Picture Library Manager
The Picture Library Manager is responsible for all aspects of the physical maintenance, archiving and management of a collection of photographic images, film and audio clips.
The position of Picture Library Manager requires great passion and a flexible range of artistic, management and business skills. The work is moderately well paid given the level of responsibility but can provide great job satisfaction. Most Picture Library Mangers work regular hours.
What is the job?
Picture Library Managers work in the public and private sectors for a variety of different organisations. The Picture Library may form a collection within a museum or public gallery, it may represent a body of images wholly owned by a publication, broadcaster or picture agency, it may represent the visual archive of a government agency, local authority, university, charity, professional body or large corporation: or it may form a discrete private library, for example the historic images from a now defunct organisation or publication or belonging to a family or private art collection.
The precise responsibilities of a Picture Library Manager will depend greatly on the specific scale and structure of the organisation for which they work. Within a larger organisation, such as a public museum or gallery, they may be called Head of Image Resources with repsonisibilities for the storage, physical upkeep and commercialisation of the the picture library. If the Picture Library Manager is responsible for managing the entire collection as a distinct entity, he or she may also have the additional responsibility for curating the collection and/or supervising a team of Image Sales Executives (see the Skillset Job Profile for this role). In all cases, core duties will typically include:
- Overseeing the physical care of the image collection, including the housing and backup of digital images and the temperature control storage of delicate originals
- Organising the archiving, databasing and metatagging of film, paper and digital images
- Overseeing the process of digitising existing stock
- Managing, training, mentoring and motivating a diverse team of staff, that may include, maintenance personnel, administrators, archivists, IT specialists, Picture Library Assistants, Researchers and Digital Imaging Specialists (see Skillset Job Profiles for the last three roles)
- Providing leadership and support
- Developing and delivering the business strategy for the Picture Library
- Communicating the breadth of the collection to the Image Sales Executives and Picture Agencies who commercialise the collection
- Promoting the library resource to media clients and the general public
- Managing expenditure according to budget to ensure the picture library meets or exceeds sales and profit targets
- Putting on exhibitions, developing educational projects or overseeing the publication internal and external promotional material and catalogues.
The Picture Library Manager is also likely to be involved in updating or improving the variety or quality of the images within the collection in response to requests from curators (within a museum or gallery setting), clients, publishers or members of the public. These requests to supply new images may vary from the acquisition of images from another source; to commissioning new work on a particular subject (or from a particular photographer); to the photographic documentation of physical artefacts within a museum's collection or owned by an organisation. To carry out their work, Picture Library Managers must therefore be confident commissioning and supervising the work of a wide variety of external contractors that may include photographers, building engineers and external Image Sales Executives (where this role is not performed in-house by Researchers or Library Assistants).
Picture Library Managers may have to negotiate the purchase of new images, issues of copyright, as well as licences for the use of images (or the use of the entire collection to external agencies) by publishers and other clients. While many posts have a strong cultural remit and the general public may have the right to view images in the collection for a nominal fee, there are also a number of private picture libraries that have a much keener commercial focus. Here the Library Manager may also be required to train, manage and motivate an in-house team of Image Sales Executives and also take on the role of a Business Development Manager (see the Skillset profile for this role).
Typical career routes
Picture Library Managers will typically start work as a Picture Library Assistant (often on work experience), a Picture Researcher or an Image Sales Executive (see Skillset profiles for these roles) and then gain experience in this sector working on the job.
Their prospects for advancement within any particular Picture Library will depend on the type and size of the organisation. As a result most Picture Library Managers will have first gained experience with a number of different Picture Libraries and or Picture Agencies before applying for their current position.
A postgraduate degree in archiving is highly valued, and continued professional development while working at levels below management is essential in order to climb the ladder. For more information on these qualifications visit, the Society of Archivists website at www.archives.org.uk
The British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies (BAPLA) regularly list job vacancies for Picture Library Managers and other related positions on their website: www.bapla.org
Essential knowledge and skills
An understanding of archiving and the physical management of image assets is vital, as is attention to detail, and an ability to deliver under pressure while working within strict budgets.
Managers should have experience implementing picture library management systems and should be concurrent with appropriate software that will enable them to do this. They should also have a good understanding of copyright law and a high degree of business acumen, particularly where the position incorporates a strong business development role.
As the leader of a diverse team, Picture Library Managers need excellent communication and people skills. They also need a good working knowledge of software that will help their team do their jobs, including databasing, imaging and archiving programmes.
An enthusiasm for and understanding of the subject covered by the specific collection is invaluable. Picture Library Managers must be flexible and organised, able to think quickly and creatively and enjoy a dynamic, challenging environment.
Training and qualifications
Most Picture Library Managers will have at least bachelor's degree in a subject area related to the activities of the picture library. While the experience required for this role is often acquired on the job, it is also likely that they will have additional qualifications in Archives and Records Management.
These may be short courses run by the Society of Archivists or a postgraduate degree in archiving for example in Archives and Records Management some of which can be taken as part of a distance learning programme.For more information visit: www.archives.org.uk
For this information and more, please view the attached PDF. 
Picture Library Manager
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