Curator of Manuscripts and University Archives

Position Details

Posting Details

Position will be posted for a minimum of one week, after which it is subject to removal without notice.

Advertising Copy

The University of Vermont Libraries seeks a curious, adaptable, and highly collaborative faculty librarian/archivist to oversee development and stewardship of manuscript and archival collections within the Silver Special Collections Library. Under the direction of the Director of Special Collections, the Curator of Manuscripts and University Archives works closely with departmental colleagues to ensure that collections are sustainably acquired, ethically stewarded, easily discoverable and actively utilized. The Curator builds and sustains relationships with donors, campus partners, community groups, and other stakeholders. They lead the development of departmental policies to shape collecting and processing priorities and supervise two staff processing archivists.

The Curator of Manuscripts and University Archives oversees extensive manuscript holdings as well as the University Archives, together totaling more than 24,000 linear feet of material. The collections include personal papers, account books, diaries, scrapbooks and church, school, town, military, court and organizational records dating from the 1770s to the present, including records of the university dating to its founding in 1791. Collections comprise a variety of physical and digitized/born-digital formats and include material of intense local and regional value as well as collections of national and global significance. The collection is especially strong in the following areas: politics, literature, architecture, social history, religion, education, theater and music, business and labor, transportation, and land surveys.

The ideal candidate is passionate about building relationships and excited by the opportunity to have a substantial impact on preserving local and regional history in Vermont.

Responsibilities:

• Collections Development and Stewardship: Shape and refine collection development priorities, evaluate existing collections (including the 30-40% of collections that are undescribed), and oversee appraisal and disposition. Steward collections across formats, moving fluidly between physical and digital content. Responsibly grow the collections, including University Archives, in line with professional principles and institutional priorities. Develop a keen understanding of the state's cultural heritage network, including the collecting areas of peer institutions.
• Relationship Building: Effectively and empathetically engage with a wide range of stakeholders around the state, building sustained relationships with donors, campus departments and student groups, and individuals and community groups in Vermont. Represent the University and its collections and communicate the Special Collections Library's mission and value to internal and external audiences.
• Internal Collaboration: Cultivate a culture of collaboration, working closely with other key positions within the Special Collections department to develop, manage and promote the collections. Develop positive working relationships with the Libraries and University facilities staff, the Libraries Access Technology and Media Services, Information and Instruction Services, and Communications teams. Partner with the University of Vermont Foundation and Alumni Affairs to promote collections and services.
• Description and Discovery: Hold oversight and responsibility for description and discovery of manuscript and archival collections. Supervise and coordinate the work of staff processing archivists to meet departmental goals regarding accessioning, physical processing, and intellectual access to all collections. As a member of the digital collections team, contribute curatorial insight to establish digitization priorities.
• Teaching and Instruction: Engage with the department's instructional program, exhibits, and events to bring departmental resources into classrooms and to informal learning spaces, modeling curiosity and demonstrating expertise.
• Scholarship and Professional Service: As a faculty member, cultivate a personal research agenda and service portfolio. Engage in and contribute to the profession with scholarship, creative activity, and service related to campus, professional, and scholarly interests through publications, presentations, and committee work at local, state, regional, and national levels.

Physical Requirements:

• This position requires a valid driver's license and the ability to occasionally bend and lift boxes that could weigh up to 50 pounds.

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree (M.L.S., M.S., or M.A. in Library or Information Science, or other variation) from a program accredited by the American Library Association, OR the equivalent professional credential in archives, OR a master's degree in a subject area related to archival work.
• Minimum five years' professional experience with manuscript and archival collection development and donor relations (including purchases and in-kind donations).
• Experience collaboratively developing and implementing policies and procedures to meet best practices and evolving institutional priorities.
• Experience working with archival collections across formats, including digitized and born-digital.
• Experience supervising staff and/or student workers and supporting and mentoring their professional growth and development.
• Effective oral and written communication skills necessary for professional communication and scholarly work.
• A record of service, scholarship, and publications (and/or portfolio of creative activity) consistent with the expectations for library faculty at the University of Vermont.
• Demonstrated commitment to UVM's Our Common Ground values.

Desired Qualifications:

• Working knowledge of Vermont history, culture, and geography.
• Experience stewarding local/regional history collections.
• Success securing external funding via gifts or grants.
• Experience with classroom instruction and exhibit and program development.
• Practical knowledge of collections management software, especially ArchivesSpace.
• Experience processing manuscript and archival collections.
• Working knowledge of preservation and conservation issues.
• Additional advanced degree in a relevant subject area.

We seek candidates who will contribute to UVM's Our Common Ground and fundamental principles of intellectual freedom embodied in UVM's statement on Academic Freedom, the ACRL Statement on Academic Freedom, and the AAUP Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure. The Libraries have committed themselves to building collections that serve an increasingly diverse curriculum, to affirming all persons and supporting all intellectually rigorous thought and traditions, to building the most diverse recruitment pools possible, to creating mentorship opportunities for colleagues, and to making our services and spaces accessible and welcoming to all.

