Librarian, Chester County History Center, West Chester

Librarian, Chester County History Center, West Chester

Chester County History Center invites applicants for the full-time position of Librarian for its historical manuscript, (750,000 manuscripts from the late 1600s to present), reference, and photograph archives (100,000 photographs) collections. This position reports to the Director of Collections and is part of the Collections Department team. The Librarian supervises a part-time Assistant Librarian, volunteers and student interns, and works collaboratively with other departments and CCHC staff.

Duties

1. Provide leadership and supervision of day-to-day activities in the library and photo archives, including cultivating, collecting, processing, organizing, preserving and making accessible collections of manuscripts and historic photographs. This includes analog and digital materials.

2. Work on cross-functional teams to support, contribute content and strengthen the library and institutional projects, including but not limited websites and public outreach.

3. Foster an inclusive workplace and interact with diverse constituents. This includes staffing and managing the library on-site reference desk and handling remote research inquiries.

4. Maintain professional standards for work environment and collections records.

5. Set priorities according to the strategic plan and participate in departmental planning.

6. Serve as institutional archivist, maintaining documentation of institutional activities according to policies and procedures.

7. Assist with fundraising for library projects, including grant writing.

Qualifications

Master’s degree in library and information science, archives management, history/public history or related field with demonstrated ability for customer service preferred. Experience being sought includes a minimum of 3 years of accumulated professional archival experience in special library settings, and skills that include organization, digitization, ability to read cursive handwriting, and volunteer supervision. The successful candidate will 1) be current with best practices for procedures and principles, including the physical care of primary materials and digital management, 2) have a practical understanding of digital lifecycles, and their storage and management, 3) be familiar with PastPerfect, 4) have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, 5) have proficient computer experience, and 6) have superior time-management skills and ability to prioritize. Successful candidates will have the ability to physically carry out regular library duties, including lifting up to 35 lbs.

This is a full-time position with benefits. The schedule is Tuesday through Saturday. Salary range: $48,000 - $50,000. Please send your resume and letter of interest by midnight June 7, 2026 to Ellen Endslow, Director of Collections/Curator, eendslow@mycchc.org.

About Chester County History Center

CCHC has been collecting materials about the history of the region since 1893. Three hundred years of local history are represented in the permanent collections that comprise 80,000 museum objects, a special collections library with 20,000 reference books and 750,000 manuscripts, and more than 100,000 images of all types in the photo archives. The society benefits from the resources of its location in the Brandywine River Valley and its proximity to Philadelphia. More information about CCHC is available at www.mycchc.org.
(Posted 5/15)