BSA Seeks a New Editor for PBSA

March 2, 2021

The Bibliographical Society of America (BSA) seeks a new Editor or co-Editors of the Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America (PBSA). The Editor is responsible for the editorial direction of the journal, which serves to fulfill the mission of the BSA to foster the study of the material text.

The Editor is appointed for an expected three-year term, with the option to renew. The expectation is that this position is part time, about 10 hours weekly. Terms and conditions are to be negotiated, as is the physical location of the Editor or team. A full job description is available here.

PBSA is the Society’s distinguished quarterly journal and it is published in partnership with the University of Chicago Press in both electronic and paper form. It has been an important avenue for scholarly communication on bibliographical matters since 1906. PBSA contains articles on book production in manuscript, print, and digital forms; publication; distribution; collecting; and reading in all periods, geographical regions, and media; as well as editorial and textual scholarship across all disciplines. The journal publishes original articles, book reviews, bibliographical notes, and review essays.

The Editor oversees publication of four issues of PBSA each year and attends BSA meetings in New York annually during Bibliography Week. The Editor of PBSA works closely with the Managing/Reviews Editor and the production team at the University of Chicago Press, supervising the Managing/Reviews Editor.

The next Editor of PBSA will also work with the Council and Publications Committee toward reaching the goals outlined for the journal in the Society’s Equity Action Plan (EAP). As outlined in the EAP, the BSA seeks to broaden PBSA’s coverage to include works that represent a wider array of textual artifacts from diverse authors in English and in other languages and to address issues of equity related to the composition and role of the Editorial Board. We welcome applications from members of underrepresented groups who feel that their background and experience make them uniquely qualified for this work in collaboration with the Council and Publications Committee.

Qualifications & Compensation

The editor (or editorial team) should be an established scholar with credentials in bibliography, broadly defined, with good organizational and decision-making skills. Experience in journal or book editing will be helpful, but not necessary. The successful candidate will be able to show a commitment to the study of material texts through publications, teaching, librarianship, and/or service. 

The Society has some flexibility in filling this position and welcomes candidates to apply on their own or as an editorial team of two (2) individuals. Candidates may be affiliated with an academic or research institution, or work independently in the humanities. The BSA is open to accommodating the various modes of professional life encountered in the search process.

Negotiations for compensation for the Editor, team, or a partnering institution by means of an agreement begin at $16,000.

How To Apply

Please provide a curriculum vitae and cover letter. The latter should include ideas about future directions for the journal, with specific reference to the Equity Action Plan. Letters should also address how the individual or team envisions setting up the position. Candidates applying from within the academy as faculty, adjunct, or curatorial staff (either independently or as part of a team) should describe possible institutional support. In all cases, candidates should describe the research resources available to them to fulfill this position. Please also provide the names and email addresses of three scholars who can speak to the applicant’s editorial experience and scholarship; these references will only be contacted for long-listed candidates. We welcome applications from members of under-represented groups as defined in the BSA Equity Action Plan.

Facility with the following tools required:

  • Microsoft Word
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Acrobat Pro

Please submit application materials to BSA Executive Director Erin McGuirl at erin.mcguirl@bibsocamer.org by 1 May 2021.

Only electronic correspondence/materials will be accepted.

The BSA President will be happy to respond to immediate questions about the duties involved, but candidates should also consult the fuller description of duties posted on the Society’s website. The BSA also encourages nominations for the position by email to Nick Wilding, Chair of the Publications Committee, at publications@bibsocamer.org.