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Research Librarian for Music and Performing Arts, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

The University of Virginia Library is seeking applications for the Librarian for Music and Performing Arts. The Librarian for Music and Performing Arts serves as a liaison to the McIntire Department of Music and the Department of Drama, including the Dance Minor program, providing in-depth research and teaching support for faculty and students as well as general support for the performing arts across the curriculum. As a member of the Arts & Humanities team in the Library’s Research and Learning Services unit, the Librarian for Music and Performing Arts collaborates with a cohort of subject and technology experts to advance and promote existing services to enhance scholarship in all phases of the research lifecycle, and to identify emerging needs and envision new services in response. The University of Virginia Library embraces innovation and risk-taking, encourages diversity, and looks for staff who are excited by the prospect of working at a forward-looking library during times of great change.  

The Librarian for Music and Performing Arts provides front-line support and consultation across all research services, as well as expert services and support for music- and arts-related research throughout the University. They actively engage with faculty and students on a wide variety of matters relating to their scholarship, such as scholarly communication, digital scholarship, preservation, copyright and licensing, instructional technologies, and emerging tools and services. They collaborate with other Research and Learning Services librarians to support research in emerging and interdisciplinary areas that cross conventional subject boundaries. Working with technology and methodology experts on the Research and Learning Services team the Librarian for Music and Performing Arts promotes the Library’s existing and emerging digital initiatives. They contribute to the development of collections in all formats, by scoping and communicating collection needs to the Scholarly Resources and Content Strategies team. They engage in creative thinking and research projects (both structured and unstructured) to promote innovations in performing arts librarianship.

Required Qualifications:

  • A master’s degree in library or information science, or an advanced degree in music and appropriate experience in an academic library.  
  • Strong background in music and the performing arts.
  • Commitment to ongoing professional development and enthusiasm for the possibilities offered by academic librarianship as a profession.
  • Familiarity with the tools and methods of digital scholarship.
  • Excellent interpersonal, organizational and communication skills.
  • Ability to thrive in a highly collaborative, team-based organization.  
  • Commitment to fostering an equitable and inclusive workplace and an ability to work effectively with a diverse faculty, staff, and student population.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Professional experience working in a music or performing arts library.  
  • Understanding of established and emerging technologies for musical instruction, research, composition, and performance.
  • Familiarity with scholarly communication and intellectual property issues.
  • Broad knowledge of traditional and new models of collection development and management in music.
  • Understanding of metadata and its importance in support of music scholarship.
  • Working knowledge of foreign languages (German and/or French preferred).  

Physical Demands:

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does require walking some distance to oversee/coordinate activities at remote Library locations and to attend meetings and programs.

How to Apply / Contact

PROCESS FOR INTERNAL UVA APPLICANTS: Please apply through your Workday Home page, search “Find Jobs”, and search for “R0015323”.   Complete an application online and see below for documents to attach.

PROCESS FOR EXTERNAL APPLICANTS: Please visit the UVA job board (R0015323), complete the application and see below for documents to attach. 

Please note that ALL documents MUST be uploaded in the CV/resume box or you can combine them into one PDF.

 Complete an application online and attach:

  • CV
  • Cover letter
  • Contact information for 3 references

***Applications that do not contain all of the required documents will not receive full consideration.***

The position will remain open until filled. For questions about the application process please contact Rhiannon O’Coin at [email protected]