Curator of African American Experience Collections

Certifiedarchivists; Lawrence (KS); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent educational institution is seeking a Curator of African American Experience Collections. The role requires building collections that reflect the African American experience in Kansas, engaging with community members, and collaborating with university faculty to enhance teaching and research. Qualified candidates should possess a relevant master’s degree and have significant experience in outreach and archival practices. The anticipated start date for the position is April 6, 2026.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in library and information science or equivalent required.
• Experience in community outreach, especially with African American communities.
• Familiarity with archival practices and digitization processes.

Responsibilities

• Develop African American Experience collections through community engagement.
• Provide instructional and outreach programming related to collections.
• Collaborate with faculty for library instruction and student engagement.
• Develops instructional and outreach programming, including classes, tours, exhibits, and blog posts.
• Promotes collections via digital initiatives, social media, and community events.

Skills

Community engagement

Collaboration

Outreach

Public speaking

Education

ALA-accredited master’s degree in library and information science

PhD in library and information science

Job description

Position Overview

Curator of African American Experience Collections. Kenneth Spencer Research Library (KSRL) at the University of Kansas Libraries seeks a creative and collaborative curator for our established and growing African American Experience (AAE) Collections. These collections document the legacy of African American individuals, families, businesses, churches, and schools through correspondence, photographs, organizational, educational and business records, books, pamphlets, and newspapers. The curator will spearhead efforts to build and share collections that reflect the lives and experiences of African Americans in Kansas and the region. They will work with colleagues to develop an established, community-based collecting program that supports the teaching and research missions of the university. The curator will collaborate with KU faculty and other instructors teaching in varied subject areas, and with students and other scholars, to interpret the rich resources of the collection through instruction, reference service, and public outreach. Working collaboratively across the Libraries and the campus, the curator will also support and collaborate on robust cataloging and description, preservation, and digitization of collection materials.

Professional Responsibilities

• Builds relationships with individuals, families, and social, business, and political communities across the state to develop African American Experience collections through purchases and donations.
• Consults with and supports organizations, individuals, and communities that wish to preserve and document their collections locally.
• Partners with library and university colleagues to integrate original resources and perspectives into classes across the KU curriculum, and to strengthen students’ primary source literacy.
• Participates in developing and delivering instructional and outreach programming and activities including classes and tours; physical and virtual exhibits; and posts for Spencer Library’s shared blog.
• Plans and staffs outreach events and activities to promote knowledge and use of the African American experience collections, including traveling exhibits and presentations to potential users and donors, groups, clubs, etc.
• Serves as a public point of contact for this collection, including inquiries from the media, and demonstrates the ability to advocate for the importance of historical materials in understanding the past, present, and future.
• Shares in providing reference assistance to students, faculty, and the public, and consults on reference requests in assigned areas of responsibility.
• Works collaboratively with colleagues across the Libraries to promote the collections through digital initiatives, social media, community events, K‑12 outreach, tours, and other means.
• Works collaboratively as a member of project teams and other groups to advance the libraries’ strategic priorities.
• Works collaboratively with faculty and other librarians to design and deliver library instruction to students.

Research Activities

Contributes to the profession’s collective knowledge by engaging in scholarly research activity. Research may involve the publication of articles, books, book reviews, grant‑supported inquiry, or editorial work.

Service Activities

Engages in service to the Libraries, the University and to professional organizations by participating in committee work, projects, and other contributory achievements. (Service and research percentages may not ordinarily be less than 5% each, and will generally total between 10% and 20%).

Required Qualifications

• ALA‑accredited master’s degree in library and information science or equivalent from a foreign institution by date of appointment OR a PhD in library and information science from an LIS program that also offered an ALA‑accredited master’s degree at the time the PhD was awarded. In the specialized field of archives, a graduate degree (e.g., master’s or PhD, depending on position requirements) in an appropriate field OR an archival certification by the Academy of Certified Archivists may be considered.
• Appointment at the Associate Librarian rank requires a review of the candidate’s materials to ensure work at the level documented in KU Libraries Criteria for Academic Ranks of Library Faculty.
• This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have the foundational knowledge and skill set required to perform the duties of the position. The level of degree is based on accreditation requirements, institutional standards of academic and professional excellence, alignment with peer institution benchmarks, and contributes to the credibility and effectiveness of the role within the university community.

Preferred Qualifications

• Outreach with African American communities, organizations, and learning the history in the region.
• Working with an archival repository or special collections environment, historical society, or museum.
• Understanding relevant subject areas, such as American Studies, African American Studies, or History.

Additional Candidate Instructions

Applicants should attach a cover letter, resume/CV, and contact information for three professional references (including at least one previous or current supervisor) to this online application. Please use your cover letter to address how you meet the required and preferred qualifications. An online application must be completed to be considered for this position.

Application Review

Review of applications will begin on January 19, 2026. Submit a complete application no later than midnight on January 18, 2026. Anticipated start date Monday April 6, 2026.

Contact Information

Tonia Morgan
[e-mail]

Advertised Salary Range

Commensurate with experience