Curator of Early Printed Books

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Huntington is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, disability, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal law.

Curator of Early Printed Books

T he Huntington Library seeks a Curator of Early Printed Books to steward, develop, and interpret its extensive collection of books from the hand‑press era (ca. 1450‑1800). The collection includes over 400,000 items, over 5,000 incunabula, and one of the world’s largest groups of extra‑illustrated books.

In this role you will be part of the Library’s unified Curatorial Department, reporting to the Head of the Library Curatorial Department and collaborating closely with other curators. Your work will support research, exhibitions, public programming, and preservation of one of the richest printed records in Britain and the United States.

• Steward and develop the Early Printed Books collection through gifts and purchases, and guide development of general reference collections.
• Interpret the collection for scholars and the public through exhibitions, lectures, public talks, tours, conferences, publications, digital initiatives, and outreach activities.
• Provide research and reference assistance and review Huntington fellowship applications for relevance to the collections.
• Collaborate with Library Director, Advancement staff, and Head of Library Curatorial to identify and steward donors and secure grants for the collections.
• Work with Technical Services to create access tools and catalog records that meet scholarly needs.
• Partner with Reader Services to develop tools, including Lib Guides, to improve access and understanding.
• Establish priorities and initiate projects for preservation and conservation in collaboration with the Head of Preservation and preservation staff.
• Advise Education and Public Programs on interpretation and participate in institutional programs.
• Stay current with developments in scholarly and library professional communities.
• Represent the Library in professional organizations at local, regional, national, and international levels.
• Contribute to departmental, division, and institution‑wide initiatives in collaboration with colleagues and support staff.

• Advanced degree (PhD preferred, MLIS or similar) in history of the book, bibliography, or related discipline.
• Specific subject knowledge of the hand‑press era, European printing methods, bibliography, and related history.
• Familiarity with incunabula and 15th‑18th century printed book catalogues such as ESTC and ISTC.
• Knowledge of the Material Evidence in Incunabula (MEI) project and ability to oversee international interns.
• Demonstrated experience conducting advanced research with rare books and primary sources and provenance research.
• Familiarity with library and special collection standards, copyright issues, and management of restricted collections.
• Understanding of the rare book trade.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, oral, and written communication skills, including public speaking.
• Reading knowledge of a non‑English European language relevant to the collection, preferably German and/or Latin.
• Understanding of preservation issues common in special collections libraries.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and excel in a fast‑paced, demanding research library with a public mission.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with a diverse group of colleagues, researchers, donors, and communities.
• Demonstrated collegiality, professional contributions, and record of collaboration.

• Minimum of 5 years professional experience in special collections or a research library.
• Experience acquiring rare materials.
• Experience with digitization and digital humanities projects.
• Record of scholarly and professional contributions.

• Normal office environment.
• Some weekend and evening work required.
• Some local, national, and international travel required.

• Pay Range: $90,000.00 – $, commensurate with experience.
• Medical, Dental, Vision insurance.
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match.
• Hybrid remote work schedule available for applicable positions.
• Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and holidays.
• Discounts for staff at The Huntington Store and selected restaurants.
• Free admission to various museums and cultural institutions.
• Free passes each month to welcome family and friends to visit the grounds.