Temporary Archives Specialist, Academic Library, Pioneer Valley MA

Posted April 1, 2014

BiblioTemps®, a short-term staffing service of the Massachusetts Library System, is seeking candidates for a temporary Archives Specialist for one of our academic library clients. The full-time schedule for this assignment will be Monday through Friday, mostly 9am-5pm, though some evening and weekend hours are possible. The client will also consider part-time applicants for this position. The placement will begin as soon as possible and continue until December 2014.

Primary Functions:
Establish intellectual and physical control over archival records and manuscripts of enduring historical and research value by surveying, accessioning, arranging, and describing the holdings of the College Archives. Provide reference and research services; participate in outreach activities and exhibit preparation.

Duties:

Reference and Outreach Services (50%): Provide reference and research support to faculty, students, and visitors using other print and electronic research resources, and drawing on strong knowledge of US history and the College Archives materials. Answer mail, email, and telephone questions from college offices and other researchers. Perform research, prepare historical summaries, and assemble historical background information for members of the college community. Provide access to college records and other holdings in accordance with local policies, legal requirements, and donor obligations. Present information about the College Archives’ program, its holdings, and their uses to classes and groups. Research, design, and mount exhibits.

Acquisitions (30%): Survey and accession additions and potential additions to the archives, including confidential administrative files, organizational records, student papers and memorabilia, and faculty papers. Identify material with permanent historical value, note potential restrictions, and apply appropriate criteria for appraisal. Negotiate with donors access and use restrictions and the transfer copyright to the college. Maintain serials and periodicals.

Archives Processing (20%): Using accepted archival standards and practices, determine the most useful and appropriate organization for collections; identify and discard duplicate or marginal items; and perform basic preservation. Train and supervise student workers in the arrangement and filing of non-confidential materials. Write comprehensive yet concise collection descriptions, inventories, and where appropriate, biographical or organization summaries. Update records in the collection management database.

Oversee daily operations of the Archives when the College Archivist is absent. Perform related duties as required.

Qualifications:

MLS from accredited library school, with 2+ years of archival or related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Knowledge/experience using EAD encoding language.
Experience with general reference resources in both print and electronic format.
Facility with the interfaces of major database vendors (EBSCO, ProQuest, Gale) and with MS Office.
Familiarity with LibGuides software, Zotero, and RefWorks is desirable, but not required.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to organize and prioritize work effectively; working knowledge of MS Office applications; analytical and problem solving skills; accuracy and attention to detail; ability to handle confidential information; ability to work independently and as part of a team; ability to lift boxes of up to 40 lbs.
General humanities background is strongly preferred.

To Apply:

Submit a current resume and cover letter online at http://www.bibliotemps.com/jobs/. Resumes will be accepted until the position is filled. First review will be April 7.