Employment

General Overview

The Visitor Services Associate is the first point of contact for all visitors to the National Sporting Library & Museum. Ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills and enjoy interacting with the public. Candidate must be comfortable with greeting visitors, answering questions, and sharing information about NSLM programming, collections, events, and membership. As NSLM educational programming continues to expand, ideal candidate will be eager to assist with tours and programs. 

Primary duties include greeting and monitoring all visitors; answering phones; processing book and merchandise sales; daily open and close procedures; and assisting with other administrative tasks as required. 

Responsibilities: 

• Greet all visitors and introduce them to the NSLM and current exhibitions. Answer questions related to programming, exhibitions, and collections.
• Process Admission Sales.
• Track and record daily attendance.
• Monitor visitors on security cameras as they proceed through building.
• Complete daily opening and closing procedures for museum building, to include open and close walk-throughs of public spaces.
• Stock brochures, catalogues, giftshop items, and supplies at Front Desk.
• Process Merchandise Sales.
• Answer phones and act as main reception for NSLM campus Wednesday – Sunday.
• Promote programming and encourage all visitors to join NSLM membership.
• Assist processing online giftshop orders.
• Assist with administrative tasks.

Basic computer skills and proficiency in Microsoft Word required. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel preferred. Previous volunteer or work experience with a non-profit, library, museum, or educational organization preferred but not required. Must be capable of working independently and as part of a team. 

Hours:
Part-time, Weekends; Weekdays on-call; 9:45am – 5:15pm. More hours may be available as NSLM moves into the next phase of opening. 

Salary: $14/hour 

To Apply: 
Submit cover letter, resume, and two reference names with contact information, via email to info@NationalSporting.org 

George L. Ohrstrom, Jr. Head Librarian

The National Sporting Library & Museum (NSLM) seeks a dynamic and personable individual with rare book knowledge and/or experience to oversee the F. Ambrose Clark Rare Book Room collections, library, and archives. This position, which reports to the Executive Director, will partner with the Development, Curatorial, Education, and Marketing Departments in promoting the collections to researchers, the public, and the greater sporting community.

The individual hired will be a representative of the Library’s collections and will prioritize engagement with all its audiences in formal and informal ways. Interactions will include conducting topical presentations, and public tours, and individualized research support. The Librarian will play an integral role in development efforts in the form of private tours to current and prospective donors, targeted outreach efforts, and special events. The new hire will design and present engaging exhibitions and programs drawing on all collections with an emphasis on the variety and quality of fine examples in the NLSM’s rare book collections.

This Librarian will develop internal policies and procedures to increase the visibility of collection materials to the public. The position will also lead the Library’s efforts to maintain object security, manage the reference desk, and oversee interlibrary loans. 

The Librarian will reach out to rare books, equestrian, angling, and other field sport communities to encourage visits, promote the use of archival resources, and support scholarship which incorporates materials from the NSLM collections. In addition, a priority will be to attract broader communities. This position requires familiarity with rare books and with methods for providing digital and in-person access to those materials.

The Librarian will be expected to conduct minimal cataloging. Knowledge of cataloging standards and the ability to write bibliographically accurate descriptions of rare books, manuscripts, and related printed collectible materials for social media, membership communication, and other publications is required.

In conjunction with the Board of Directors, the Librarian will work with the Library & Book Acquisitions Committee regarding book acquisitions, public programs like lectures, the duplicate book sale, and exhibitions for the Forrest E. Mars, Sr. Exhibit Hall. The individual will work with rare book dealers and auction houses to achieve collection development goals. The position will oversee the Fellowship Program and will contribute to grant writing efforts with the development, education, and curatorial teams.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Enjoys formal and informal public speaking and interactions.

• Interprets and shares the significance of the F. Ambrose Clark Rare Book Room collections for sporting history, rare book studies, equine studies, and related disciplines. Share these interpretations with public and private audiences. 

• Applies detailed knowledge of bibliographical references, collations and formats, and provenance research in addition to identifying antiquarian (16th -19th century) book-making techniques including types of paper, watermarks, illuminated manuscripts, leathers and vellums, bookbindings, fore-edge paintings, embroidered bindings, color-plate books, copper-plate engravings, etchings, and woodblocks.

• Prepares and oversees book repairs and restoration to be undertaken by restorers. Creates exhibits, guides, and other publications relating to rare books and archives. Manages stack maintenance and space for the F. Ambrose Clark Rare Book Room, archives, and Library collections.

• Conducts research, especially to establish provenance, publication, and exhibition history of loans or appraised property, maintaining the highest standard of completeness and accuracy.

• Enters and edits catalog text in Soutron, ensuring catalog data is accurate and recorded in a timely manner.

• Able to lift boxes of material, up to 50 pounds.

• Travel possible including auctions, book fairs, and donor relations.

• Other related duties as assigned.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:

• Experience working for a Rare Book Seller specializing in Antiquarian books; Special Collections department in a University Library, Research Library, or other higher Library setting. 

• Demonstrates experience specifically with early printed books.

• Proficiency in French, German, Italian, or Latin.

We seek qualified applicants who also bring perspectives and experiences that will enrich and strengthen our organization. In your resume and cover letter, please highlight the most relevant qualifications you would bring to this position based on the posting, and tell us how your background, perspective, and experience will help us fulfill our mission and meet our goals. Contact: info@nationalsporting.com.