Librarian for Japanese Collections

A cover letter and resume are required. Position will be filled no sooner than September 1, 2026.

Stanford Libraries is seeking a full-time Librarian for the Japanese Collections to join the East Asia Library.  The Libraries values are rooted in a commitment of mutual respect, the idea that every member of the staff has something to contribute, and that learning is constant.  We seek a team member who is ready to share their skills and perspectives.

About Stanford Libraries:

Stanford Libraries is a network of over fifteen libraries with over 400 employees. We are committed to fueling teaching, learning and research across Stanford by acquiring, stewarding, and making available a robust collection, currently in excess of 12 million items. Everyone in the organization plays a vital role in fulfilling that objective. Our dedication to discoverability and information management also has us engaged in dynamic global partnerships. We are constantly building and strengthening our organization, and we recognize striving for excellence is a marathon and not a sprint. We are constantly trying to strike the right pace and admit there are times when we find ourselves at a fast jog. While we hope to always find candidates who fit within our organization, what we truly seek is someone who will add to our culture, our profession as well as the greater academic arena. We are invested in the success of our teams and the individuals who represent Stanford Libraries.

About the Position:

The Librarian for Japanese Collections oversees the development of a complex and multifaceted collection of Japanese language materials covering all areas of Japan’s presence in Asia and beyond. This position requires a person to creatively consider the types of materials that will support current and future faculty and students and accurately represent Japan’s influence throughout Asia and the world. Materials collected will be in Japanese, but the geographic scope is not limited to contemporary Japan. The librarian will be the primary point of contact for all scholars and students using Japanese language materials and will be expected to provide expert reference support for both physical and electronic resources. Scholars and librarians with expertise in Japanese language and academic interest in areas covered by Stanford faculty (literature, colonial empire, geography, etc.) are invited to apply.

The Librarian for Japanese Collections develops and manages social sciences and humanities collections focused on Japanese language resources and is responsible for providing reference and bibliographic assistance to Stanford faculty, students, and scholars using Japanese language materials.

Oversee reference and collection development in the Japanese language with attention to needs of current faculty and students. Assist library patrons (faculty, students, researchers, and other library users) with identifying and locating resources in Japanese. Provide focused services related to Japanese language materials, including teaching classes, giving library tours, and providing one-on-one consultation. Manage collection budget and collaborate with other areas of the library (Preservation, Metadata, Digital Library Systems and Services, etc.) with the aim of creating and promoting a unique academic collection.  Collaborate with faculty, students, and staff to develop digital projects, online and physical exhibits, and events related to the Japanese collection. 

Core Duties*:

●      Plan, develop, and manage collections budget for materials in all formats, both current and retrospective, in the Japanese language, including preservation decision-making. 

●      Serve as liaison to Japanese Studies faculty and students, consulting and responding to teaching and research needs, keeping them apprised of latest resources, providing bibliographic and reference services.  Provide superior service to library users through seminars, online guides, and reference consulting.  Collaborate with faculty, students, and staff on classes, projects, online or in-person exhibits, and events.

●      Identify and acquire unique academic collections.  Enhance access to and promote unique collections through blog posts, developing online exhibits and/or a webpage for notable collections.

●      Create and maintain Japanese collection webpage, resource guides.

●      Represent Stanford University Libraries in national and international Japanese librarian meetings and organizations.

●      Identify potential grant opportunities and develop proposals for special projects and/or major acquisitions.  Collect data and write various reports to library and grant organizations.

●      Select library materials for relocating to offsite storage and make decisions related to the need for evaluation by the preservation department.

●      Evaluate services and products and make recommendations for the upgrade of electronic and manual resource tools.

●      Collaborate with other librarians to assure coverage of interdisciplinary areas that lie outside conventional subject boundaries.

●      Solicit, assess, and manage gift collections, including providing donors with information on terms of donated collections.

●      May manage staff or student staff.

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.