Processing Archivist, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY

Colgate University, a highly-selective residential liberal arts university with 2,900 students, is a very special place to work. A diverse group of individuals from local and worldwide communities, our staff is critical to preserving the university’s high standards and strong reputation as a leader in higher education. We nurture an inclusive, collaborative culture, where each employee is treated as an important contributor, offer generous benefit packages and encourage staff wellness, learning and advancement. We offer staff opportunities to audit Colgate classes, as well as earn credits towards a Colgate undergraduate degree. Our friendly staff can be found attending lectures, working out together at our state of the art gym facilities, kayaking, paddle boarding and sailing on Lake Moraine, and participating in one of the many daily events that take place on campus and in the Village of Hamilton.

Job Description: Reporting to the Collections Archivist, the Processing Archivist works to arrange and describe University Archives collections in all formats according to professional standards and best practices. The position assists in the preservation of collections, in facilitating the records management functions of the University Archives, and in collection maintenance. The incumbent supports the department’s reference and digital efforts as they relate to the University Archives collections and Bicentennial projects.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities

• Arrange and describe University Archives collections in all formats in accordance with professional standards and best practices. Work to address the backlog of unprocessed collections in the University Archives, with a particular focus on audiovisual materials.
• Use ArchivesSpace and other software to create EAD collection guides and other finding aids in accordance with DACS.
• Assist in the preservation assessment of collections and in the selection of materials for conservation treatment.
• Aid the Collections Archivist and University Archivist in facilitating the transfer and storage of inactive records from university departments and offices.
• Assist with collections’ maintenance and help manage physical space needs.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide reference services to members of the Colgate community and other researchers, with a focus on inquiries relating to the University Archives and Bicentennial projects.
• Support vendor-based digitization projects by preparing materials for digitization, shipping and receiving items from vendors, conducting quality assurance, creating descriptive metadata, and ensuring that original materials are returned to their proper locations.
• Digitize collection materials in accordance with established procedures and standards, conduct quality control of digitized content, and apply appropriate descriptive, technical and administrative metadata.
• Supervise student employees working on University Archives-related projects.
• Work with the other members of the Special Collections and University Archives department to ensure the security of the collections.
• Assist with managing the fulfillment of reproduction requests in analog and digital form.
• Participate in departmental outreach activities, including events for Family Weekend and Reunion.
• Collaborate with library faculty on digital projects involving Colgate history, including project design and content selection.
• Help create and mount exhibits that highlight important aspects of the library’s collections, particularly as they relate to the Bicentennial celebration.
• Attend library faculty meetings and demonstrate an active commitment to the archives and library profession as described in the Guidelines for Librarianship and Commitment to the Library Profession.
• Participate in special projects as assigned.

Qualifications
(Education and Experience):

• A minimum of a Master’s Degree in Library or Information Science from an ALA-accredited institution with a focus in archives or special collections.
• Experience in arranging and describing archival collections.
• Understanding of the principles of arrangement and description of archival collections and knowledge of archival best practices.
• Familiarity with current developments in archival processing procedures. .
• Knowledge of current metadata and descriptive standards, including DACS and EAD.
• Ability to set priorities, manage work, and meet deadlines independently and collaboratively.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Excellent computer and technical skills and ability to learn new technologies.
• Ability to lift and shelve boxes weighing up to 40 pounds.
• Ability to work a schedule which includes some evening, weekend and holiday hours.

Additional Preferred Qualifications:

Experience working with college or university archives records. 

• Experience using ArchivesSpace (preferred) or other collection management systems.
• Knowledge of preservation standards and best practices.
• Knowledge of digitization standards and best practices.
• Knowledge of audiovisual preservation and digitization.
• Experience with institutional history digital projects.

Review Begin Date: 11-01-2016

Special Instructions to Applicants: This position has been approved through 12/2019.

Applicants are required to submit cover letter, resume, the names of three professional references including current supervisor, and a finding aid authored by, for a collection processed by, the applicant.

It is the policy of Colgate University not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of their race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, pregnancy, national origin, marital status, disability, protected Veterans status, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, genetic information, victims of domestic violence and stalking, familial status, and all other categories covered by recruitment, hiring, upgrading, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, recall, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation and selection for training at all levels of the employment. Colgate University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Minorities/Females/Persons with Disabilities/Protected Veterans are all encouraged to apply.

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