“From an archival perspective, MoMA [the Museum of Modern Art in NYC] is a really important institution that helped define modern art. It helped construct the narrative of what we think of as modernism. So, the records of the museum are critical to the study of that history,” says Jonathan Lill ’03MS, Head of Metadata and Systems at the MoMA Archives, Library, and Research Collections (ALRC). “It’s really nice working in a collection that has such interest for curators, as well as outside scholars and researchers.”
After studying studio art in college, Lill attained the Master of Library and Information Science: Archives Management Concentration at Simmons’ School of Library and Information Science (SLIS). His career embraces his multiform interests in painting, printmaking, artist books, rare books, and archives.
A Librarian Wearing Many Hats
Lill came upon librarianship through his social network. “Through my friends, I started meeting librarians who were very different from your local public librarian, who stood behind a desk and checked things out for you. It was eye-opening for me,” Lill recalls. His interest in the visual arts and books eventually led him to library school and his position at MoMA.
In his current role, Lill is one of three managers for MoMA’s library and archives. Supervising a team of five people, he oversees both the library catalog and the archival metadata system, as well as oversees library catalogers and archival processors.
MoMA’s archives, Lill says, “contain historical records of the institution, including primary documents related to artists like Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock; while the library has a significant Latin American collection, artist books, photo books, and a broad documentation of modern and contemporary art.” The archives also hold a few important collections from outside the museum, such as the papers of the 1960s gallerist Richard Bellamy and records of the 1970s alternative exhibition space Just Above Midtown.
Lill enjoys the variety that his role affords. On any given day, his work may include proofreading finding aids, reviewing processing decisions, supervising catalogers, problem-solving an issue with the ArchivesSpace metadata system, researching housing and storage solutions for problematic materials, or answering reference questions. “I really love having a foot in both the library and the archives,” he says.
Many of MoMA’s library and archives patrons are museum staff researching for new exhibitions. A significant percentage of outside researchers are curators, scholars, and auction house or gallery professionals.
Lill occasionally has the opportunity to curate archival exhibitions, including “A Bit of Matter: The MoMA PS1 Archives, 1976–2000,” which was presented in 2017. Located in Queens, PS1 was founded as an independent exhibition space in 1971 but merged with MoMA in 1999.
As Lill explains, PS1 “is part of the tradition of alternative art spaces. These are nonprofit galleries that exhibit works of art, and PS1 was a leader in the alternative art space movement, so it was a very significant place in New York’s art history and the national history of alternative art spaces. PS1 helped build the careers of many significant artists.” This exhibition consisted of the largest number of archival materials that the archives has ever displayed.
Lill also publishes materials on MoMA’s archives. In conjunction with the PS1 exhibition, he contributed chapters to MoMA PS1: A History (the Museum of Modern Art, 2019). He also enjoys presenting his research at professional conferences.
Archival Training at Simmons
When Lill was contemplating long-term career goals, he was conveniently residing in Boston. “When I made the decision [to attend library school], Simmons was right there. I was very lucky to be near a library school with a tremendous history and reputation behind it,” he recalls.
“The SLIS archives program was then led by Associate Professor Jeannette Bastian,” he says. “She was a wonderful professor who did an expert job at giving you the foundation and basics, so you came out of that degree well-rounded and knowing all of the significant literature.”
Lill also has fond memories of the cataloging and management courses at Simmons. “Learning about library management was the first time I thought structurally about what kind of organizations and institutions libraries and archives are, and how they fit into other organizations and institutions … it taught me basic principles that have served me well since,” he reflects.
Lill is grateful for the internships and part-time jobs that are available to SLIS students. While at Simmons, he worked for Professor and Dean Emerita Michèle Cloonan. “I really enjoyed working for her. It offered a nice glimpse into the PhD level of libraries and archives,” he says.
Leveraging Skillsets
Lill encourages Simmons students to take full advantage of their skills. In his case, having a preexisting information and technology background came in handy when he approached library databases. “Technology skills can never be underrated as a selling point in your skillset,” he says.
Furthermore, while working in retail years earlier, Lill learned managerial skills and honed organizational knowledge that have helped him in subsequent professional roles.
Lill also believes that students can wield their disciplinary training — even at the undergraduate level — to their advantage. “When I started out [as a librarian], I was using my familiarity with book arts, artists’ books, printmaking, and paper conservation [from my undergraduate art training] … I always recommend that new professionals consider what kinds of prior experiences can get them a leg up [in their respective careers]. And a lot of library students are slightly older, so they have something they’ve been doing since undergrad,” he says.
Librarian as Cultural Steward
“The idea of being a steward of cultural heritage is something that I find very important and something I value,” says Lill.
“I’m not a social worker and I’m not saving lives, but in some way all of us in the library and archives are working for the betterment of society,” Lills continues. “I find that very appealing. Our work is not judged on how much money we make, or how many customers we’ve brought in, but by how well we are preserving, protecting, and providing access to these materials.”