Position Rank and Title: Senior Assistant Librarian, Special Collections Librarian
 
School/Department Name: University Library

Compensation: This is a probationary, 12-month, tenure-track position at the Senior Assistant Librarian rank; salary commensurate with qualifications and experience (anticipated range: $90,000-$95,000 annually). Librarians in the CSU system enjoy full faculty status and as such are eligible for campus service opportunities, sabbatical and other leaves, and additional benefits. Librarians are represented under Unit 3 of the California Faculty Association (CFA).

Excellent benefits, including medical, dental, and vision plans; generous paid leave (24 vacation days and one personal holiday per year and one day of sick leave per month); and membership in CALPERS, the largest retirement system in the country. See Benefits Summary for additional details.

Target Start Date: August 2025.  (Applications accepted until filled or closed)

Application Deadline: April 4, 2025 (Applications accepted until filled or closed)

Position Description

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library at SJSU welcomes applicants for a full-time, tenure-track position as Special Collections Librarian. Joining a team of three full-time staff in Special Collections & Archives (SC&A), the Special Collections Librarian is responsible for overseeing SC&A public services and processing (i.e., arrangement and description) of Special Collections. In collaboration with the Director, the Special Collections Librarian will also develop and maintain new acquisitions of personal and organizational papers, and rare and unique books that comprise the vast and multitudinous Special Collections of the unit. These include Political Papers, LGBTQ+ Collections, Women’s Collections, Chicana/Chicano Collections, Oral History Collections, Artist and Fine Press Books, and other materials that fulfill the teaching and research missions of San José State University. Additionally, the Special Collections Librarian will contribute to SC&A digital initiatives, outreach, exhibitions, and event programming.

As a member of the Library Faculty, the candidate participates in the library liaison program and is expected to engage in service activities pertaining to library and university governance and research, scholarship, and creative activities, all of which are required for tenure and promotion. This is a hybrid position requiring a minimum on-campus presence of three days a week.

Why would you want to join us, and what can you expect?

The expert faculty and staff at University Library are highly committed to excellence and service. You can expect to join a dedicated team of professionals with many opportunities to grow, develop, and lead innovative and student-/faculty-centered programming and services. As a joint library facility (the SJSU King library shares space with the main branch of the SJPL) and a member of the 23-campus California State University system, there are possibilities to collaborate with multiple external stakeholders and partners across the full spectrum of librarianship.

The King Library and San José State University value diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can only be fully realized by faculty, students, and staff who share our commitment to these values. SJSU enrolls more than 36,000 students, many of whom are historically underserved, and around 45% are first-generation and 38% are Pell-recipients. SJSU is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) Serving Institution. The university’s commitment to social justice extends from its vibrant, inclusive campus to an international network of over 275,000 alumni. As such, San José State is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty so our disciplines, students, and the community can benefit from multiple ethnic and gender perspectives.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association or an equivalent international degree by the time of hire.
• Demonstrated experience with facilitating special collections and archives researchers, arrangement and description of physical collections, engaging in outreach activities, and curating exhibitions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of current national archival descriptive standards and best practices such as EAD and DACS, and tools such as ArchivesSpace.
• Demonstrated awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching, and other comparable experience.
• Demonstrated ability to engage in professional and scholarly activity to meet requirements for tenure and promotion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Priority will be given to candidates who possess one or more of the following:
• Experience in academic libraries.
• Experience with supervising and training student assistants.
• Experience with contributing to grant proposals.
• Experience with donor relations.
• Experience as a liaison librarian.
• Familiarity with archival appraisal and accessioning of collections.
• Ability to stay current on topics that intersect with special collections and archives, including privacy, confidentiality, and copyright.
  
  

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee public services for SC&A, which averages over 200 in-person and virtual research requests per year.
• Oversee the arrangement and description of SC&A collections in physical and digital formats, including supervising student work.
• Contribute to the acquisition of SC&A collections of enduring historical value and which support the teaching and research missions of San José State University.
• Contribute to grant proposals to support the development of physical and digital Special Collections.
• Promote visibility and usage of SC&A collections through instruction, outreach, public presentations, tours, and exhibitions.
• Assist with supervising and training Student Assistants (SAs) in facilitating researchers, processing collections, and curating exhibitions.
• Participate in shared governance, usually in department, college, and university committees and other service assignments.
• Build a record of progressive scholarly and professional achievement to fulfill the University requirement of retention, tenure, and promotion.
• Demonstrate awareness and experience understanding the needs of a student population of great diversity – in age, abilities, cultural background, ethnicity, religion, economic background, primary language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and academic preparation – through inclusive course materials, teaching strategies, and advisement.

