Collection Development and Survey Diversity Fellow and Archivist, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Posted January 24, 2024
This is a two-year fellowship (anticipated start date July 2024).
The Harvard Library Diversity Fellowship Program, formally known as the Harvard Library Residency Program, attracts talented librarians who are members of historically underrepresented groups, to provide meaningful professional working experience and to cultivate the professional goals and interests of both Harvard Library and the Fellow. Fellows will have the opportunity to work in an academic library environment complemented by career development experiences.
The Harvard University Archives (HUA) seeks an innovative, collaborative, and motivated individual to join the Collection Development and Records Management Services (CDRMS) team. Reporting to the Senior Collection Development Curator/Archivist (SCDC/A), and in close partnership with the Associate University Archivist for Collection Development and Records Management Services (AUACDRMS), the Collection Development and Survey Diversity Fellow and Archivist (CDSDF&A) will perform a range of activities related to inclusive collection building and curation, outreach, and University records stewardship in service of documenting and providing evidence of the work and lives of the diverse individuals, offices, and organizations that make up the Harvard community, with a focus on building collections in all formats – including digital – that document historically underrepresented voices and narratives centered on women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ individuals and/or organizations. These include the personal and professional archives of Harvard faculty, senior administrators, and select Harvard alumni and students, materials documenting visual culture across the University, records of Harvard affiliated organizations, and other historical materials documenting the social, cultural, intellectual, creative life and built environment of the university.
The CDSDF&A works closely with CDRMS colleagues to appraise, select, and ensure that newly acquired collections are appropriately inventoried, packed, stable, and well-documented in preparation for accessioning into HUA’s collections. This work includes performing in-depth historical research and making recommendations for potential acquisitions, assisting with donor relations and donation paperwork, arranging for intake of analog and born-digital collections, performing site visit surveys, establishing initial physical and intellectual control of incoming materials, and coordinating transport logistics. Additionally, they will partner with CDRMS staff to build collections documenting visual culture and built environment across the University, focusing on a diverse perspective of representation, and to solicit and curate inclusive web collections documenting Harvard faculty and associated organizations.
Other responsibilities include conducting copyright and permissions review of acquisition files to update and clarify terms of access to donated collections; contributing to development and implementation of effective online training for employees and students on records stewardship and guidance for potential donor; and participating in outreach activities such as tours, presentations, and exhibitions.
The Harvard University Archives supports the University’s mission of education and research by preserving and providing access, to the greatest extent possible, to Harvard’s historical records; gathering an accurate, authentic, and inclusive record of the life of the University; and promoting the highest standards of management for Harvard’s current records.
How to Apply
To view the complete Position Description and to apply, see here.