What are the responsibilities and job description for the Associate Reference Librarian position at Peabody Essex Museum Inc?
The Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum is among the oldest libraries in the United States. Rich primary and secondary sources – including vast quantities of manuscripts, books, photographs, maps, broadsides and ephemera – make it a fruitful location for research and discovery. The library is based at PEM’s James B. and Mary Lou Hawkes Collection Center, a state-of-the-art facility with secure and climate-controlled storage, in Rowley, Massachusetts.
The Associate Reference Librarian works closely alongside the Reference team to identify and interpret the needs of Phillips Library’s local, regional, and global users to achieve the overall goal of excellent library service. Their core responsibilities include providing reference, reader’s advisory, and referral services in person, by telephone, and via email; order fulfillment for reproductions of library materials; and gathering and reporting on library statistical data. Primary outward-facing duties to engage the library’s various audiences are: leading the library’s social media presence; participating in library programs; and conducting occasional user surveys to assess our performance. They are expected to maintain familiarity with the collection,, and participate collaboratively in library- and museum-wide projects and initiatives. The Associate Reference Librarian supervises the Reference Assistant.