Special Collections Programs & Instruction Coordinator

Penn State University; University Park (TX); On-site; USD 41,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

75% tuition discount

Flexible benefits

Job summary

The Eberly Family Special Collections Library at the Penn State Libraries is seeking a Special Collections Instruction & Program Coordinator to connect students, faculty, researchers, and community members with rare books, archives, manuscripts, and other distinctive collections.

This on-site role coordinates instructional programs, visits, and related activities to advance teaching and learning with Special Collections.

Qualifications

• Experience coordinating projects, programs, services, or operations in a library, archives, museum, higher education, or other customer-focused environment.
• Excellent organizational skills with demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and competing demands.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team environment while exercising sound judgment and initiative.
• Experience collecting, maintaining, or reporting data to support assessment, planning, or decision making.
• Proficiency with common office productivity software (e.g., email, calendaring, word processing, spreadsheet, and collaboration tools)

Responsibilities

• Coordinate all Special Collections instruction and educational visit requests from initial inquiry through completion.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for faculty, instructors, and campus, community, and public groups requesting instructional sessions, tours, and educational visits.
• Coordinate scheduling, instructional spaces, collection availability, and related logistics to support successful learning experiences.
• Collaborate with Research Services colleagues, curators, archivists, and librarians to identify instructors, collections, and learning experiences that support course objectives and group needs.
• Provide operational support for instruction sessions and visits, including space, technology, instructional, and materials coordination.
• Maintain calendars, communications, workflows, procedures, and documentation to ensure consistent and effective service delivery.
• Collect, maintain, and analyze instructional statistics, assessment data, and participant feedback.
• Prepare reports and summaries to support assessment, planning, annual reporting, and decision-making.
• Identify trends and recommend improvements to instructional services, workflows, and learning experiences.
• Support the implementation and evaluation of instructional initiatives and service improvements.
• Collaborate with members of the Research Services team to support instruction, research consultations, outreach, and public service activities.
• Develop and maintain instructional guides, documentation, and online resources that support teaching and learning with Special Collections.
• Assist with projects and initiatives that expand and strengthen the use of Special Collections in teaching and learning.
• Coordinate and support Special Collections programs, events, research grants, and award programs, including logistics, communications, and related administrative activities.
• Support public programs by welcoming participants, assisting presenters, leading tours, and facilitating audience engagement.
• Participate in departmental and library-wide committees, working groups, and initiatives.
• Maintain knowledge of emerging practices in primary source pedagogy, instructional technologies, accessibility, assessment, and related areas of special collections teaching and learning.

Skills

Project coordination

Organizational skills

Communication

Team collaboration

Data reporting

Office software proficiency

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

ArchiveSpace

Aeon

Microsoft 365

Job description

The Eberly Family Special Collections Library at the Penn State Libraries is seeking a Special Collections Instruction & Program Coordinator to connect students, faculty, researchers, and community members with rare books, archives, manuscripts, and other distinctive collections.

This on-site role coordinates instructional programs, visits, and related activities to advance teaching and learning with Special Collections.