Archivist, Temple Israel, Boston, MA

Posted August 28, 2017

Summary: Temple Israel of Boston seeks an experienced, professional archivist for a part-time position. This position is currently funded at 12 hours per week, but additional funding may become available in the future. The Temple Israel Archives is an institutional archive that collects, holds, and makes accessible records pertaining to its clergy, lay leaders, religious school and preschool, and other programs, auxiliaries, and administrative offices, in addition to materials related to congregants, from its founding in 1854 to the present. Located in Boston’s Longwood Area, Temple Israel is New England’s largest Reform congregation. The synagogue also maintains a museum and a library staffed by a librarian. The archivist reports to the Temple Israel librarian and works closely with the Archives Committee.

Responsibilities: The archivist’s primary responsibility is to collect, maintain, preserve, and catalog the archives collections and make them accessible.

Duties include: 

• Developing archival policies and procedures
• Providing reference services for temple administrators, congregants, and the general public
• Accessioning, arranging, describing, preserving, and creating access tools for all archival records
• Overseeing the synagogue’s records management program including regular acquisition of historical records from departments, offices, and committees
• Planning for a pilot digitization program
• Other occasional duties include performing research for museum displays, exhibitions, and educational programs, supervising interns and volunteers, providing content for the archives’ webpage

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in archives management
• At least three years’ archival experience, preferably with institutional records collections
• Demonstrated project management experience
• Ability to multi-task and work independently
• Excellent writing, interpersonal, and communication skills, including the ability to work well with committees, staff, researchers, and volunteers
• Knowledge of current standards for processing and describing electronic and paper records
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with current archival arrangement and description standards such as DACS and EAD
• Some knowledge of digital preservation and providing access to digital formats
• Ability and willingness to lift boxes weighing up to 40 lbs

Preferred:

• Background in history and/or knowledge of Judaism

Salary: $20 per hour.

Please submit cover letter, resume, and list of three references to Susan Porter, Archives Committee Chair, at [email protected]. This position is available as of September 1, 2017; applications will be accepted until the position is filled. More information about Temple Israel and the Temple Israel Archives is available at www.tisrael.org