Archives Assistant, Archives & Research Center, Sharon, MA
Posted October 17, 2018
FINAL JOB OPENING – PART TIME
Archives Assistant – Sharon (temporary, part-time)
Archives & Research Center (ARC) and the Collections
The Archives & Research Center (ARC) is the hub of The Trustees of Reservations’ curatorial stewardship. Located in Sharon, Massachusetts, the ARC provides outside researchers, Trustees staff, and volunteers access to thousands of historical documents, objects, and artifacts related to The Trustees’ properties. The ARC, an energy-efficient, climate-controlled building, opened in 2008 and houses 1,500 linear feet of archival materials which document The Trustees’ founding role in the land trust movement, the stories of Trustees properties across the Commonwealth, and the lives of American families from the 1600s to the present.
The Trustees’ collections represent domestic furnishings, outdoor sculptures, fine and decorative arts from pre-contact to the 20th century. They include more than 30 private collections featuring exceptional pieces from indigenous Massachusetts peoples to mid-century Modern. Archival collections include works of art on paper, photographs, maps, architectural plans, garden designs, botanical specimens, manuscripts, letters, diaries, books, business ledgers, legal documents and deeds linked to specific properties and to the organization’s history.
Position Summary:
The Archives & Research Center of The Trustees seeks an Archives Assistant to help prepare the historical and institutional records collections of the Fruitlands Museum for processing. The Archives Assistant will perform the preliminary steps of surveying, sorting, and creating a rough inventory for approximately 50 boxes of material. Many of the boxes are already semi-organized.
The Fruitlands Museum was the 116th property acquired by The Trustees, joining the organization in 2016. Its archival collections cover a wide range of historic subjects, including Bronson Alcott’s experimental Transcendentalist community, and the Shaker communities of the northeastern United States. Other collections relate to the life and work of the museum’s founder, Clara Endicott Sears, as well as the development, governance, and operations of the museum itself. The collections contain correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, records, publications, and many other types of primary and secondary source materials.
Essential Functions:
- The ability to survey, sort and create a rough inventory for approximate 50 boxes of Fruitlands materials.
- The ability to help prepare these historical and institutional materials for processing.
Qualifications:
- Currently enrolled in or a recent graduate of a history, archives, or other cultural heritage program.
- Willingness to adhere to best practices regarding the care and handling of archival collections.
- Strong organizational skills. Familiarity with archival arrangement preferred.
- Ability to lift or carry objects weighing between 25-50 pounds.
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office programs: Word, Excel, etc.
- Interest in Massachusetts history strongly preferred.
Benefits and Salary
This is a temporary, non-exempt, hourly paid position, with an optimal start date in October. This position is based in Sharon.
About The Organization:
The Trustees is an organization with a fascinating past and an exciting future. Our places are open to all and we thrive by involving as many people as possible in what we do. Founded in 1891, by a group of visionary volunteers, we preserve, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts and work to protect special places across the state. We have helped protect more than 50,000 acres, including 26,000+ acres on 117 reservations that are all open to the public. We are a nonprofit conservation organization funded and supported entirely by our visitors, supporters, volunteers, and more than 60,000 member households.
The Trustees’ curatorial resources include archives, buildings, landscapes, ruins and artifacts covering hundreds of years of human history. In the historic houses, at the Archives & Research Center, and in the land itself, The Trustees preserves the landscapes and material culture of Massachusetts people. Objects and archives enrich a wide range of programs and activities.
In addition to being an Equal Opportunity Employer, the Trustees of Reservations aims to create a thriving, inclusive workplace that values each member of our team. We aspire to reflect and effectively serve the residents and communities of Massachusetts, who are at the core of our mission.
We kindly request that you do not call to inquire about the status of your application. Those candidates chosen for interviews will be contacted.