Other Duties

Note that all San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, some faculty duties may lead to designation as a Campus Security Authority (CSA). CSAs are required to complete Clery Act training and to immediately report Clery incidents to the institution. 

Faculty employees must complete CSU employee training as assigned and required based on their role (e.g., Data Security, FERPA, Preventing Discrimination and Harassment, Title IX, Health and Safety). The President may recommend or require compliance with safety measures that decrease the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission or illness and allows the core mission and activities of the campus to continue.

Application Procedure

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

• A letter of interest that addresses the required qualifications for the position, including the applicant’s approach to supporting the educational goals of a socially and economically diverse student population
• Curriculum vitae
• Diversity Statement (optional)
• Three references with contact information (only finalists’ references will be contacted)

Refer to https://sites.google.com/sjsu.edu/librarian-position-faqs/home for more information about the position. Interested candidates who would like to learn more about the position, library, or University are encouraged to attend one of two information sessions. We will begin with a short presentation about the position and the library, and then will open it up to your questions. Anonymity will be ensured as the participants list will be hidden.

March 19, 2025 at 12:00-1:00 pm PST

March 19, 2025 at 6:00-7:00 pm PST

Further inquiries may be directed to the Search Committee Chair: Ann Agee, ann.agee@sjsu.edu

What we look for in a potential candidate

We are looking for collaborative, forward-thinking, and adaptable colleagues. We value empathetic and inquisitive individuals who are ready to assist the University Library in meeting its student-centered and mission-driven strategic plan.

The University is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We ask all applicants to consider including a Diversity Statement with their application package. A guide to writing this statement can be found at SJSU Diversity Statement Guidelines, along with information about how the statement will be evaluated.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library is a unique partnership between San José State University (SJSU) and the City of San José, which opened in August 2003. It is the first library in the United States to integrate the services and collections of a major university and public library system. Located in downtown San José, the King Library is an impressive 475,000 square feet with nine floors of collections, collaborative work spaces, meeting rooms, exhibit areas, and unique resources dedicated to lifelong learning for all to enjoy - for free. The building serves as the SJSU library, the main library for San José Public Library system, and as a cornerstone for the entire community.

SJSU King Library brings people, ideas, and information together through its spaces, resources, and expertise to facilitate community building, innovation, and knowledge creation.

SJSU King Library is actively engaged in equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts to address systemic racism and equity issues through collaborative conversations, organizational review, and assessment. The leadership, faculty, staff, and student employees are dedicated to advancing equity practices in recruitment, retention, resources, and services. SJSU King Library is seeking to increase the diversity of its faculty, and encourages all members of underrepresented groups to apply.

Conditional Offer

The work for this faculty position may only be performed in the State of California and requires establishing an on-campus presence. Employment is contingent upon US residence and proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. SJSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current employee who was conditionally offered the position.

San José State University: Silicon Valley's Public University

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley — one of the most innovative regions in the world — San José State University is the founding campus of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system and the first public university in the West. Recognized as a leading transformative educational institution, San José State is an essential partner in the technological, economic, cultural, and social development of Silicon Valley, the Bay Area, and California. SJSU is a top-200 school nationally in research funding and second highest in research productivity in the CSU system. Cutting-edge research, world-class scholarship, student-centered learning, diverse communities, and commitment to social justice, allow SJSU to provide life-changing opportunities and advance the public good locally and globally.

Equal Employment Statement

San José State University prohibits discrimination on the basis of Age, Ancestry, Caste, Color, Disability, Ethnicity, Gender, Gender Expression, Gender Identity, Genetic Information, Marital Status, Medical Condition, Military Status, Nationality, Race, Religion, Religious Creed, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Sex Stereotype, and Veteran Status. This policy applies to all San José State University students, faculty, and staff as well as University programs and activities. Reasonable accommodations are made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose.

Campus Security and Fire Safety Notification

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Annual Security Report (ASR) is also now available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Security-Report.pdf. The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and Sexual Assault prevention information, and information about drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains statistics of Clery crimes for San José State University locations for the three most recent calendar years. A paper copy of the ASR is available upon request by contacting the Office of the Clery Director by phone at 408-924-1501 or by email at clerycompliance@sjsu.edu.

Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Annual Fire Safety Report (AFSR) is available at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Fire-Safety-Report.pdf. The purpose of this report is to disclose statistics for fires that occurred within SJSU on-campus housing facilities for the three most recent calendar years, and to distribute fire safety policies and procedures intended to promote safety on Campus. A paper copy of the AFSR is available upon request by contacting the Housing Office by phone at 408-795-5600 or by email at uhs-frontdesk@sjsu.edu.