"Theresa Salazar Curator of The Bancroft Library Western Americana Collection - Bancroft Library"

Position Overview

Position title: Associate Librarian-Librarian, Career Status or Potential Career Status

Salary range: The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and salary point at appointment. See the following table(s) for the current salary scale(s) for this position: Salary Scale. A reasonable estimate for this position is $94,277-$133,296.

Percent time: 100%

Anticipated start: As soon as Spring 2026. Exact start date negotiable.

Position duration: This is a full-time career appointment.

Application Window

Open date: December 16, 2025

Next review date: Saturday, Jan 31, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Thursday, Apr 30, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position Description

Job Summary

The Bancroft Library seeks a Curator for its Western Americana collections to serve as a creative, user-centered, and collaborative professional in stewarding, developing, and interpreting the library's exceptional collection of manuscripts, archives, rare books, photographs, and maps documenting the American West. The Curator will determine strategic priorities for the Western Americana collection, lead collection development, engage in teaching with the collections, curate exhibitions, build sustainable relationships with donors, and participate in research services activities.

The successful candidate will work with Bancroft colleagues to steward and ensure equitable and wide public access to newly acquired and existing collections, while offering intellectual guidance on acquisition and processing. This position requires demonstrated experience working with people from diverse racial, ethnic, religious, geographic, and socioeconomic backgrounds using a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible approach. The Bancroft Library is committed to a collecting agenda that foregrounds diverse perspectives and historical voices, activating collections for multiple audiences. This position reports to The Bancroft Library director and is part of a curatorial team that includes a University Archivist, Curator of Latin Americana Collections, Curator of Pictorial Collections, and Curator of Rare Books and Literary Manuscripts.

Summary of the Collections

The Western Americana Collection at The Bancroft Library documents the history of human activity in Western North America, with the greatest emphasis on California, from the earliest days to the present. The collection provides an unparalleled opportunity to explore primary and secondary sources about the social, political, economic, environmental, and cultural development of the western half of the United States.

Topical strengths include materials documenting Indigenous, Spanish, and Mexican California; exploration of the Pacific Coast and the American West; the California Gold Rush and subsequent settlement; economic development (mining, transport, lumber, agriculture, commerce); land and water use; the environmental movement; labor; urban development; politics and social movements; and religious and utopian communities.

The Environment

The UC Berkeley Library is an internationally renowned research and teaching facility... [abbreviated for brevity, full details in original]

Job Responsibilities

• Collection Development and Stewardship: ...
• Donor and Community Relations: ...
• Technical Services Collaboration: ...
• Research Services and User Support: ...
• Teaching and Instruction: ...
• Collection Interpretation: ...
• Outreach and Communications: ...
• Internal Collaboration: ...
• External Liaison Work: ...
• Professional Service: ...

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

Advanced degree or enrolled in an advanced degree program.

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)

• Advanced Degree
• 3 years of collection development experience acquiring rare books, archives, or pictorial works

Preferred qualifications

• Advanced degree in a field related to the history and culture of the North American West, Ph.D preferred
• MLS degree from an ALA-accredited library school or equivalent

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter

Reference requirements 3-5 required (contact information only)

Apply link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05229

Help contact: richard.brown@berkeley.edu