/264-6415; or E-mail at BrianL.Schroeder@wisconsinhistory.org

The Wisconsin Historical Society is an equal opportunity employer.