Description

Music & Performing Arts Special Collections Librarian

Visiting Assistant Professor, University Library 

Music and Performing Arts Library

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Position Available:  This position is available as soon as possible. There is the possibility of a hybrid work schedule for faculty, determined through conversation and approval by the faculty supervisor based on unit needs, but as a residential campus all faculty are expected to have an on-site presence. This is a 100%-time, twelve-month, visiting faculty appointment, renewable annually for three years, and may become permanent in the University Library. This position is designed to build expertise for librarians new to this field, and early career librarians are encouraged to apply.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Statement: The University Library of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign values diversity of thought, perspective, experience, and people, and is actively committed to a culture of inclusion and respect. We are dedicated to the practices of social justice, diversity, and equality, and we strive to overcome historical and divisive biases in our society and embrace diverse points of view as assets to the fabric of our community. All positions will be called on to contribute to building this environment in the Library and throughout the campus community, and we encourage candidates who share these values to apply. Additional information can be found on the Library’s DEIA webpage: https://www.library.illinois.edu/geninfo/deia/.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Music and Performing Arts Library seeks a Music and Performing Arts Special Collections Librarian. Reporting to the Head of the Music and Performing Arts Library (MPAL), the Music and Performing Arts Special Collections Librarian will collaborate in stewarding and curating MPAL’s Special Collections, making them more findable and usable, and will play a lead role in promoting MPAL’s Special Collections and in increasing engagement by scholars and students. 

The Music and Performing Arts Special Collections Librarian will provide related services in MPAL in support of the teaching, research, and public engagement work of faculty, staff, and students in music and other performing arts disciplines at the University of Illinois. The Music and Performing Arts Special Collections Librarian also supports the information needs of other University and community members and global researchers in relation to MPAL’s Special Collections. 

In addition, the Special Collections Librarian contributes to the training, supervision, and mentorship of a Graduate Assistant or Graduate Hourly student working with MPAL Special Collections materials and participates in MPAL public service provision via email and in person. 

Responsibilities: 

• Conduct a comprehensive review and assessment of MPAL’s Special Collections print book and score holdings, developing and maintaining relevant documentation
• Recommend strategic directions for shaping MPAL’s Special Collections, including potential transfers, areas for growth, preservation care needs, and digitization priorities
• Contribute to cataloging efforts, including local and international cataloging efforts of rare music materials (e.g., through RISM)
• Direct the Special Collections related work of graduate, and potentially, undergraduate student employees, funding permitting
• Actively engage in MPAL’s instruction, outreach, and public engagement efforts through the development of exhibits, events, class sessions, and promotional resources to engage students and faculty in using MPAL’s Special Collections materials
• Participate in public services through scheduled desk shifts and assisting local and remote users with access to MPAL Special Collections materials
• Liaise with other units in the University Library (i.e., the Rare Book and Manuscript Library, the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music, Preservation Services, and Acquisitions and Cataloging Services) regarding the care of MPAL’s Special Collections
• Serve on relevant Library committees and in other professional organization service roles as appropriate
• Conduct scholarly research project(s) alone or in collaboration with colleagues

Appointment Information 

The Music and Performing Arts Library provides a range of information services to students in the College of Fine and Applied Arts and to other university and community members and global scholars. MPAL includes two library faculty, five classified staff, three part-time graduate assistants, and a team of undergraduate hourly student assistants. MPAL develops and maintains subject-specific and special collections in a variety of formats totaling more than 400,000 items to support the present and future information needs of these programs and related departments. In conjunction with the mission of the University and Library policies, MPAL extends its collections and services to individuals in the State of Illinois and beyond. MPAL works closely with the Rare Book and Manuscript Library and Sousa Archives and Center for American Music to ensure that collections are stewarded in the appropriate setting.

MPAL’s Special Collections totals over 150,000 items and is a hybrid of special formats (LPs, microfilms, and cassettes), print items that are too fragile for general collections, and items that meet standard special collections criteria such as rarity, association, importance, or cost. It includes a ~100,000 item historic U.S. sheet music collection. 

