The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (LPA) has been an essential provider of information, ideas, inspiration, and education for people worldwide for more than 50 years.  LPA is a unique combination of scholarly research center and circulating public library housed in one building located on the campus of Lincoln Center, the world’s leading performing arts center.  

The Library for the Performing Arts seeks an innovative, strategic, visionary, and collaborative leader for the position of Deputy Director for Research & Collections Services.  A member of LPA’s management team, the Deputy Director plays a critical role in the day to day operations, and in the development of new and innovative services and methodologies to support LPA’s expert staff and world-class research collections.

Reporting to the Executive Director of the Library for the Performing Arts (LPA), the Deputy Director:

• Assists with proposals and grants which successfully capture the importance and value of LPA’s research collections  
• Gathers information and statistics on LPA collections, programs, and services which can be effectively used to garner donor support
• Develops and promotes the cross-departmental and cross-institutional collaborations to provide a seamless and successful user experience
• Works with the curators to promote deeper connections and understanding of user needs, collection strengths, and staff expertise
• Supports staff development by promoting teamwork, advances technical skills, and assists in staff innovation
• Develops procedures for LPA’s Special Collections Reading by balancing security, preservation and access needs
• Provides support for LPA’s curators on digitization and preservation projects, which enable new and transformational uses of the collections
• Collaborates with the curators on the development and preparation of exhibitions, public programs, and on other community outreach strategies which increase the visibility and understanding of LPA’s research collections
• Develops methods to increase access to LPA’s research collections through an understanding of the collection’s strengths, their use, and their users
• Develops outreach strategies which support the needs of educators from K-12 through post-graduate programs
• Advocates for LPA’s mission to support scholarship and creativity and the contributions that LPA staff, and collections have made and continue to make in support of this work
• Enhances  external communications through the effective use of social media

• The Deputy Director will have direct supervision of four curators
• Assumes the responsibilities of the Executive Director in his/her absence

• Accountability and Professionalism
• Customer Service
• Collaboration and Teamwork
• Job-Specific Knowledge and Skills
• Leadership and Management
• Performance Management and Development

• ALA accredited Master’s degree in Library and Information Studies, or  Arts Administration, or other relevant field, or an equivalent combination of education and significant leadership experience in a large non-profit organization
• 5 to 8 years of progressively responsible relevant experience in a leadership role for a not for profit organization including administrative experience, budget, and personnel management
• Active interest in one or more performing arts subject areas
• Successfully demonstrated leadership experience within a library, educational institution, or non-profit organization with substantial supervisory experience and fiscal responsibility
• Demonstrated understanding of the ways a research library collections facilitate scholarship and of the diverse, changing ways researchers, artists, educators, and students use physical and digital collections for learning and creative pursuits
• Demonstrated commitment to public service and to the particular role that research collections and services play in service of a public library mission
• Demonstrated ability to engage curators, librarians, staff, and external constituencies including the artistic community in the collaborative planning, coordination, and execution of new services or programs
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain close and productive working relationships with colleagues and constituents in an environment where consultation, flexibility, collaboration, and cooperation are essential
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills
• Proficient with technology, including experience with Microsoft Office Suite

In order to be considered for this position, please submit a resume, cover letter and detailed list of major accomplishments.

• Research Library
• Office setting