Reading Room/Reference Volunteer, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA
Posted May 20, 2015
The Reading Room/Reference Volunteer will provide support to the Phillips Library reference staff to better serve and provide access to our patrons. The library serves the needs of the public, visiting researchers, PEM members, staff, and curators. The reference staff provides patron orientations to the library, access to the collections, answers to questions both in person and remotely, and tracks reading room use. The primary tasks of the Reading Room/Reference Volunteer will include volunteer help in the reading room with researchers and digitizing library resources for publication on the web or future use.
The Reading Room/Reference Volunteer will also be involved with:
- Creating research guides
- Filling patron photocopy/scanning requests
- Creating labels for reading room books
- Digitization selection, scanning, and metadata creation (using Microsoft Access)
- Social media creation (Twitter, blog posts, Pinterest)
- Photograph filing/straightening/organizing
- Other tasks as assigned or developed
The Phillips Library Reading Room/Reference Volunteer should be enthusiastic about volunteering in a special collections library; able to operate independently as well as in a group setting; possess excellent organization skills; be able to adapt to changes in tasks and library needs; have an interest in helping with on-site researchers and the public; possess an interest in digitization methods and practice; and open to learning new skills. Current, future interest, or enrollment in a library program is desirable.
Commitment:
- The Phillips Library is located at 1 Second Street, Peabody MA. Public transportation is limited.
- 1 day per week (Monday-Friday for 3-6 hours between 9:00am-5:00pm )
- Minimum of 3 months
Interested applicants should complete a Volunteer Application http://pem.org/about/_employment/volunteer/ and mail it to Human Resources, Peabody Essex Museum, 161 Essex Street, Salem, MA 01970-3783.