Skills and Traits
Someone that loves to engage with wide variety of people and is able to answer questions clearly and with enthusiasm
Ability to clearly communicate and be able to give dynamic responses
Has great Leadership skills and is able to guide people on tasks and give presentations
Ability to create inclusive, comforting and educational environment
Ability to navigate databases '
Must have an interest in a wide variety topics
Interested? Check out this text recommended by Danielle Lasker:
Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass. First edition. Milkweed Editions, 2014.
Collections directors oversee the care, use, and growth of a collection. In a haptic collection, their work is especially connected to access, teaching, and hands-on learning. They care not only for the objects themselves, but also for the visitors, students, artists, researchers, and educators who come to learn from them.
This role is closely connected to the work of librarians, teachers, and collection managers because it involves helping people find, understand, and engage with materials. It is often a front-facing position, where communication, curiosity, patience, and hospitality are just as important as object knowledge.
Collections directors may also oversee acquisitions and donations, helping decide whether new objects are a good fit for the collection’s mission. In an educational collection, this means thinking about whether an object can support teaching, research, close looking, material study, and creative exploration. Their work helps make sure that the collection continues to grow with purpose, care, and usefulness for future students and communities.