Salary & Benefits

Librarians at the University of Vermont hold faculty appointments without tenure. As such, librarians are expected to perform in three areas: Educational Mission (Librarianship), Scholarly and Creative Activity, and Service. Rank recommendation at time of initial hire will be based upon review of candidate's previous experience (detailed in CV) in all three areas and will be at one of the following three ranks:

Library Assistant Professor (Minimum salary: $68,775): Appointment at this rank or higher requires a Master's degree (M.L.S., M.S., or M.A. in Library or Information Science, or other variation) from a program accredited by the American Library Association and the potential to develop and to meet substantially the UVM Libraries Standards for Reappointment and Promotion.

Library Associate Professor (Minimum salary: $82,531): Appointment at this rank typically requires 6 or more years of professional (post-MLS) experience and a consistent record of accomplishment in librarianship, scholarly and creative activity, and professional service.

Library Professor (Minimum salary: $105,743): Appointment to Library Professor requires demonstration of high degree of professional accomplishment, with strong performance in librarianship, scholarship activities, and service over a significant period of time.

If the recommended rank is Library Associate Professor or higher, the finalist must go through a post-hire promotion process to be appointed at this rank.

Generous benefits package includes: TIAA/CREF (or alternative plan), managed health care plan, professional development funds, and 22 days of annual leave. Faculty librarians are represented by UVM United Academics.

Our Common Ground Values Statement:

Provide a statement on how, as a faculty member of the University Libraries, you would enhance the impact of Our Common Ground Values at UVM, and among the populations we serve.

Application Information:

For further details about this position and to apply online, please visit our website at: http://www.uvmjobs.com. In addition to the online application, candidates are required to submit the following documents: cover letter, a complete curriculum vitae, an Our Common Ground value statement, and a list of three professional references who can speak to issues related to academic rank.

The search will remain open until the position is filled. For best consideration, complete applications should be received no later than September 21, 2026. For additional information, please contact search co-chairs Shir Bach (sbach@uvm.edu) or Sally Blanchard-O'Brien (sally.blanchard@uvm.edu). Employment is subject to a successful background check.

Department Profile

The University of Vermont Silver Special Collections Library documents the history of Vermont, the University of Vermont, and the history of the book as a cultural production and form of humanistic expression. Collections span manuscripts, photographs, ephemera, architectural drawings, rare books, and digital collections. Collections are strong in progressive education, Vermont political history, land surveying, contemporary artists books, early American literature, and more. Collections are housed across four buildings, with a single service point at Billings Library. In addition to a strong instruction program aligned with the curriculum, a large percentage of our researchers are local community members and researchers traveling to visit our collections.

Campus Profile:

The University of Vermont (UVM), established in 1791, is a top public research university. Often referred to as Public Ivy, UVM is the largest institution of higher education in the state, with over 12,600 degree-seeking students enrolled in nine schools and colleges, including a medical school. UVM is known as a small, premier research institution, combining the faculty-student relationships found at small liberal arts colleges with the resources of a major research institution.

UVM Libraries, comprised of the David W. Howe Memorial Library, Dana Health Sciences Library, and Silver Special Collections Library, delivers distinctive and outstanding service to the campus community, the State of Vermont, and the University of Vermont Medical Center through excellence in instruction, innovation in research and scholarship, and dedication to public service. UVM Libraries uses the Alma library services platform and Primo VE discovery search interface. Our institutional repository UVM ScholarWorks is Atmire-hosted DSpace, archival finding aids are hosted in ArchivesSpace, and Libnova hosts an array of unique digital collections.

UVM is located in Burlington, Vermont, which has consistently been named a top city to live in. Uniquely situated near both Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains, the surrounding area offers easy access to a variety of outdoor activities year-round. Burlington enjoys excellent school systems, a dynamic and stimulating cultural scene, and a vibrant and diverse social life. It is also within a short distance of several major metropolitan areas, including Montreal, Boston, and New York City.

The University of Vermont is a welcoming, educationally purposeful community committed to creating an inclusive environment that embraces intellectual diversity and global perspectives. We seek to prepare students to be accountable leaders who will bring to their work a grasp of complexity, effective problem-solving and communication skills, and an enduring commitment to learning and ethical conduct. Members of the University of Vermont community embrace and advance the values of Our Common Ground: Respect, Integrity, Innovation, Openness, Justice, and Responsibility. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to UVM's mission and advancing Our Common Ground values through their teaching, service, research, scholarship, or creative arts.

Anticipated Pay Range

$68,775-$88,000

Job Location Burlington, Vermont, United States Job Open Date 08/20/2026 Job Close Date Category

Position Information

Posting Number F3734PO Department Silver Special Collections Lib/58324 Advertising/Posting Title Curator of Manuscripts and University Archives FLSA Exempt Position Number 002375 Employee FTE 1.0 Employee Term (months) 12

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents

• Cover Letter/Letter of Application
• Curriculum Vitae
• Other Document (1)

Optional Documents