Curator of Rare Books

About the role

As a Curator of Rare Books, you will join a small team of specialists responsible for one of the world’s most important collections of early and rare printed books. You will play a central role in the administration and management of these, working on books printed over a span of more than five centuries, and will focus on building the modern rare books collections.

Key responsibilities include acquiring and cataloguing early and rare printed books, leading our busy enquiries service, conducting research into the collections, and contributing to their development and care. You will work on a full range of public engagement activities, including exhibitions, teaching, and training, and communicate the significance of our collections in a way that captures the imagination.

This is a permanent, full-time post (37.5 hours per week).

Start and finish times are flexible, but the appointee should usually be present in the Weston Library during core hours of Monday-Friday 10am – 4pm.

Please note that participation in evening and weekend reading room supervision rotas is required. Currently, this includes one evening (5 pm–7 pm) every three weeks and two Saturdays a year.

This role involves lifting, carrying and moving objects (with or without adaptations) which on occasion may be heavy. All necessary health and safety training will be provided.

Due to the nature of this post, the successful candidate will be required to undertake a satisfactory Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks due to lone work involving handling highly valuable items.

This job includes duties that will require additional security pre-employment checks. The successful candidate will be required to undertake a satisfactory Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks due to lone work involving handling highly valuable items.

About You

You will be passionate and knowledgeable about early and rare printed books. You will have:

• Relevant qualifications and experience with rare books from all periods.
• Experience in cataloguing early and rare books.
• Strong communication skills to engage with a wide range of audiences.
• A demonstrable interest in the book arts and modern special collections.

Diversity

Our staff and students come from all over the world, and we proudly promote a friendly and inclusive culture. Diversity is positively encouraged, through diverse groups and champions, as well as a number of family-friendly policies, such as the right to apply for flexible working and support for staff returning from periods of extended absence, for example, shared parental leave.

How to apply

You will be required to upload your CV and a supporting statement as part of your online application. Your supporting statement should list each of the essential and desirable selection criteria, as listed in the job description, and explain how you meet each one. CVs alone will not be considered.

We aim to provide a supportive working environment and are happy to discuss training and professional development opportunities. The Chair of this recruitment panel will be Sarah Wheale, Head of Rare Books, who can be contacted with enquiries relating to the role (sarah.wheale@bodleian.ox.ac.uk).  General queries about the recruitment and application process should be directed to the Recruitment team within our Human Resources department (recruitment@glam.ox.ac.uk).

Only applications received online by 12.00 midday (GMT) on Monday 3^rd March 2025 can be considered. Interviews are expected to take place during the week commencing 31^st March 2025.

Advert information