Job Opportunities

Thank you for your interest in the New-York Historical Society. Individuals interested in employment at the New-York Historical Society should check this page frequently for updated listings. Fax us your resume at (212) 877-6336 or e-mail it to hr1@nyhistory.org, attn: Human Resources. To learn more about internship opportunities, please click here. To learn more about fellowship opportunities, please click here. 

 

Vice President and Director of the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library

The New-York Historical Society seeks an experienced, innovative, and dynamic leader to be Vice President and Director of the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library.  Reporting directly to the President and CEO of the Historical Society, the Vice President and Director of the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library provides leadership for the Library and directs a staff of 24 full-time and 7 part-time employees. As a member of the Historical Society’s senior management team, the Vice President/Director of the Library works closely with other senior staff to improve intellectual and physical access to the Library’s holdings and to further the reputation of the Historical Society as one of the nation’s premier centers of historical research and scholarship.

The Patricia D. Klingenstein Library

The Patricia D. Klingenstein Library at the New-York Historical Society is one of the oldest independent research libraries in the United States. Collection strengths include local history of New York City and State; colonial history; the Revolutionary War; American military and naval history; religions and religious movements of the 18th and 19th centuries; the Anglo-American slave trade and conditions of slavery in the United States; the Civil War; American biography and genealogy; American art and art patronage; the development of American architecture from the late-18th century to the present; 19th- and 20th-century portraiture and documentary photographs of New York City; and charitable organizations serving underserved groups in New York City including the homeless, widows and orphans.

The New-York Historical Society

The New-York Historical Society collects, preserves, and interprets American history and art for a broad national and international public. Since 1804, the Historical Society has assembled vast holdings of American paintings, sculpture, books, manuscripts, decorative arts, artifacts, architectural materials, prints, drawings, photography and ephemera that document the history of New York and the nation.  The mission of the Historical Society is to use these collections to help the public understand the complex and diverse past behind the nation and world that we know today.  The Historical Society engages a broad audience through a series of initiatives that enliven and illuminate the past, from groundbreaking exhibitions of history and art that capitalize on the Historical Society’s extraordinary museum and library collections, to intellectually engaging programming and educational activities.

Responsibilities

The Vice President and Library Director provides leadership in the following areas:

• Oversees and works closely with library managers on short- and long-term planning;
• Participates in N-YHS senior staff meetings and activities, including institutional strategic planning;
• Works closely with the chair of the library committee of the board of trustees;
• Works with the CEO and CFO to develop the Library annual budget;
• Represents the Library at all institution-wide meetings, committees and events, both on- and off-site;
• Represents the Library at local and national meetings and conferences;
• Spearheads fundraising activities for the Library and participates in fundraising for the institution;
• Anticipates and responds to new trends in library services and new methods of research;
• Promotes the use and preservation of the Library’s collections and oversees collection development;
• Builds relationships with the Library’s users, including scholars and faculty at academic institutions in and around New York City; and
• Develops relationships with the antiquarian book trade and with private collectors to enhance the Historical Society’s collections.

Qualifications

• An MLS from an ALA-accredited program; or a PhD in a field consistent with the Library’s collections;
• An outstanding record of accomplishment in librarianship and/or academia, with 10-15 years of progressively responsible management experience in an academic or research library;
• Skill and effectiveness as a fundraiser with a proven track record of writing successful grant proposals;
• Strong leadership management and team building skills, including the ability to mentor, motivate, set goals, delegate, and monitor effectiveness;
• Ability to communicate knowledge and enthusiasm for the Library collections to all constituencies, both internal and external.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills and a strong public service orientation; and
• Public presence and energy;
• Experience in the field of Library special collections and appreciation for historical and primary source materials.

For consideration please send cover letter, resume, and salary requirements to hr1@nyhistory.org. In the subject line please reference the job title.  The New-York Historical Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

 

Development Associate

The New-York Historical Society is seeking a Development Associate to support the comprehensive fundraising activities of a growing department. Reporting to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement, this position requires someone with strong attention to detail, an excellent work ethic motivation, curiosity, good judgment, and interested in building a career in Development.

Major duties:

• Provides day-to-day administrative support to the development staff
• Prepares acknowledgment letters
• Creates marketing communication materials to support fundraising efforts
• Conducts prospect research and prepares donor profiles
• Provides support in the planning and implementation of donor events (including fall gala, members openings, and cultivation events throughout the year)
• Coordinates with various Museum & Library departments to retrieve information about goals and projects
• Maintains quality of database information and keeps records current
• Coordinates meetings and helps with preparation and department reporting
• Maintains Development department files
• Manages office systems within the department

Qualifications:

• Highly organized with the ability to prioritize multiple assignments
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, InDesign, and Photoshop. Database experience preferred.
• A self-motivated learner
• Detail-oriented with high standards for accuracy
• An enthusiasm for museum development work and desire to take on challenges
• Interest in the humanities and the arts

For consideration please send cover letter which MUST include salary requirements and resume to hr1@nyhistory.org. In the subject line please reference the job title. The New-York Historical Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

 

Administrative Assistant – Part Time

The Administrative Assistant will report to the Vice President for Communications.  This person will handle all administrative duties for the Communications Department.  The ideal person for this position has excellent administrative skills and an interest in a career at a cultural institution.

