Collections Assistant, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

Paid through MITemps/TAMS 

Available: Now through end of December 2017

E-mail resume and cover letter addressed to hiring manager, [email protected]. 

The MIT Libraries seek a flexible, productive, and reliable Collections Assistant. The Collections Assistant will work under the direction of experienced MIT Libraries staff in the Scholarly Communications and Collections Strategy (SCCS) Department to assist with collection development and to improve access to the Libraries’ collections. 

The SCCS Department takes the values of open access, diversity, and social justice as a lens for framing collections decisions, and as important guideposts for navigating and favorably shaping the scholarly communications landscape. As part of the MIT Libraries Collections Directorate, the department is guided by the Directorate’s Diversity, Inclusion, & Social Justice Task Force report. 

Tasks will vary, but may include:

• Catalog searching to inform collections decision-making (e.g., the replacement of missing books, acceptance of gift books)
• Working on special projects, as needed. These may include projects dealing with building diverse and inclusive collections.
• Consulting review sources to recommend titles for purchase (e.g., identifying possible titles for purchase from review sources that highlight under-represented perspectives; searching for titles flagged in review sources by collections librarians).
• The Collections Assistant will be completing tasks guided by existing collections workflows and documentation, and will be free to suggest improvements to streamline and clarify these workflows and documentation.

Required:
Ability to work independently in a library office setting, strong communication skills, and capacity to handle detailed work with accuracy and efficiency. Experience in searching web-based information resources.

Preferred:
Experience or coursework in academic libraries, collection development, and/or scholarly communication. Personal experience with scholarly research projects. Demonstrated interest in diversity and inclusion. 

Walking distance from MIT/Kendall MBTA stop (Red Line)