Reference & Instruction Librarian Jobs

The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with our city and the world. We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, centering the vision of artists and makers. We recognize that all art is made in a particular context, demanding continual, dynamic reconsideration in the present. We are a place of gathering; we foster the exchange of ideas and inspire an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity.

Special Project - Nine Month Position

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

A hub for scholarship and training, the Art Institute Research Center brings together the museum’s Ryerson and Burnham Libraries, the Art Institute of Chicago Archives, and the department of Academic Engagement and Research with the aim of fostering engagement and access to the wealth of research offerings at the Art Institute of Chicago.

The Research Center stewards resources that illuminate the histories and contexts of the museum’s vast art collection, as well as primary sources that are singular or rare works of paper-based art, archives, and historical documentation. The Ryerson and Burnham Libraries care for more than 670,000 print titles, 100,00 auction catalogs, and 38,000 artist files, and maintain 200 current print serial subscriptions and an extensive portfolio of subscription digital resources. The Archives administers the museum’s art and architecture archives, institutional archives, and imaging archives—approximately 20,000 linear feet, two million items, and thousands of electronic records—as well as our digital preservation efforts. The Research Center supports museum staff in all of their research endeavors and maintains public hours to serve the art research community, faculty and students, artists and architects, and inquisitive scholars from around the world.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Reporting to the Executive Director, Research Center, and working closely with the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries team, the Reference and Instruction Librarian provides reference, research, and instructional services to a diverse group of patrons, including museum staff, faculty and students, and visiting scholars. The Reference and Instruction Librarian works closely with the Access Services team to serve patrons in the Franke Reading Room, and answer queries received by phone or email. The Librarian designs and delivers orientations for new users, including new museum staff members, interns and fellows, local faculty and students, and develops targeted trainings on resources for more experienced researchers. The Reference and Instruction Librarian liases with faculty to help plan class visits and supervises those visits, and assists the department with outreach through the development of research guides and other discovery tools. This is a full-time position for a 9-month term or equivalent hours (1365), to conclude June 1, 2024. It is benefits-eligible at 30 hours per week or more.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Facilitates access: Provides reference service at the reference desk on a regularly scheduled basis, and reference and research services to museum staff on demand. Responds to reference questions in various channels on a regular basis, and answers requests for loans, scans and copies in collaboration with the Access Services team. Creates instruction toolkits and leads library instruction and orientation sessions for AIC staff, fellows and interns, School of the Art Institute classes, the Libraries' reference staff and other groups, and participates in weekly shifts to complete borrowing requests for interlibrary loan. Assists with planning and management of Research Center-led events that engage a broader academic community, such as workshops, convenings, visiting scholars, class visits and seminars.
• Departmental support: Support museum curatorial departments in efforts to tailor departmental research resources to current research priorities. Assists in collection development of both print and digital resources and serves as departmental liaison to assigned curatorial departments. Works collaboratively with fellow staff to achieve Research Center goals and manage fundamental on-site operations. Supervises the Ryerson reading room as needed. Assists in monitoring patron-facing equipment on site, such as scanners and microfilm.

Collection management: Supports the long-term care of the collection by promoting safe handling practices and examining holdings for conservation or special housing needs, referring works to the Conservation and Science Department as needed. Assists in collection development of both print and digital resources and serves as departmental liaison to assigned curatorial departments.

Digital Infrastructure: Promotes the libraries’ collections and services through developing research guides, discovery tools and web content.

Collaboration: Maintains clear communication with colleagues about ongoing priorities, goals, and projects. Participates in Research Center and museum-wide committees and task forces, and completes other duties as assigned.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Often operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as scanners and printers.
• Capacity with physical labor minimally required. Often moves about inside the office, stacks and across various museum spaces to access storage areas, receive and move collection materials, and other related tasks.
• Capacity with physical labor minimally required. Handling collection materials comprises approximately 50% of the role, but most of this work is completed at a desk.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, ability to adjust focus, and the ability to sustain prolonged visual concentration.
• Capable of stooping, bending, stretching, lifting up to 50 pounds, and pushing book carts weighing up to 150 pounds in order to receive, process, and perform essential maintenance for physical collection materials.
• Most of the day consists of sitting at a desk and working on a computer; must be able to remain in a stationary position 75% of the time.

• Aptitude for proactive, self-directed and collaborative work; ability to work flexibly as part of a team, motivate others and work across organizational boundaries highly desired.
• Ability to work collaboratively with staff from all areas of the library and museum.
• Excellent communication skills: oral, written, and interpersonal skills, including email etiquette, and a proven ability to thoughtfully engage a broad range of internal and external colleagues and stakeholders and work with individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds.
• Familiarity with the interlibrary loan codes and guidelines, and experience with interlibrary loan borrowing and lending helpful.
• At least 1 year professional experience providing reference service and bibliographic instruction to a diverse patron base, or equivalent experience in a similar environment, required.
• Demonstrated experience assisting researchers with accessing rare and special collection materials preferred.
• MLS from an ALA accredited program required. Some educational training with art history is preferred.
• Familiarity with library circulation procedures and trends in access services required. Familiarity with major bibliographic tools (printed and electronic) and research methods for art history preferred.

The Art Institute of Chicago requires all applicants to complete an online application to be considered for employment. 60 minutes are allotted for applicants to complete the employment application. The application will automatically time out after 60 minutes. If you are unable to submit the completed application at this time, please choose the "Save for Later" option to avoid losing the information you have entered so far.

The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, veteran status or citizenship. The Institute complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at [email protected].