Archivist and Collections Curator, Hampshire College, Amherst MA
Posted June 3, 2014
Hampshire College, an independent, innovative liberal arts institution and member of the Five College consortium, is accepting applications for an archivist and collections curator to lead, manage and develop archival and special collections that document and support the College’s mission.
The mission of Hampshire College is to foster a lifelong passion for learning, inquiry, and ethical citizenship that inspires students to contribute to knowledge, justice, and positive change in the world and, by doing so, to transform higher education. Reporting to the director of the library, the archivist and collections curator manages services and spaces that support the development, preservation and access of archival collections; and extends and expands the Archives resource base through alumni and donor cultivation and external funding. This position coordinates user services and outreach for the collections physical and virtual resources. The curator works closely with school librarians to integrate the collections as teaching materials in the curriculum, and actively develops the collection to capture Hampshire’s history in order to create an enduring record of the institution’s unique academic program, building on and maximizing use of collection holdings that include the official records of Hampshire College, oral histories the Division III archive; Special Collections, including artists books and photographic print collections by photographers Robert Doisneau, Paul Strand, Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Jerome Liebling; the Barbara Mettler Dance Archive, the Robert Lisle history of photography collection; art and teaching image collections. Formats include new media, audio recordings, film, video, print materials, zines, photographs, paintings, sculpture & books.
A MLS from an ALA accredited institution with a minimum of three years of relevant experience is required. A secondary degree in a related field is preferred. The successful candidate should be skilled in all aspects of archival collections care, which includes an understanding of nationally accepted standards, tools, and best practices for archival processing and description, including Describing Archives: a Content Standard (DACS); and has expertise with applicable standards including: XML EAD, MARC, METS, MODS, PREMIS, VRACore, Dublin Core, OAIS . The archivist and collections curator must have knowledge and experience with collection management systems (Archivists’ Toolkit, Archivespace, etc.); have a deep knowledge of preservation practices; and experience managing digital and print photographic and audiovisual materials. Excellent interpersonal skills are essential, including the ability to work collaboratively with potential donors of archival materials, faculty, students and researchers. Candidates must be knowledgeable about digital collection infrastructure, copyright as it applies to libraries and archives (particularly sections 107 and 108 of American copyright law.) Other technology skills include web editing software (Red Dot or Drupal), Microsoft Office program, and scanning software and hardware for digitization. The archivist and collections curator should have familiarity with standard online public access systems. A commitment to working with people from diverse backgrounds is essential.
This is a full time, 12-month position. We offer a competitive salary and an excellent benefit program. Please submit your cover letter, resume and names/phone numbers of three professional references via our website at http://jobs.hampshire.edu/
Hampshire College is an equal opportunity institution, committed to diversity in education and employment