Project Processing Archivist, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Posted January 12, 2015
Harvard Library is seeking candidates for the position of Project Processing Archivist.
Under the direction of the Project Manager and working with the staff at a variety of local special collections and archives, the Project Processing Archivist is responsible for arranging and describing (processing) and writing catalog records and/or finding aids for archival and manuscript collections from the 17th and 18th centuries in preparation for future digitization. These collections encompass a wide range of personal, organizational, and institutional manuscripts and archival collections. Efforts will concentrate on broad collection descriptions to make certain that all assigned materials are accessible in both the HOLLIS catalog and/or OASIS (Online Archival Search Information System) at the end of the funding period for the current phase of the Colonial North American project. Please note: This is full time term appointment ending on June 30, 2016.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Processes archival and manuscript materials, in analog and/or electronic formats, in accordance with local guidelines and priorities and using professional archival standards and best practices.
- Prepares and describes archival and manuscript materials for research use.
- Creates descriptive metadata for internal and external use, entering information in local collection management systems and centralized library systems.
- Creates finding aids in electronic format using the Encoded Archival Description and according to local practice.
- Creates MARC records in the Integrated Library System.
- Upgrades existing finding aids to meet current standards, including conversion from paper to electronic formats.
- Rehouses material as needed.
- Documents project status, creating reports as needed.
Basic Qualifications:
- MLS/MIS degree with concentration in archival studies required or equivalent education or work experience required
- Minimum of three-four years of professional experience in a special collections/archives setting required
- Working knowledge of library and archival cataloging systems including the ILS and, Archivists’ Toolkit/ArchivesSpace, RDA and DACS descriptive standards, MARC and EAD encoding standards, and controlled vocabularies such as LCSH and AAT required
Additional Qualifications:
- Ability to read difficult handwriting styles.
- Ability to direct his/her work with a minimum of oversight.
- Knowledge of HOLLIS and OASIS preferred.
- Excellent organizational, analytical and communication (both orally and written) required.
- Must be able to lift 40 lb record storage boxes occasionally