Head of Technical Services, Lewis Walpole Library

Overview

The Head of Technical Services for the Lewis Walpole Library at Yale University provides strategic and operational leadership for technical services at the Lewis Walpole Library, including cataloging and processing in all formats for materials dating from the 16th century to the present. The position reports to the Director of Special Collections Technical Services based in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, with a secondary report to the Librarian and Executive Director of the Lewis Walpole Library. The Lewis Walpole Library is a Yale Library research center for the study of the British eighteenth century and is located in Farmington, CT. Its collections are centered around Horace Walpole and his times with strong collections of books, manuscripts, and prints.

While the Head of Technical Services holds primary accountability for local technical services operations at the Lewis Walpole Library, they work in close collaboration with the Special Collections Technical Services leadership team and the broader technical services community to support system-wide technical services harmonization and sustainability. They serve as a conduit to the technical services and discovery ecosystem at Yale; contribute to and ensure that shared systems, aligned standards, practices, and operational strategies are implemented; and advocate for the unique needs of the Lewis Walpole Library, in relation to its operations, collections, and the communities they serve.

In their operational leadership at the Lewis Walpole Library, the Head of Technical Services leads the planning, sequencing, and execution of technical services work; recruits, onboards, supervises, trains, and mentors a staff of two catalog assistants, as well as project staff and students; plans, implements, and assesses operational changes; assess and maintain a clear understanding of unit capacity; communicate capacity impacts with leadership and unit collaborators and ensure transparent and realistic commitments; and regularly reports on the unit’s work. The Head also has oversight of onsite stacks management; coordinates with Yale Library Preservation and Conservation Services; and organizes onsite digitization of Lewis Walpole Library holdings for local use and contribution to the Yale Library’s Digital Collections System. In this, they follow direction from Beinecke Library’s Digital Special Collections and Access unit.

In their role, they serve as the Lewis Walpole Library’s principal original cataloger, creating, enhancing, remediating, and maintaining original and complex bibliographic and authority records for the Library’s collection*.* They participate on university library committees and task forces, as well as with regional, national, and international professional activities as part of their professional development and service to the university and profession.

The Head of Technical Services is an integral member of the Lewis Walpole Library and contributes to all aspects of its operations and community. The Head of Technical Services frequently consults with and coordinates with the Lewis Walpole Librarian & Executive Director, Head of Public Services, and the Library’s curators, ensuring sustainable stewardship across all areas of library operations. They may provide specialized reference services for researchers and may oversee Reading Room operations in the absence of the Head of Public Services. They contribute to the Library’s overall management, assessment, and staff development programs. They also may serve as acting director in the absence of the Walpole Librarian & Executive Director.

The Head of Technical services must be committed to organizational health, staff development, and operational effectiveness, and lead with openness, empathy, and transparency.  Yale Library serves a diverse staff, campus, local, and global community and is deeply committed to advancing its goals for equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

While the position is located in Farmington, Connecticut, the Head of Technical Services may need to attend meetings, training, or activities on the Yale University campus in New Haven.

The budgeted annual salary range for this position is: $95,000 - $115,000.

The position will be assigned a minimum rank of Librarian 3-4 based on a combination of professional experience and accomplishments. Librarian ranking information can be found at http://bit.ly/YULRanksPromotions.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Ability to apply bibliographic standards and metadata practices with professional judgement, including working knowledge of AACR2/RDA, DCRM, MARC, and related standards, and the ability to interpret and implement them for describing special collections materials. 
2. Demonstrated ability to lead, supervise, and support staff, including training at multiple levels, setting priorities, managing performance, and fostering accountability, collaboration, and professional growth.
3. Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to plan, coordinate, and complete projects, manage competing demands, and adapt in response to changing priorities or constraints.
4. Demonstrated ability to collaborate, build consensus, and maintain effective working relationships across units, roles, and organizational boundaries.
5. Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to convey policies, procedures, and expectations clearly, contribute to shared decision-making, and support productive collaboration with colleagues, partners, and leadership.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

