Salary: $92,311.00 Annually
Location : Nashville, TN
Job Type: Full-Time Civil Service
Job Number: 27012E
Division: Public Library
Department: LIB Special Collections
Opening Date: 07/29/2026
Closing Date: 8/14/2026 11:59 PM Central

Position Description
The Special Collections Manager leads professional standards and best practices for cultural and archival collections, program development, outreach activities, and reference work. Performs supervisory and administrative duties involved in overseeing the daily operations. Oversight includes the Nashville Room, Genealogy, Civil Rights Room, Votes for Women, and The Banner collections, programs, collection digitization projects, exhibitions, and the public services team at the Main Library.
The Special Collections Division at the Nashville Public Library is a liberal arts laboratory for imagination, active experimentation, and dynamic exchange. They provide innovative approaches to research, access, and pedagogy while skillfully curating materials related to Nashville history, human rights, civil rights, women's history, and the local institutional memory. Through these efforts, engaging communities in the process of discovery that lies at the heart of archival endeavors.
Typical Duties

• Performs administrative duties.
• Supervises employees working in his/her area.
• Assigns and reviews work, evaluates employees, and approves leave requests.
• Sets a vision and formulates goals, targets, policies, plans, and procedures for SCD.
• Oversees and directs archival and collection activities, including processing, collection maintenance, the creation of finding aids, acquisitions, and donor relations.
• Directs activities of employees involved in preservation of materials.
• Directs cataloging of documents and materials.
• Directs, coordinates, schedules, and evaluates programming and activities.
• Works with administrative staff to prepare budgets.
• Oversees and coordinates implementation of grant funded programs.
• Participates in library committee work.
• Inspires Special Collections staff in creative ventures to provide positive and responsive customer service.
• Plans, prioritizes, and organizes work to achieve objectives.
• Conducts group in-service and individual training as needed.
• Performs the most difficult or complex professional library work.
• Develops and maintains library materials collections.
• Manages the continued growth and development of digitization projects and implements new projects as they arise, including identifying and evaluation of potential digitization projects.
• Selects materials for digitization, resolves intellectual property and privacy issues, and ensures quality and consistency of digital records and metadata.
• Keeps abreast of new trends in Library and Information Science, Archives, and Public History.
• Maintains affiliations with professional library organizations.
• Attends continuing education and networking events.
• Nurtures partnerships and collaborations with community organizations.
• Confers with public officials and members of the community.
• Attends and/or speaks at community meetings.
• Manages key funding opportunities and partnerships. Networks with key partners regularly.

Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in History, Museum Studies, or a related field and five (5) years of professional library experience, in which three (3) years must include supervisory experience.

*No Substitution

Candidates with accreditations earned in a foreign institute are encouraged to apply.

Note: Per Metro Ordinance No. SO94-1078. All employees of the Metropolitan Government shall be residents of the State of Tennessee or become residents of the state within six (6) months of employment as a prerequisite to employment with the Metropolitan Government.

Preferred Experience, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Master's in Library Science or related field
• Experience in curating, managing, preserving, and providing access to special collections based on current best practices
• Experience using digital platforms to curate, promote, and share collection materials
• Fluent bilingual language skills

Full-time, Civil Service positions -
10 Vacation Days per year (increasing after 5 years of service)
1 Sick Day per month
12 Paid Holidays per year

Public Safety - Sworn and Civilian positions -
20 vacation days per year
3 Personal days per year
1 Sick Day per month
12 paid holidays per year

Part-time, Non Civil Service positions - Visit HR and Benefits webpages for more information.

Full-time, Non Civil Service positions - contact hiring department for benefits information

Seasonal/Temporary positions - no benefits offered.
01

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

• No diploma
• High School Diploma or Equivalent
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Doctoral Degree

02

If you have a degree, indicate your major field of study in the area below. If none, type "N/A"
03

How many years of professional library experience do you have?

• None
• 1 Year
• 2 Years
• 3 Years
• 4 Years
• 5 years or more

04

Briefly describe your professional library experience. If none, type "N/A"
05

How many years of supervisory experience do you have?

• None
• 1 Year
• 2 years
• 3 Years or more

06

Briefly describe your supervisory experience. If none, answer "N/A"
07

Briefly describe your experience using digital platforms to curate, promote, and share collection materials. If none, answer "N/A"
08

Are you bilingual?

• Yes
• No

09

If you are bilingual, include language(s), spoken and/or written word and level of proficiency.
Required Question