Responsibilities:

• Provides day-to-day administrative support for the Communications Department which includes filing, answering phones, ordering supplies, copying, organizing materials, scheduling and other administrative duties.
• Maintain the Communications Calendar, a department wide calendar that outlines changes and updates to digital signage, E-Blasts and home page banner and well as actual meetings and appointments.
• Will occasionally attend Logistics meeting and report to the department members on discussions that are relevant. Also represent the department’s needs in regards logistical, space and scheduling requirements.
• Handle photo research and with other internal departments to obtain photos and other digital images.
• Supervise C-SPAN crews when they are filming in the building. This includes answering questions, troubleshooting problems and liaising with building staff members.
• Keep all mailing and contact lists up to date
• Compiling news clips and maintaining clip book
• Manage databases
• Maintain proper levels of promotional inventory
• Will work on small research projects
• Provide back-up administrative support for President and CEO’s Office

Qualifications:

• Highly organized with the ability to prioritize multiple assignments
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office necessary. Must have a strong working knowledge of Excel, Word and Power Point.
• A self-motivated learner
• Detail-oriented with high standards for accuracy
• Desire to take on challenges
• An interest in Museums and History very valuable
• Intellectual curiosity

This 25 hour per week part time position and the salary is $19/hour.

For consideration please send cover letter and resume to hr1@nyhistory.org. In the subject line please reference the job title.  The New-York Historical Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer

 

Library Page (P/T)

New-York Historical Society Library

The successful candidate will work in support of the library public service staff in the reading room of a very busy, closed-stacks research library.

Responsibilities
Monitoring researchers
Greeting people in person; answering the telephone
Registering researchers
Retrieving and shelving library materials
Printing out call slips
Photocopying
Additional projects as assigned

Qualifications
Attention to detail
Professional manner
Good interpersonal and communication skills
Ability to handle rare materials carefully
Ability to adapt and transition from one assignment to the next

Preferred
Experience working in a library or with the public; knowledge of American or New York history.

Hours             
Up to 24 hours weekly, taken between 9 and 4 Monday through Friday throughout the year and Saturday hours of 10-1 taken between Labor Day and Memorial Day. Hours must be on a consistent schedule that cannot be adjusted from week to week.

Salary
$12 per hour.

E-mail cover letter and resume to HR1@nyhistory.org (with subject line “Library Page”) or fax
to (646) 293-9409. Please, no phone calls.

 

Cataloging and Metadata Assistant (temporary appointment)

Library Technical Services Department
The New-York Historical Society

Responsibilities
The New-York Historical Society is seeking a full-time Cataloging and Metadata Assistant to work on collections to be digitized for various commercial products.  The person in this position will:  

• Retrieve, stage, and expedite materials for scanning by contractors
• Track materials using the Aeon system
• Assist in the creation of metadata for a variety of collections that may include monographs, serials, archival materials, and ephemera
• Search the library’s cataloging system, Aleph, to verify holdings, identify duplicates, and add locations and copies to existing records for monographs and serials 
• Download bibliographic records from OCLC, revise and update them, create holdings records, verify call numbers in online and card shelflists, and modify them as needed
• Enter metadata in Microsoft Excel and in digital assets management systems (to be determined), according to standards established for the project
• Create labels, mark and stamp items, prepare acid-free inserts and protective enclosures, re-house materials, and assist the project catalogers in other duties
• Re-shelve newly cataloged and scanned materials in the collections, a task that may involve pushing fully-loaded book trucks and occasionally shifting collections
• Work collaboratively with the project’s catalogers, with contract scanning technicians, and with the Library’s Conservation Department
• Communicate with supervisor, staff, contractors, and others via email
• Compile monthly statistics and provide information for reports

Requirements
B.A. in the humanities and coursework at the graduate level in Library and Information Science.  At least one year of relevant library cataloging experience.  Familiarity with handling older and fragile collections.  Experience with library cataloging systems and Microsoft Excel.  Good attention to detail, excellent oral and written communication skills, flexibility, and the ability to work independently as well as part of a team.  Preferred: Knowledge of MARC 21, AACR2, Dublin Core, and other metadata standards; experience with digital assets management systems.

This full-time position is funded for the duration of the project.

For consideration please send cover letter and resume to hr1@nyhistory.org. In the subject line please reference the job title.  The New-York Historical Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer.