Exhibitions Coordinator at The Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia

The Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia, seeks an Exhibitions Coordinator to assist in the planning, production, promotion, and management of exhibitions. We are searching for a candidate who is eager to produce exhibitions that support the University’s “founding vision of discovery, innovation, and development of students from all walks of life” while focusing on integrating inclusivity, diversity, equity, and accessibility into every aspect of this position.  

Working with Library, University, and community stakeholders, the Exhibition Coordinator is responsible for tracking materials through the full exhibition lifecycle, the physical preparation of objects for exhibition, and assisting in the management in exhibition galleries. This role also supports the Library’s Registrar functions: tracking, documenting, and preparing materials requested for loan by internal and external organizations.  

The recent adoption of Omeka as the Library’s digital exhibitions platform offers the opportunity to share our popular physical exhibitions—the product of University faculty, student, and staff research, curation, and scholarship—by archiving exhibitions online. The Exhibition Coordinator will collaborate in the development of workflows to migrate both recent physical exhibitions and existing online exhibitions to this new platform; this role will also participate in that work by editing exhibition content for online display, coordinating digitization of collections as needed for exhibition, and assisting in the translation of exhibition media and graphics for the digital exhibition platform.  

As a key member of the Small Special Collections Library’s outreach effort, the Exhibitions Coordinator assists in programming, events, tours, social media, and other activities that promote exhibitions and the accessibility of our collections. To support our work, the Exhibition Coordinator will supervise student assistants, interns, and volunteers engaged in exhibition and outreach activities. Additionally, the Exhibition Coordinator is an active contributor to reference activities, answering online inquiries about our exhibitions and serving on the reference desk.  

Staff in the Small Special Collections Library steward an extraordinary collection documenting American history, particularly early American; American and English literature; bibliography, book history, and book arts; African American studies; the built environment; history of the state of Virginia and the University of Virginia; and material culture. As significant as our collections are, we recognize that there are silences and gaps in the documentary record. In support of our work, we seek an individual who understands archival and print silences, who brings a commitment to exhibition curation and outreach, who helps curators to surface underdocumented and marginalized voices, and who is excited about presenting our collections in innovative and highly visible ways, in our galleries and online. The ideal candidate for this position is an intellectually curious individual, who is eager to learn the stories revealed in our collections, to build upon them, and to share them widely.  

Qualifications  

At the University of Virginia Library, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and dynamic workplace, so if you are excited about this role but your past experience isn’t perfectly with every preferred qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.  

Required  

• Bachelor’s degree and two years of cumulative experience in a relevant field (i.e., library, archives, museums; art; preservation or conservation; communications or outreach).  
• Familiarity with graphic design software and aptitude to learn new software platforms, including Omeka.  
• Strong organizational and project management skills 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.  
• Ability and willingness to work with colleagues in collaborative and team environments, as well as independently.  
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuing education and service to the profession. 
• Valid Driver’s License  

Preferred  

• Two years of experience working in library or archival special collections with responsibility for handling, tracking, describing, mounting, and displaying rare and unique materials 
• Experience writing and editing exhibition curation 
• Experience in programming outreach activities, event planning, and/or writing for social media.