Graduate Student Processing Assistant, Harvard Art Museums Archives/Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art, Cambridge, MA
Posted December 14, 2023
The Harvard Art Museums Archives seeks a Graduate Student Processing Assistant to survey, arrange,
and describe the personal papers of the first curator of Islamic Art at the museum. The collection
includes extensive correspondence, writings, and visual materials documenting the curator’s life, family, and work.
This is a less than half time non-benefited position, up to 14 hours per week, approximately January- October 2024. Candidates should be able to commit to working 2 days per week in the museums’ Somerville Research Facility.
Duties
– Process the collection using procedures outlined in repository manuals, rehousing materials,
and assessing preservation needs
– Create a DACS-compliant finding aid and MARC record for inclusion in Harvard’s public
discovery systems
– Select items and draft related text publicizing the collection for inclusion in the museum’s
online magazine and/or social media channels
Basic Qualifications
Candidates must have demonstrated experience and facility with processing and describing archival
collections in a professional setting; a minimum of one year of experience is preferred.
Additional Qualifications
– M.L.S. from an ALA-accredited academic program with an archives concentration preferred but
not required
– Demonstrated interest in archival processing and description, with experience with the use and
application of DACS, EAD, EAC-CPF and MARC, as well as other archival content and
communication standards
– Experience handling and performing basic preservation tasks for paper-based materials
– Demonstrated ability to manage time and tasks independently and complete projects in a timely
manner
– Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills
– Ability to lift up to 40 lbs.
Schedule: Hours must be completed onsite, Monday-Friday, between 9am-5pm.
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday availability preferred.
Rate: $18-20/hour, dependent on experience.
To Apply: Please send a cover letter and resume to [email protected] by January 17, 2024.
No phone calls, please.
About Us: The Harvard Art Museums Archives is the official repository for institutional records and historical documents in all formats relating to the Fogg Museum, the Busch-Reisinger Museum, and the Arthur M. Sackler Museum, 1895 to the present. Its mission is to manage and preserve these materials and make them accessible to staff, students, faculty, and the public in accordance with the policies of the President and Fellows of Harvard College.