Associate Registrar, Loans
Full Time $68,000 - $75,000 / yearJob Overview
Overview
The New York Public Library (NYPL) has been one of the world’s great public research libraries for more than 130 years. Its research centers provide opportunities for engagement with unique collections, inspirational reading rooms, exhibitions, programs, and a range of research services. The Collections and Research Services division encompasses several departments focused on managing the ongoing development and processing of our exceptional research collections, advancing unified discovery and expanded access, both in-person and online, and ensuring stewardship of the collections at every stage of the collections lifecycle.
The New York Public Library (NYPL) has been one of the world’s great public research libraries for more than 130 years. Its research centers provide opportunities for engagement with unique collections, inspirational reading rooms, exhibitions, programs, and a range of research services. The Collections and Research Services division encompasses several departments focused on managing the ongoing development and processing of our exceptional research collections, advancing unified discovery and expanded access, both in-person and online, and ensuring stewardship of the collections at every stage of the collections lifecycle.
As a key member of the Registrar Office, the Associate Registrar for Loans deploys registrarial expertise to oversee the Outgoing Loan Program from NYPL’s research centers, including the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, the Library for the Performing Arts, and the Schomburg Center. Reporting to the Senior Registrar, the Associate Registrar for Loans will fulfill loan requests from local, national, and international borrowers. The Associate Registrar for Loans will work in collaboration with Curatorial, Conservation, Exhibitions and other staff, as well as a broad portfolio of external institutional partners and vendors.
We are looking for someone we can count on to:
Own:
- Administrative, logistical, and risk management activities for outgoing loans from NYPL’s special collections to local, national and international institutions
- Maintain excellent relationships with Library stakeholders, domestic and international peer institutions, art logistics vendors, insurance providers, and fabricators to advance NYPL outgoing loan projects
Teach:
- Collaborative solutions to fulfilling loan requests and borrower preferences whenever possible, maintaining NYPL requirements while supporting borrowers
- Advise internal and external partners about timelines required in order to meet borrowing institution’s exhibition deadlines for loan approvals, loan agreements, preparation and shipments
Learn:
- Deep familiarization with NYPL Procurement, Legal, and Risk Management processes to contract vendors, execute loan agreements, and arrange insurance
- Current best practices in the exhibitions, registrar, and collection management fields including applicable laws and regulations
Improve:
- Efficiencies with internal NYPL partners as needed
- Alignment with current practices by peer organizations
Some expectations for this role are that within:
1 month, this person will:
- Become familiar with registrar work within a public research library context
- Become familiar with the Library’s current outgoing loans and requests
- Establish working partnerships with relevant Research Libraries colleagues, prioritizing conservation and exhibition preparation partners and curatorial contacts with active outgoing loan requests
3 months, this person will:
- Assume responsibility for outgoing loan projects in progress and process new requests
- Learn how to manage contracts and purchase orders using NYPL’s systems
- Prepare materials for Board approval of select outgoing loans
- Build a working knowledge of the Library’s curatorial divisions, collections, and goals for lending
6 months and beyond, this person will:
- Begin to recommend improvements to workflows as needed
- Fully manage the outgoing loan process from initial request to completion
Responsibilities
- Lead the loan review and approval process, convening a collaborative group of curators and conservators to assess and recommend loans based on proposed venue, object condition, project schedule, shipping, curatorial goals, and other related criteria
- Review potential borrowing institutions’ facility reports and ensure compliance with NYPL requirements. Manage all loan negotiations and correspondence, serving as NYPL’s primary point of contact with borrowing institutions
- Organize materials for review and approval by the Director and NYPL Board’s Research Acquisitions and Loan Committee
- Issue outgoing loan agreements and exhibition contracts. Arrange for appropriate insurance coverage for each outgoing loan in coordination with the Senior Registrar and fine arts insurance broker
- Prepare loan cost estimates for borrowers, issue invoices, and track revenue
- Make recommendations about object preparation based on venue, shipping method, and borrower preferences. Coordinate all conservation treatment, matting, framing, mount measuring, and mount fabrication for works with staff and vendors prior to loan through collaboration with NYPL conservators and exhibition preparators
- Create condition reports for all materials and manage all loan-related documentation
- Arrange for transport for works from research centers to the Library Services Center to meet critical preparation deadlines, as well as to return works to research centers after loan
- Make all shipping, crating, and courier arrangements, deciding on most suitable packing, shipping routes, transportation methods and vendors. Provide courier training for Library staff. Serve as courier, for both domestic and international loans, when needed
- Perform other related duties as necessary
Required Education, Experience & Skills
Required Education & Certifications
Master’s degree in Museum Studies, Art History, Arts Administration, or a related field
Required Experience
- 3+ years of experience in registration at a museum, archive, library, or gallery setting
- Experience with managing exhibitions or outgoing loans in a cultural heritage setting
Required Skills
- Comprehensive knowledge of current cultural heritage registration and accepted loan practices and procedures, object documentation, packing and crating, international and domestic shipping and related legal and ethical issues, condition reporting, and fine arts insurance.
- Project management skills involving juggling multiple projects at various stages with a variety of stakeholders
- Demonstrated experience assembling project budgets
- Attention to detail and excellent customer service
- Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communications
Managerial/Supervisory Responsibilities
N/A