The Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library seeks to hire for the position of Learning Resource Specialist. We are looking for someone with the knowledge, creativity, and enthusiasm necessary to create asynchronous learning tools that draw educators and general audiences into the work and collections of the Leventhal Center.
The Education team works in partnership with the rest of the LMEC team and colleagues at the Boston Public Library to foster geographic perspectives on the relationships between people and places. The Education team creates programs and resources that inspire curiosity and encourage audiences to make best use of the collections and resources of the Center.
About this role
The Learning Resource Specialist will focus on creating content that engages and informs digital audiences, with a particular emphasis on K-12 educators. The Learning Resource Specialist will maintain and revise existing resources while collaborating on the development of new tools and content. The Learning Resource Specialist joins the Education team at a time of growth and will play a key role in broadening the Leventhal Center’s impact.
Upon hire, the Learning Resource Specialist will collaborate with the Director of Education on a year-long revision of the Center’s online educational resources for K-12 educators.
Key Responsibilities
- In collaboration with the Director of Education, expanding online resources for educators in alignment with national trends and curriculum standards in K-12 education.
- Managing K-12 educator online resources including researching, designing, writing, and evaluating lesson plans and map resources while upholding quality and relevancy to K-12 teachers
- Project manage revision of LMEC K-12 education resources
- Expanding audience reach through the development of new online resources for adult visitors about exhibitions and collections
- Develop asynchronous resources for teaching general audiences about LMEC tools like Atlascope, American Revolutionary Geographies Online (ARGO), and digital exhibitions
Additional Responsibilities
- Assisting with the Carolyn A. Lynch Summer Teacher Fellowship program including offering constructive feedback to fellows and adapting final projects for broader use
- Serving as the initial contact for K-12 educators in need of support for online resources
- Leading and coordinating virtual programs that facilitate the broader and deeper use of online educational content, including conference presentations
- Liaising with vendors for digital products
- As part of the Education team, assisting with in-person programming as needed
- Assisting with special projects at the discretion of the Director of Education, as needed
- Other responsibilities as assigned
The Leventhal Center values independent initiative in all staff roles, and we will work to ensure that the Learning Resource Specialist will have time to conceptualize and pilot their own creative projects related to the Center’s collections and programs.
Skills and Qualifications
- Required Bachelor’s Degree
- Preferred A graduate degree with a focus on museum and library education or public history; or a closely related graduate field such as journalism; or a graduate research degree in one of the Center’s topic areas with a demonstrated ability to reach non-specialist audiences
- Required Demonstrated ability to create clear, engaging, and useful materials for K-12 using primary sources educators to support classroom teaching
- Required Demonstrated ability to create asynchronous learning experiences for learners of diverse backgrounds, ages, and familiarity with a topic
- Required Demonstrated ability to use the appropriate digital tools and methods to engage others
- Required Willingness to learn new software and methodological approaches as necessary
- Required Curiosity, collaborative spirit and an eagerness to learn new things in order to share that knowledge with others for their own discovery
- Preferred Demonstrated knowledge, experience, and expertise with some aspect of the Center’s broad portfolio of topic areas, including (for example) historical geography; urban, regional, and environmental studies; civics; science and technology studies; place-based inquiry; museum and library collections; and/or community history.
- Preferred Ability to engage learners in synchronous lessons through video conferencing
- Preferred Familiarity with inquiry-based teaching methods
- Preferred A familiarity with geographic information systems (GIS) and their utility in classroom settings
Compensation & Position Details
This is a salaried position, with an expected salary range of $52,000–60,000 annually according to experience and qualifications. The position is eligible for a full set of fringe benefits, including medical and dental insurance, employer contributions to a 401(k) retirement plan, life and disability insurance, and commuter benefits.
The Learning Resource Specialist will be expected to work primarily in-person at the Central Library in Copley Square, at 700 Boylston St. in Boston. After an initial transitional period, the Specialist will be entitled to at least one day of work from a remote location per week, in accordance with Leventhal Center HR policy for salaried employees, as well as additional flexibility by approval where appropriate.
There is no residency requirement for this position. Leventhal Map & Education Center employees report to the independent Leventhal Map & Education Center and are not covered directly by human resource policies pertaining to the Boston Public Library or City of Boston municipal employees.
This position is subject to a CORI background check.
Desired Start Date
Ideally no later than June 14, 2024, though exceptions may be made for a slightly later start date in July for an exceptional candidate.
About the Leventhal Center
The Leventhal Map & Education Center is an independent, self-governing nonprofit organization in a long-term strategic relationship with the Boston Public Library. The Center stewards a quarter million geographic objects in the Library’s collections, and works to make them freely available to the public for research, interpretation, and engagement. Our collections range from fifteenth-century atlases to modern-day geospatial data sets. The Center creates original exhibitions hosted in its gallery space at the Central Library in Copley Square and promotes education on topics that explore the relationship between people and places.
As a mission-driven organization, the Center endorses the following values:
- Commit to integrity, excellence, respect in all our relationships, and professional library ethics (including the ALA’s Code of Ethics and the ACRL Code of Ethics for Special Collections Librarians)
- Listen to and include community voices, especially those who have been less represented
- Increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in our organization and our work with others
- Work to advance a more just and equitable society
- Keep our spaces and community services open, welcoming, and “free to all”
The Center places great value on an organizational culture in which staff members have the flexibility and openness to work with a diverse group of audiences, constituencies, and colleagues. Our work is committed to public service and to innovation that fosters positive change in the world.
To apply
Please submit the following as a single .pdf.
- A cover letter of no more than two pages
- A CV or résumé
- An example of an instructional resource which the candidate has either sole authored or taken a lead role in producing. This can include lesson plans, websites, videos, or other digital teaching resources designed for asynchronous use.
- A list of 3 professional references, including telephone numbers and email. We will inform candidates before contacting references.
Additional material will be requested from semifinalist candidates.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position will remain open until filled. For full consideration, please submit application materials by March 25 by 12:00 pm ET.
For more information
Contact info@leventhalmap.org for more questions about this job vacancy, or visit leventhalmap.org for more information about the Leventhal Center.