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Head Archivist, Lambda Archives of San Diego, San Diego, CA

Posted April 7, 2020

The Lambda Archives of San Diego (LASD) seeks a motivated and enthusiastic individual to join our organization as Head Archivist. LASD is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation governed by a diverse volunteer board of Board of Directors from archival, academic, fundraising/financial and community non-profit backgrounds. Our mission is to “collect, preserve, and share the history of LGBTQ+ people in the San Diego, Northern Baja California and Imperial County region.” LASD preserves and provides public access to the tangible record of the community including the records of individuals who have lived, worked and been active members of the LGBTQ+ community, and the organizational records of business, community and service groups that have served the needs and interests of this population.

 

Our collection strengths include: the original and unique personal papers of local LGBTQ+ activists, organizations and political campaigns; complete or nearly complete runs of virtually all San Diego and Tijuana (and some significant regional or national) LGBTQ+ periodicals; newsletters for more than 40 local LGBTQ+ organizations; ephemera such as flyers, announcements, bumper stickers, buttons, calendars, catalogs, flyers, posters, and t-shirts; audio-visual materials; thousands of photographs and slides; digitized materials; and a circulating research library. Although most of the collections date to post-1970, there are original materials dating back to the 1930s.

 

LASD embraces creativity and collaboration in preserving and sharing the stories of the LGBTQ+ community, and encourages applicants who, above all, prioritize the importance and value of an archive that supports and is driven by its own community. LASD is especially interested in candidates that can contribute to the experiences of underrepresented or minoritized groups. The ideal candidate will provide leadership in acquiring, processing, and providing access to collections and resources and maintaining a welcoming space for users to engage with the collections and staff.

 

Requirements 

Collection Development and Management

  • Collect, accession and process collections, performing archival appraisal when applicable

  • Oversee a robust digitization program; Ensure best practices with digital preservation, storage and metadata

  • Review existing digital content to improve discoverability

  • Maintain a collecting scope that adheres to our Collection Development policy but is responsive to evolving goals and needs of the LGBTQ+ community

  • Monitor and evaluate physical and digital storage needs

  • Manage our Oral History Project

  • Identify processing priorities; Maintain documentation for paid assistants and volunteers; Communicate processing priorities and updates to the Board of Directors

  • Consult with our Historian-in-Residence, Dr. Lilian Faderman, on collection development recommendations

 

Public Service and Outreach 

  • Respond to research inquiries

  • Curate exhibits; Collaborate with community partners; Represent LASD at events

  • Direct social media program in collaboration with Board of Directors and ad-hoc programming and events committees

  • Work with staff and Web Services contractor to develop web content and update pages

 

Facilities, Supervision and Management

  • Coordinate with Diversionary Theatre on building/facilities matters; communicate issues needing Board involvement to Board president

  • Recruit and manage volunteers and interns

  • Develop and maintain policies and procedures in coordination with Board of Directors and other archival staff and interns

  • Provide written reports for the Board of Directors and attend bi-monthly board meetings; Review operational budget, analyze needs and report changes

  • Collaborate with Board of Directors on fundraising efforts (grant writing and donor relations)

  • Other duties as assigned or needed

 

Minimum Education 

Master’s Degree

 

Salary 

$50,000.00 – $55,000.00 (Yearly Salary)

 

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position at LASD.

To view the full position and apply, please visit the following link. 

 

LASD resides on the ancestral homelands of the Kumeyaay Nation. We recognize that the Kumeyaay people have lived here since time immemorial, and continue to reside and thrive in the San Diego area and beyond.

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