Head of Archives and Special Collections

The Center for Craft, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization located in downtown Asheville, North Carolina, is seeking a Head of Archives and Special Collections to lead the establishment and day-to-day management of the Community Craft Library & Archives, which will become a home, resource, and destination for studying expansive craft histories. These collections contain valuable information and resources for independent researchers, educators, students, collectors, curators, scholars, writers, publishers, artists, hobbyists, and craft appreciators.

By stewarding and activating these invaluable resources, the Center aims to broaden access, expand the holdings, and catalyze new research to ensure that craft’s evolving histories continue to be explored, understood, celebrated, and shared for generations to come.

This is a hands‑on, mid‑career role for an archivist/special collections professional who has a proven track record of creating strategic access plans, building systems, and offering excellent public services—all while partnering across departments to integrate the collections with other programs to impact the craft field and communities.

The successful candidate will manage the access, care, and maintenance of archival and special collections, including supporting the development of collections policies, plans, and procedures, as well as processing, arranging, and describing unprocessed materials and liaising with a Community Advisory Committee.

A core mandate of this role is to oversee the relocation of the American Craft Council Library & Archives Collection to Asheville, and its integration with the Center’s holdings, culminating in a public opening currently projected for 2028. Collections consist of 25,000+ digital records and over 400 linear feet of archival materials, including artist/individual files and organizational records such as photographs, slides, negatives, oral histories, ephemera, and digital holdings, among others.

In addition, the position will manage a reference library consisting of more than 20,000 books, exhibition catalogs, publications, and other resources. Special Collections also includes a materials collection with over 100 samples of common and novel craft materials.

This position is full‑time and exempt, with occasional evenings and weekends, and reports to the Director of Programs and Curator. The starting salary is $75,000, with full benefits including medical/dental, life insurance, LTD and STD, and 401(k), as well as five weeks of paid leave and recognized federal holidays. This position is required onsite and is a functional member of the Operations Team.

Relocation stipends are not available.

Applications will be accepted until January 31, 2025.

• Master’s degree in Library and Information Science or a related field, and 5+ years of related experience or education in practicing professional archival standards and current community archiving practices.
• Working knowledge of the arts and craft fields and U.S. craft/art history is highly preferred.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills; ability to work effectively in a diverse and cooperative environment.
• Ability to create, interpret, and apply written policies and procedures.
• Efficiently manage correspondence, research inquiries, and multiple projects within deadlines.
• Knowledge of archival best practices, including conservation, preservation, and special collections procedures.
• Knowledge of national data content, structure, and visual materials standards for library and archival collections.
• Demonstrated skills and experience balancing prioritizing access and conservation with holdings to be digitized and made available online.
• Understanding of records coding and tagging to ensure optimal discoverability.
  
  Experience working across collections‑focused platforms and ensuring integration with external‑facing publicly accessible sites and, as required, other institutions’ collections technologies.
• Strong organizational skills; able to set priorities and plan short‑ and long‑term goals.
• Skilled in gathering data, creating systems, and preparing…