Librarian

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Job description

THE WALLACE COLLECTION

The Wallace Collection is an internationally outstanding collection which contains unsurpassed masterpieces of paintings, sculpture, furniture, arms and armour and porcelain. Built over the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, it is one of the finest and most celebrated collections in the world. So that it could be kept together and enjoyed by generations of visitors, the collection was given to the British Nation in 1897 and opened to the public in June 1900. It was an astonishing bequest and one of the greatest gifts of art works ever to be transferred into public ownership. The museum is internationally famous for its collection of French eighteenth-century art, Arms and Armour and for its Old Master paintings.

The museum is managed by the Director Dr Xavier Bray, who reports to a board of Trustees appointed by the Prime Minister, and is financed by a combination of grant-in-aid from central government and self-generated income.

We aim to engage with and diversify our audience and, before the pandemic, we attracted over 450,000 visitors a year to the museum.

SALARY

The salary for this role is between £11,200 (£28,000 FTE) to £13,400 (£33,500 FTE) per annum dependent on skills and experience.

OUR PRIORITIES

The Collection is committed to providing access to as wide a public as possible and to helping visitors engage with this diversity. Our goal is to create a place of understanding, cultural pluralism, curiosity and learning. To do this, we plan to create a world-class visitor experience for all ages which stimulates engagement with our collection through a new programme of exhibitions, major gallery refurbishments and an enhanced and expanded digital presence.

Our strategic priorities are to:

• To maintain, research and preserve the Collection for future generations;
• To broaden and deepen visitor engagement, connecting with audiences onsite and digitally;
• To build and support a strong exhibition programme;
• To lay a strong financial foundation for the future; and
• To embark upon a Masterplan programme to transform the museum.

ROLE SUMMARY

The Librarian will be responsible for the management, maintenance and day-to-day running of the library. They will be responsible for monitoring all internal and external users of the reading room, the cataloguing of all new acquisitions to the library's collection, and the maintenance of the library collections. They will also take responsibility for records management and may be required to supervise volunteers engaged on library projects.

ROLE DESCRIPTION

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the provision of reader services of the Library and Archive for the Curatorial Department, external researchers, students and members of the general public, during opening hours (by appointment)
• Handle all books to a safe professional standard as well as ensuring material is re-shelved after use.
• Manage the library storage areas, including material housed in the staff offices on Level 2.
• Manage the Library budget with oversight from the Director of Finance.
• To stay abreast of developments and follow best practices in library, and information management.
• Manage the acquisition and cataloguing of library materials according to industry best practices, liaising with the Director of Collections and Research as to the development of the library collections.
• Maintain and manage the periodical subscriptions (electronic and print), online resources and sale catalogues collection.
• Maintain and supervise the rare book collection, planning ahead with regular audits to ensure that necessary repairs are carried out in a timely manner.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

• Experience of working as a Librarian or in a post with similar responsibilities, ideally in a museum or heritage organisation or similar environment.
• Experience of cataloguing complex or substantial collections to ISAD(G) using an automated system, and proficiency working with standard business software including MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Professional experience within a research environment, including book selection and purchase.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Experience of managing or supervising volunteers.
• Ability to work accurately, with a close attention to detail.
• An interest in the holdings and the history of the Wallace Collection.
• A flexible approach and an ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Desirable

• A postgraduate qualification in Library and Information Management or equivalent experience.

HOW TO APPLY

Please complete the Application Form, and the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, following the links provided on our website. Please note the equal opportunities form is used for monitoring purposes only and does not form part of the selection process. Both forms should be emailed to by midnight 27/10/2024. Please note late applications or applications via a CV will not be considered.

Interviews for the role will take place on week commencing, 04/11/2024. Candidates who have been shortlisted for interview will be contacted after the closing date. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it will not be possible to contact or give feedback to candidates who have not been shortlisted for interview.

Start date: As soon as possible

Appointment to the role is subject to a satisfactory Basic Disclosure check. The Wallace Collection is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

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