Nadia Sophie Seiler Rare Materials Residency

Revision as of 15:50, 6 June 2018 by ErinBlake (talk | contribs) (Added link to Employment Opportunities page)
It’s satisfying to put the pieces of a puzzle together when we can, but it’s just as exciting to think of the undiscovered treasures that might be hiding in this collection. — Nadia Sophie Seiler

Nadia Seiler's passion for rare materials and for cataloging inspired all of us at the Folger Shakespeare Library. The Nadia Sophie Seiler Rare Materials Residency ("Seiler Residency" for short) is a nine-month term-limited position for new library professionals made possible by the Nadia Sophie Seiler Memorial Fund and hosted at the Folger. We who worked closely with Nadia are pleased and honored to be able to help ensure that our beloved colleague's memory lives on. Seeing the spark of enthusiasm for rare materials ignite the mind of a new librarian is seeing Nadia's spirit in the next generation.

Position description

The Seiler Resident will work hands-on with rare materials in the collection while being actively trained and mentored by Folger librarians. The focus will be on rare materials cataloging, but the Seiler Resident will also work directly with curators, public services, and other professionals in order to gain a thorough and practical understanding of rare materials librarianship. We hope that this person will be inspired to learn new things, discover true passions, and make meaningful contributions to scholars and as-yet-unknown audiences, within a rich and supportive environment.

The Seiler Resident will be an integral part of the Folger staff, participating in departmental meetings, joining the Saturday Reading Room rotation (working at the Reading Room service desk on a Saturday approximately once every five or six weeks), attending talks, and contributing to the collegial environment on a professional level in order to gain genuine career-oriented experience.

Application procedure

Please see Employment Opportunities on the Folger website for details. Applicants are required to submit a cover letter and CV, and must have received a master's degree within the 18 months prior to application from a program accredited by the American Library Association. The application deadline for 2018/19 is July 15, 2018.

Key personnel

  • Erin Blake, Head of Collection Information Services, will direct the residency, ensuring the Seiler Resident's development of and advancement toward focused career goals. In her seventeen years in various departments at the Folger, Erin has gained a thorough understanding of the wide range of activities and opportunities within the library and the world of rare materials.
  • Caroline Duroselle-Melish, Curator of Early Modern Books and Prints
  • Deborah J. Leslie, Senior Cataloger, will be the Seiler Resident's primary mentor in rare materials cataloging. Deborah is a sought-after teacher of Rare Book Cataloging with eighteen years of in-depth experience with the Folger collection and a large network of professional contacts.
  • Heather Wolfe, Curator of Manuscripts

Past talks

Time-table

  • May and June 2018: Solicit applications through library schools and their alumni networks, discussion lists, and social media, and in person at the RBMS Conference and the ALA Conference.
  • July 2018: Review proposals and select candidate.
  • October 2018: Resident joins the Folger staff for nine months
  • December 2018: Resident takes week-long paleography course at the Folger
  • February 2019: Resident meets with representatives of the Nadia Sophie Seiler Memorial Fund
  • April 2019: Based on the Resident's experience, and in consultation with the Resident and representatives of the Fund, prepare materials for the 2019/2020 Nadia Sophie Seiler Rare Materials Cataloging Residency
  • June 2019: Nadia Sophie Seiler Rare Materials Cataloging Resident attends the RBMS Conference.
  • June/July 2019: Residency culminates with the Resident's public talk on a topic relevant to the substantive experience gained during the residency