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Reporting to the Assistant Director of Collection Development, the Curator of Literary and Poetry Collections is responsible for the development, management, and promotion of the Rose Library’s globally significant collection of materials related to modern and contemporary literature and poetry. Success in this role will require excellent relationship building skills, to ensure that the collections align with institutional priorities, and programmatic offerings have an impact on the Emory campus and in the communities served through these collections. The incumbent will select materials for acquisition in all appropriate formats through donation or purchase in alignment with the priorities of the Rose Library, Emory Libraries, and Emory University. The librarian will attend to both the big picture goal of building the collection, and the day-to-day administrative details required to successfully realize acquisitions. The incumbent will build long-term relationships with donors to help support the library’s financial capacity to acquire and care for the collections. The Curator will actively promote engagement with the collections, in collaboration with Public Services, Campus and Community Relations, academic departments and academic centers, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and allied divisions through programmatic outreach that includes public programming, exhibitions and displays, social media, updated Lib Guides and websites, and innovative forms of engagement. A key responsibility of the curator is to contribute directly to instruction and research services, creating a direct and vital connection to researcher, faculty, student, and community interests, and demonstrating a commitment to teamwork. In this position, the incumbent collaborates with Collection Services to consider and ensure the library’s ability to steward collections responsibly. The librarian participates as a member of the library and university community by maintaining visibility on campus, serving on various committees, and incorporating poetry and literature holdings in the cultural life of the university. The Curator of Literary and Poetry Collections is expected to contribute to the library and professional community through committee service, conference presentations, and/or scholarship.

Emory Libraries requires that our employees recognize diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential core values to achieving our mission to enrich the quality of life in an inclusive work environment through competency training, reassurance of personal growth, restorative communication practices, and embrace our diverse identities of patrons within the Emory community.

Essential Responsibilities & Duties:

Collection Development and Stewardship

1. Develops library collections in accordance with current collection development strategies by selecting materials in all appropriate formats.

2. Develop and maintain relationships with donors and potential donors of collections.

3. Steward donors and sellers through the acquisitions process, including sharing information about the process, negotiating terms of acquisition, acquiring appropriate paperwork including deeds of gift or sale, and managing the relationships over time.

4. Oversees collections budgets, as allocated by the Director of the Rose Library, and uses Alma to monitor budgets.

5. Engages Rose library staff, faculty, students, and institutional stakeholders from across disciplines to develop, articulate, and promote collecting priorities for literary and poetry collections in alignment with the university’s curricular and diversity, equity and inclusion goals.

6. Reports on collection development activities to ensure that colleagues throughout the libraries and campus are aware of priorities and new acquisitions, as well as contributing data to library assessment and reporting activities.

Engagement and Outreach

1. Collaborates with Public Services, Campus and Community Relations, to promote the Rose Library collections through events, exhibitions, digital scholarship projects, presentations, publications, articles, announcements, and other means to engage Emory students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, scholars, and the community with the Rose Library’s literature and poetry collections.

2. Leads Rose Library tours and show-and-tell sessions for individuals or small groups as requested.

3. Develops up-to-date information about literary and poetry collections for LibGuides, the Rose Library website, and digital scholarship projects.

4. Works with the Rose Library’s Operations Manager to help recruit applicants for annual research awards in poetry and literature, select award recipients, and meet with recipients during their visits to Rose Library to connect recipients with resources.

5. Responsible for featuring student, faculty and researcher award recipients in library web announcements, blog posts, news stories and other channels.

Reference and Instruction

1. Collaborates with Public Services, librarians, and faculty to plan, implement, and assess instruction sessions.

2. Consults with faculty, students, and researchers about instruction sessions, assignments, and research projects.

3. Serves on the Rose Library reading room and reference desks.

4. Provides reference assistance in person and by phone to Emory students and faculty, visiting scholars, and the public as needed and assigned.

Fundraising Duties

1. Work closely with the Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement to develop and maintain relationships with donors to build financial support for further acquisitions, collection processing, and engagement programs for literary and poetry collections.

2. Support or lead grant writing aligned with poetry and literature initiatives in the Rose Library.

Professional Responsibilities

1. Participates in appropriate professional and scholarly associations and organizations including maintaining membership and/or accreditation; attending meetings, conferences, workshops; and serving in appointed or elected positions.

2. Maintains up-to-date professional knowledge and skills in areas related to primary job assignment as well as maintains general knowledge of current trends in higher education, academic libraries, and information and educational technology.

3. Provides reference assistance to Emory students and faculty, visiting scholars, and the public as needed and assigned.

4. Adheres to guidelines outlined in the Handbook Governing the Librarian series for Faculty-Equivalent Librarians to ensure appointment, appointment renewal and promotion-in-rank.

5. Participates in library and campus committees as appropriate for service purposes.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Emory University is a leading research university that fosters excellence and attracts world-class talent to innovate today and prepare leaders for the future. We welcome candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of our academic community.

Emory University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Georgia State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. Emory University does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Students, faculty, and staff are assured of participation in University programs and in use of facilities without such discrimination. The University also complies with all applicable federal and Georgia statutes and regulations prohibiting unlawful discrimination. All members of the student body, faculty, and staff are expected to assist in making this policy valid in fact. Any inquiries regarding this policy should be directed to the Emory University Office of Equity and Inclusion, 201 Dowman Drive, Administration Bldg., Suite 305, Atlanta, GA 30322. Telephone 404/727-9867 (V) 404/712-2049 (TDD).