Curator of African American Collections

Position Overview

Ken Spencer Research Library (KSRL) at the University of Kansas (KU) Libraries seeks a creative and collaborative curator for its African American Experience (AAE) Collections. These collections are a major area of research and focus, documenting the legacy of African American individuals, families, businesses, churches, and schools through substantial correspondence, photographs, organizational, educational and business records, books, pamphlets, and newspapers. The curator will spearhead efforts to build and share collections that reflect the lives and experiences of African Americans in Kansas and the region, and will work with colleagues to develop a community‑based collecting program that supports the teaching and research missions of the university.

The curator will collaborate with KU faculty and other instructors teaching in varied subject areas, with students and other scholars, to interpret the rich resources of the collection through instruction, reference service, and public outreach. Working collaboratively across the Libraries and campus, the curator will support robust cataloging, description, preservation, and digitization of collection materials. The position reports to the Director of KSRL, may supervise student assistants or project staff, and works closely with the Kansas Collection Curator and Curator of Latino/a Collections.

This on‑site position requires periodic in‑state travel and occasional evening or weekend work. It is a full‑time, 12‑month, tenure‑track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Librarian or Associate Librian.

• Build relationships with individuals, families, and social, business, and political communities across the state to develop African American Experience collections through purchases and donations.
• Consult with and support organizations, individuals, and communities that wish to preserve and document their collections locally.
• Partner with library and university colleagues to integrate original resources and perspectives into courses across the KU curriculum, strengthening students’ primary source literacy.
• Develop and deliver instructional and outreach programming, including classes, tours, physical and virtual exhibitions, and blog posts.
• Plan and staff outreach events and activities to promote knowledge and use of the AAE collections, including traveling exhibits and presentations to potential users, donors, groups, and clubs.
• Serve as a public point of contact for this collection, including media inquiries, and advocate for the importance of historical materials.
• Provide reference assistance to students, faculty, and the public, and consult on reference requests in assigned areas.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the Libraries to promote the collections through digital initiatives, social media, community events, K‑12 outreach, tours, and other means.
• Work as a member of project teams and other groups to advance the libraries’ strategic priorities.
• Design and deliver library instruction to students in collaboration with faculty and other librarians.

Contribute to the profession’s collective knowledge by engaging in scholarly research activity. Research may involve the publication of articles, books, book reviews, grant‑supported inquiry, or editorial work (see Promotion and Tenure Procedures at KU, Spring 2017).

• Engage in service to the Libraries, the University, and professional organizations through committee work, projects, and other contributory achievements.

• ALA‑accredited master’s degree in library and information science or equivalent from a foreign institution by the date of appointment, or a PhD in library and information science from an ALA‑accredited LIS program that also offered an ALA‑accredited master’s degree at the time the PhD was awarded.
• For a specialized archives role, a graduate degree (master’s or PhD) in an appropriate field or an archival certification by the Academy of Certified Archivists.
• Appointment at the Associate Librarian rank requires documentation of work at the level appropriate to the rank, based on accreditation…