Archival Field Fellowships (6 positions, paid), Roving Archivist Program, MA State Historical Records Commission, (multiple locations, Massachusetts)

Posted August 11, 2022

The application deadline for this program has been extended to Friday, September 30th at 12:00pm ET.

Description:

Through grant funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), the Massachusetts State Historical Records Advisory Board (MA SHRAB) is pleased to provide funding for 6 Fellowship opportunities for emerging archives professionals to gain practical processing experience at an archival repository in Massachusetts. The MA SHRAB Archival Field Fellows will work onsite at the selected repository to rehouse and process an archival collection and will be supervised remotely by the MA SHRAB Roving Archivists. In addition to professional experience and mentorship, Fellows will receive a stipend of $1,250 (note: this is an increase from $1,000 as previously advertised) to complete approximately 60 hours of work to rehouse, arrange, describe, and make accessible an archival collection. Projects will be completed within a two-month timeframe. The Field Fellow will work with the repository to share online the collection information or finding aid, as well as write a blog post about the Fellowship experience for the MA SHRAB blog. To view previous examples of Field Fellowship posts, visit the MA SHRAB blog: https://mashrabblog.wordpress.com/?s=field+fellowship.

What is the MA SHRAB?
The Massachusetts State Historical Records Advisory Board (MA SHRAB) is the central advisory body for historical records coordination in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The MA SHRAB provides guidance and support to institutions, organizations, and repositories in our state that steward and manage historical records. The MA SHRAB facilitates information sharing and cooperation among historical records repositories, makes available trainings on archival topics, and administers programs that assist in preserving and providing access to archival materials. The MA SHRAB serves as the state-level review body for grant proposals submitted to the National Historical Records and Publications Commission (NHPRC). The activities that the MA SHRAB undertakes are made possible through funding from NHPRC. For more information about MA SHRAB programming and to view the current 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, visit the MA SHRAB website: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/arc/arcshrab/shrabidx.htm.

What is the Roving Archivist program?
The Roving Archivist Program connects stewards of historical records with a trained professional archivist to provide advice on policies, procedures, arrangement and description of records, preservation planning, and emergency preparedness. The program provides critical assistance to small and medium-sized Massachusetts repositories that administer collections of 500 linear feet or less. For more information about the Roving Archivist program, and to view a map of repositories that have received Roving Archivist services in the state, visit the MA SHRAB website:
https://www.sec.state.ma.us/arc/arcshrab/shrabidx.htm.

Requirements for Applicants:
• Interested candidates must be enrolled at, or be a recent graduate from, a college or university at the graduate level pursuing a degree in information and library science, archives management, history, public history, or a related field (note: no academic credit is provided
through the MA SHRAB Field Fellowship program).
• Must have demonstrated knowledge of archival theory and standards.
• Ability to work independently.
• Must arrange own transportation to and from the repository.

• Availability to complete the Fellowship project within two months, working part-time or full-
time.

Fellowship Outcomes:
• Apply archival principles and standards to arrange, rehouse, and describe an archival collection.
• Work with the repository to share the collection finding aid online.
• Write a blog post about the field site and processing project for the MA SHRAB blog.
• Submit a brief summary of the Field Fellowship to the MA SHRAB.

How to Apply:

Submit the following information to [email protected] with the subject line “Archival Field Fellowship – Fellow Application”:

1. Resume
2. One-page letter of interest including an indication of preferred geographic area of the state for field placement as well as an estimate on the months/days-of-the-week/hours-per-week available.
3. Provide contact information for two references who can speak to the applicant’s knowledge of and/or experience in archival studies (such as from a professor, program director, or archives employer/internship supervisor).

The application deadline for this program has been extended to Friday, September 30th at 12:00pm ET.