Senior Research Librarian

CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM

JOB DESCRIPTION 

JOB TITLE: Senior Research Librarian

DEPARTMENT:  Collections
 
FLSA STATUS:  Exempt – Professional 
 
JOB SUMMARY: 

The Senior Research Librarian provides strategic and operational oversight for the Chicago History Museum’s Abakanowicz Research Center (ARC), serving as the primary steward of public and scholarly access to CHM’s research collections, including published materials, archives and manuscripts, photographs, architectural drawings and other related print materials. This role ensures that the ARC fosters an inclusive, welcoming environment for users while upholding the highest standards of collection care, security, and service. Working in close collaboration with colleagues across Collections, Curatorial Affairs, Communications, Development, and Education, the Senior Research Librarian advances CHM’s mission to inspire civic engagement and deepen understanding of Chicago’s history through access to original source materials. 

This role includes regular Saturday work to support ARC hours.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Staff and ARC Management

• Oversee daily operations of the ARC, ensuring a high standard of service, care and security of the collection.
• Supervise Research Services staff, interns, and volunteers; establish service protocols, develop schedules, and coordinate coverage to ensure the ARC is consistently staffed and maximizes open hours for users.
• Coordinate and ensure fulfillment of photocopying and scanning requests.
• Maintain and update policies for researcher registration, materials retrieval, and reading room use in consultation with other Collections staff.
• Develop annual goals and budgets for the Research Services unit in partnership with the Director of Collections.
• Collaborate with the Technical Services Librarian on acquisitions for the published collection that fill subject area gaps in CHM’s holdings.
• Track, analyze, and report on researcher activity and use metrics to support planning and decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with copyright law, donor restrictions, and privacy standards governing access to CHM’s holdings.
• Evaluate and maintain digital research subscriptions (e.g., ProQuest, Newsbank and other databases) to support researcher needs and institutional priorities.
• Oversee the maintenance of ARC equipment, including microfilm readers, scanners, computers, and related technologies, to ensure reliable access for all users.
• Oversee and coordinate the retrieval of research collection materials from off-site storage locations.
• Ensure ARC supplies are maintained and readily available, including clean gloves and other materials to support safe handling and housing of collections.

Reference and Outreach

• Provide research assistance to a wide range of users through in-person, email, and written inquiries.
• Serve collection material and guide researchers in appropriate handling and citation practices.
• Deliver orientations, tours, and workshops for students, interns, community members, etc.
• Supervise and coordinate Interlibrary Loan and iShare services. 
• Maintain awareness of emerging practices in research services, archival access, and user-centered design to continually improve CHM’s research experience.
• Serve as a liaison to academic institutions, libraries, archives, and consortiums, fostering collaborations that expand awareness and use of CHM’s collections.
• Serve as the contact person for researcher questions regarding the restricted Chicago Police Department Red Squad records.

Inter-Departmental Work at CHM

• Coordinate with Visitor Services and Membership and Development to maintain Altru database for researcher registration. 
• Collaborate with the Research Collections unit to develop shared priorities for processing, cataloging, and access to research collections, ensuring that researcher services and collection stewardship are aligned.
• Collaborate with Collections, Communications, Curatorial, Development and Education teams to highlight research stories, new acquisitions, collections and user experiences across public programs and digital platforms.
• Contribute to grant proposals and reporting related to collection access, digitization, and research engagement.
• With the Research Collections unit, manage the accuracy and ongoing development of the ARC LibGuide and other discovery tools.
• Participate in cross-departmental committees, task forces, and working groups related to collection care and access, digital initiatives, and visitor experience.
• Support emergency preparedness and response activities for collections, including participation in drills and incident documentation.
• Assist with training or onboarding of Museum staff in the use of research collections or discovery tools.

OTHER DUTIES:

• Perform other administrative or operational tasks that support the mission and daily functioning of the ARC and Collections Department.

REPORTS TO: Director of Collections

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

The Senior Research Librarian works closely with colleagues across the Collections Department, particularly the Research Collections unit, to ensure coordinated stewardship and access to CHM’s research collections. The position collaborates regularly with staff in Curatorial Affairs, Education, Development, and Communications to support research use, public programming, digital storytelling, and institutional initiatives. The Senior Research Librarian also engages with external partners such as academic institutions, libraries, archives, consortiums, and community organizations to advance research services and promote awareness of CHM’s collections. 

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS) or equivalent, with a concentration in archives, special collections, or reference services.
• 5–7 years’ experience in a research library, archives, or special collections environment, including substantial reference work.
• Demonstrated supervisory experience, including training, mentoring, scheduling, and performance management of library or archives staff.
• Expert knowledge of reference methodologies and strong familiarity with primary and secondary sources relating to U.S. urban history, social history, or cultural heritage (Chicago history experience a strong asset).
• Proven ability to interpret and communicate value and content of research collections to diverse audiences with varying levels of research experience.
• Proven ability to navigate and interpret previous cataloging and description approaches that resulted in complex legacy data that may be difficult to parse.
• Commitment to inclusive, user-centered service.
• Knowledge of collections handling (including fragile paper and film-based materials) and reading room best practices, including security protocols for rare and unique materials.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across Collections, Curatorial, Education, and other museum teams.
• Experience developing and implementing policies, workflows, and public service procedures that balance access, preservation, and security.
• Excellent research, analytical, and problem-solving skills, including the ability to manage complex or specialized reference inquiries.
• Technological proficiency, including integrated library systems, archival discovery platforms, digital asset systems, and standard office software.
• Knowledge of archival and library descriptive standards (DACS, MARC, EAD) and Library of Congress classification system.
• Experience with consortia environments (e.g., OCLC/WorldCat, CARLI, DPLA).
• Experience designing or evaluating user engagement strategies, such as instruction sessions, workshops, research guides, or digital discovery tools.
• Ability to maintain high-quality public service while balancing reference, supervision, and administrative responsibilities, including during periods of limited staffing or high researcher demand.
• Valid driver's license.
• Ability to work on Saturdays.
• Ability to ascend and descend stairs and lift/carry objects/boxes weighing up to 30 pounds.

This job description is not intended to be an express or implied contract between CHM and any employee.  CHM employees are employees at will.   CHM reserves the right to change or assign other duties to this position as necessary to meet changing business needs.   CHM is an equal opportunity employer.

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