1. Familiarity with the antiquarian book and manuscript trade. Experience with library acquisitions, including standards and best practices for special collections acquisitions and accessioning.
2. Experience establishing and managing relationships with vendors.
3. Master's degree or higher in the humanities, preferably in an area of British studies, or a demonstrated equivalent knowledge or experience.
4. Experience with archival processing or use of ArchivesSpace.
5. Experience with digitization of special collections materials, including a familiarity with digital collection-related standards and best practices. 
6. Demonstrated knowledge of the eighteenth century in Britain

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

DMV check and a valid Driver’s License are *required*to facilitate travel between Lewis Walpole Library and New Haven to fulfill work assignments, including use of the library vehicle to transport library materials.

Physical Requirements

Ability to push heavy book trucks, carry heavy boxes up to 40lbs, reach high shelves, and work in locations with dust. Ability to mount and descend stairs to access common areas not serviced by elevators in the library’s historic structures.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Lewis Walpole Library’s technical services. 
2. Serve as the primary liaison between the Lewis Walpole Library and Yale Library’s technical services and discovery ecosystem. 
3. Plan, prioritize, sequence, and execute technical services work at the Lewis Walpole Library. 
4. Recruit, onboard, supervise, train, and mentor technical services staff. Foster a collaborative, learning-oriented environment that supports professional growth and adaptability to evolving practices. 
5. Serve as the Lewis Walpole Library’s principal original cataloger, creating, enhancing, remediating, and maintaining complex bibliographic and authority records; applying national and local standards; exercising professional judgement for special collections materials. 
6. Manage vendor services and relationships, as needed. 
7. Implement and assess operational changes, including new or revised workflows, tools, and descriptive practices; evaluate outcomes; and contribute feedback to Special Collections Technical Services leadership to inform system-wide improvements. 
8. Maintain oversight of onsite stacks management and coordinate closely with Preservation and Conservation Services to ensure appropriate housing, handling, and long-term preservation of collections. 
9. Coordinate onsite digitization of Lewis Walpole Library holdings, following direction and guidance from the Beinecke Library’s Digital Special Collections and Access unit. 
10. Support the vision of the Lewis Walpole Librarian & Executive Director. Collaborate closely with the Head of Public Services and curators at the Lewis Walpole Library ensuring alignment across functions and supporting sustainable stewardship. 
11. Contribute to the overall management, assessment, and development of the Lewis Walpole Library, including reporting on technical services activities, participating in planning and assessment efforts, and supporting Lewis Walpole and institutional goals. 
12. Provide reference services for researchers as needed and oversee Reading Room operations in the absence of the Head of Public Services, ensuring continuity of service and adherence to policies. 
13. Participate in Yale Library committees, task forces, and professional activities at the regional, national, or international level, contributing expertise in service to the university and profession. 
14. Serves as the designee for the Lewis Walpole Librarian & Executive Director as necessary. 
15. Support institutional and operational continuity by assisting with disaster recovery efforts, working at other Library locations as assigned, and performing other duties consistent with scope of the position.

Required Education and Experience

1. Master’s degree in Library or Information Science from an ALA-accredited library school or a post-graduate degree in a related field. 
2. Minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional experience in a research library or a comparable cultural heritage institution, with increasing scope of responsibility. 
3. Demonstrated understanding of current and emerging trends in special collections librarianship, including ethical standards and best practices in special collections cataloging, archival processing, discovery, collection management, and digital collections. 
4. Demonstrated experience in cataloging special collections materials, including original and complex cataloging across a variety of formats. 
5. Reading knowledge of at least one Western European language other than English. 
6. Demonstrated ability to provide leadership and direction in a research library or similar organizational environment, including experience contributing to strategic or operational initiatives. 
7. Demonstrated success managing and supervising staff, including experience with coaching, performance management, and leading individuals and teams through change. 
8. Demonstrated experience working with integrated library systems and related discovery, metadata, or collection management systems. 
9. Demonstrated experience with planning, coordinating, and completing projects, including setting priorities, managing completing demands, and bringing work to successful completion. 
10. Experience working collaboratively and independently with a wide range of stakeholders.