Job Description
The Buffalo Bill Center of the West seeks applicants for the position of Housel Director of its McCracken Research Library (MRL). The Housel Director leads the operations, internal and external communications, exhibitions, programs, and research and reference services for the MRL and stewards its extensive archival and circulating collections. Through these activities, the Director and their staff advances the Center’s mission to “Share the Stories of the American West” and the MRL’s mission to “Advance the understanding, appreciation, and study of the American West and play an integral role in the creation and dissemination of scholarship on the region.”
Learn more about the MRL and its collections and activities, please visit: https://centerofthewest.org/research/mccracken-research-library/
Access: The Housel Director and their staff leverage the MRL’s resources by responding to public research inquiries and connecting Center staff – especially its curators and educators – with pertinent library collections. Through proactive promotion through a variety of media (including social media), holding regular office hours to facilitate in-person research, and engaging in a robust program of digitization to facilitate virtual research, the MRL team makes widely known and accessible its extensive holdings.
Original Research: The Director and their staff actively engage in their own original research, contributing to scholarship on the American West through published writings and public presentations.
Collections Stewardship: The Director and their staff ensure the longevity of the MRL’s assets by abiding modern, professional archival standards of care. The MRL team also actively stewards its collection through strategic acquisitions and deaccessions as guided by collections policies and procedures.
Visionary Leadership: The Director addresses the ever-evolving needs and challenges facing libraries and their patrons in the 21st century, assuring the MRL’s vitality into the future and rallying their team around a shared vision. They provide visionary leadership for their staff, volunteers, interns and contribute to the development and implementation of Center strategy as a member of the Management Group. They confidently serve on various internal and external committees, representing the MRL’s interests, assets, and abilities. They conscientiously work the MRL advisory board, holding regular meetings and keeping in close communication.
Additional Info & Requirements
Required Education and Experience:
· Master’s degree in library science, archival studies, or related area.
· Additional master’s degree in related discipline preferred.
· At least two years post-graduate experience in a research library and/or archives environment.
· Demonstrated organizational skills, including experience dealing with the public and scholarly communities
· Demonstrated management skills, including employee supervision and budgetary development.
· Successful experience with grant writing.
The Community
Cody is located approximately 50 miles from the East Gate of Yellowstone National Park. Served by Yellowstone Regional Airport, Cody is a thriving community focused on serving the needs of the stable population base as well as the hundreds of thousands of annual visitors who travel from around the world to experience the beauty and culture of this mountainous area.
HR Info
To apply, please send cover letter and resume to Terry Harley at terryh@centerofthewest.org.