Project Archivist, Harvard Law School Library, Cambridge, MA

Historical & Special Collections at the Harvard Law School Library has a one-year term processing position open. The description is below; for more details and to apply please visit bit.ly/45636BR.

Duties & Responsibilities: Harvard Law School Library seeks an experienced, collaborative, and service-oriented processing archivist for a one-year term beginning July 1, 2018. Reporting to the Curator of Modern Manuscripts within the Historical & Special Collections unit (HSC), the successful candidate will survey United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s collection of scholarly and professional work, develop a multi-year processing plan, and begin describing the collection in an Encoded Archival Description (EAD) finding aid.

• Survey and appraise approximately 400 linear feet of argued case files, conference files, pre-Supreme Court work, speaking engagements, correspondence, miscellaneous court documents, teaching files, and event files. The collection contains both analog and born-digital materials.
• In consultation with the curator of modern manuscripts and curator of digital collections, develop a processing plan for the physical and born-digital components of the collection that proposes arrangement schemes; and a management plan responsive to the multiple, rolling restrictions and redactions that impact approximately 75% of the collection.
• Arrange and describe at least the portion of the collection scheduled to be open to researchers in 2020 (approximately 90 linear feet).
• Encode a finding aid in XML according to the Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) and Encoded Archival Description (EAD) standards.

Basic Qualifications: ALA-accredited master’s degree in library science or archival studies required. Minimum of three years’ experience in appraising, accessioning, arranging, and describing manuscript collections. Some of the work will take place at the Harvard Depository in Southborough, Massachusetts, thus a valid driver’s license and access to a car is required.
 

Additional Qualifications: The successful candidate will have experience processing large and complex collections. Must have the ability to lift and transport 40-pound boxes, use a stepstool, and open hand-cranked compact shelving. Demonstrated experience with issues relating to risk, restrictions, and managing access to complex archival and manuscript collections. Demonstrated knowledge of current national archival and descriptive standards and best practices, including DACS, EAD, and EAC-CPF. Experience working with ArchivesSpace or similar collection management tools, including importing, validating, exporting, and crosswalking EAD. Excellent writing, communication, project management, and time management skills. Experience working with born-digital materials. Experience working with legal materials. Active involvement in local, state, regional, national, or international professional or scholarly associations.