Environment: The University of Illinois is a predominantly residential university. Therefore, it is understood that most employees, including both academic and classified personnel, will maintain an onsite presence to effectively meet institutional and operational needs. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library is a leader in the delivery of user services, and active programs in information, instructional, access, and scholarly services that help the Library to maintain its place at the intellectual heart of the campus. Considered among the preeminent research libraries in the world, the University Library curates and provides access to over 15-million print and digital volumes and 23-million manuscripts, maps, and other resources to students, faculty, and scholars on campus and across the State of Illinois. The Library is committed to maintaining the strongest collections and service programs possible, and to engaging in research, development, and scholarly practice - all of which support the University's missions of teaching, research, and public engagement. The Library employs approximately 90 faculty members, and more than 300 academic professionals, staff, and graduate assistants. For more information, see: http://www.library.illinois.edu/ .

Salary and Rank: This is a bargained position and as such the salary is driven by the NTFC Agreement. The salary for this faculty position is $76,389. The successful candidate will join the University Library as a Visiting Assistant Professor.

Non-tenure track faculty positions are represented by the Non-Tenure Faculty Coalition IFT-AFT, AAUP (NTFC). Please be advised that this position is subject to a collective bargaining agreement between the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois and the Non-Tenure Faculty Coalition union. For more information regarding the contract, please go to Non-Tenure Faculty Coalition Union Contract.

Terms of Appointment: Twelve-month appointment; 24 annual vacation days; 11 annual paid holidays; 12 annual sick-leave days (cumulative), plus an additional 13 sick-leave days (non-cumulative) available, if needed, each year; health insurance requiring a small co-payment is provided to employee (with the option to purchase coverage for spouse and dependents); required participation in State Universities Retirement System (SURS) (8% of annual salary is withheld and is refundable upon termination), with several options for participation in additional retirement plans; newly-hired employees are covered by the Medicare portion of Social Security and are subject to its deduction. 

Campus and Community: The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a comprehensive and major public land-grant university (Doctoral/Research University-Extensive) that is ranked among the best in the world. Chartered in 1867, it provides undergraduate and graduate education in more than 150 fields of study, conducts theoretical and applied research, and provides public service to the state and the nation. It employs 2,848 faculty members who serve more than 34,000 undergraduates and 21,000 graduate and professional students. More information about the campus is available at www.illinois.edu.

The University is located in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana, which have a combined population of 207,000 and are situated about 140 miles south of Chicago, 125 miles west of Indianapolis, and 180 northeast of St. Louis. The University and its surrounding communities offer a cultural and recreational environment ideally suited to the work of a major research institution. For more information about the community, visit: https://illinois.edu or https://www.champaigncounty.org.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information: Apply for these positions using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. To ensure full consideration, all required application materials must be received by 6:00pm (CST) on December 12, 2025. Please create your candidate profile, upload a cover letter, your curriculum vitae, and the names and email addresses of four professional references by the close date. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered.

For questions about this position, please contact the Search Coordinator, Aneitre Johnson at 217-265-0244. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois offers a very competitive benefits portfolio, depending on the position. Click for a complete list of Employee Benefits.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, COVID-19 vaccination requirement, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu .

Requirements

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will have the ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment, be detail-oriented while managing multiple projects and tasks, and have the ability to follow guidelines and standards. 

Required: 

• ALA-accredited Master’s degree in Library and/or Information Science or equivalent
• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly in person and in writing
• Bachelor’s degree in a music discipline
• Expressed desire to contribute to the national and international reputation of the University Library through professional research, service, and collaboration with colleagues and organizations.
   

Preferred: 

• Experience or coursework relating to building and sustaining music and performing arts library collections in all formats
• Experience or coursework relating to rare books and/or archival collections and their development and management
• Experience or coursework in cataloging library materials
• Experience or coursework relating to providing information and reference services in an academic library
• Experience or coursework in outreach and instruction, including creating library exhibits
• Experience or interest in project management methods; including workflows and documentation