Associate Archivist, Clyfford Still Museum, Denver, CO

Posted June 3, 2021

Description:

Title: Associate Archivist
Compensation Range: $46,000 to $52,000 per year
Status: Full-time; exempt; eligible for benefits
Application Deadline: Resumes accepted until 5pm on June 18, 2021
Reports to: Chief Collections Manager and Registrar
Start Date: Flexible start date

The Clyfford Still Museum is seeking an Associate Archivist who is passionate about physical
preservation and access, and who is particularly talented in dealing with large, complex, highly
interrelated collections. The Associate Archivist will join the wider Collections Team to help build
the profile of the Museum’s archival collections by making them more accessible through
processing. The Archives Department manages the complete personal papers of Clyfford Still,
in addition to small donations from those who knew Still, and a growing collection of historic
documents describing the Museum’s creation and activities. The Associate Archivist position will
center around physical arrangement, description, and preservation of the Museum’s archival
collections, with additional responsibility to maintain the Museum’s collections management
system QI under the leadership of the Chief Collections Manager and Registrar. The Associate
Archivist will also oversee the onsite research use of Still’s archives as well as circulation and
collection development of the Department’s Reference Library.

Principal Responsibilities*

Uphold professional standards in archives, the archival method, physical preservation, and larger LAIS field, in a fine art museum setting
Improve physical and intellectual control of and access to archival collection resources through processing and documentation: inventory, research, arrange, rehouse, and label physical archival collections materials
Maintain and monitor existing cold storage preservation system for film; triage, rehouse, and preserve other vulnerable materials; flag items with highest preservation risk for treatment by the Conservation department
Catalog aggregate-level and a substantial amount of object-level records in the QI CMS
Provide reference and research assistance to staff and researchers in their efforts to promote the legacy of Clyfford Still; provide one-on-one assistance, pull boxes, and monitor patron use of archival collections materials during onsite research visits; build the profile of the collection for research and reference
Provide close assistance to the database administrator and support team of the QI CMS in developing features that enhance the QI CMS’s ease of cataloging and use; work with the administrators of the Museum’s digital asset management system Luna and database and other program developers to maintain existing integration projects
Collaborate with the Chief Collections Manager and Registrar and Associate Digital Archivist on archival policies and goals for the Clyfford Still Archives; contribute to the Collections team policy and procedures evaluation and development
Work with Associate Digital Archivist to schedule and queue digitization projects; stage materials for proper handling during digitization
Manage subscriptions to JSTOR, The Art Newspaper, and other research databases
Oversee circulation and collection development of the Reference Library
Participate in the exhibition development process: suggest archival materials for inclusion within exhibitions; prepare original archival materials or surrogates for exhibition in collaboration with Paper Conservator; track exhibited objects in the QI CMS
Build relations with past and future donors to the Archives
Assist with ongoing administrative and collections tasks: budget creation, supply purchases, collections tours, and some exhibition installation assistance

Minimum Education, Job Qualifications, and Experience

Minimum three years’ experience (with increasing responsibility) working with archival collections in a museum or other collecting institution with a public audience; familiarity with physical and digital materials, and knowledge of issues of handling, storage, and preservation of fragile archival collections
Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (coursework in advanced archival theory, preservation, and special collections are desirable but not required)
Demonstrated knowledge and mastery of archival theory and practice; proven ability in processing and preserving archival collections, and working in online collection management systems
Familiarity with Getty and Library of Congress vocabularies, DACS, and other standards; resourcefulness in learning about and using new descriptive and content standards
Ability to recognize preservation needs for documents, books, photographic processes, textiles, and other materials
Interest in supporting and performing research using primary-source archival materials and reference sources (experience with library circulation, reference, and technical services is desirable but not required)
Excellent written communication skills and desire to share well-formulated ideas and information with the public
Ability to recognize potential problems that may arise from working with unpublished and sensitive collections in areas such as copyright, privacy, and confidentiality
Demonstrated ability to be flexible, tolerate ambiguity, adapt to change and successfully work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
Strong organizational, planning, and project management skills; proven ability to work independently, establish goals, set priorities and carry out project tasks with limited direction
Excellent interpersonal skills and proven ability to collaborate and work effectively within a team and across organizational boundaries in a diverse organization and with a wide variety of users
Must be able to lift and move up to twenty pounds

*The described work requirements are representative of those an employee encounters in
performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable
individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions wherever possible. Some duties are
performed in a modified way during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How to Apply:

Please send a cover letter, resume and references to: [email protected]