Processing Assistant, Schlesinger Library Harvard Radcliffe Institute, (Cambridge, MA)
Posted August 7, 2024
Hours: 14 hours a week. Hours must be completed on-site in two 7-hour days. The
Library is open Monday through Friday, 9-5.
Eligibility: This is a term pre-professional position open to currently enrolled Simmons
SLIS students.
About the Schlesinger:
The Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America,
located just outside of Harvard Square, is one of the world’s premier repositories of
materials documenting the lives and work of American women. For more information
about the library, go to: http://radcliffe.harvard.edu/schlesinger-library.
Salary: $20/hour
Start date: September 2024
Location This position will be mainly working at an off-site building at 36 Concord Ave,
a 15 minute walk from the Harvard Square MBTA station (or a short bus ride). The
Schlesinger Library Building is located at 3 James Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Description: The Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America seeks part-
time processing assistant to support processing projects at the library.
The inaugural project will be assisting archivists in the arrangement and description of
the papers of American civil rights theorist and professor of law Lani Guinier. This
collection includes 422 cartons and documents the professional and personal life of an
important legal scholar and civil rights activist, and the first woman of color appointed to
a tenured position at Harvard Law School. This collection includes her research and
writings related to her scholarly and legal work surrounding issues such as voting rights
and affirmative action and the publicity and controversy surrounding her failed
nomination by President Bill Clinton to be assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights
Division of the Department of Justice (1993).
Work may include some or all of the following: completing basic preservation tasks,
such as refoldering and photocopying; basic arrangement; assisting in creating
inventories and series descriptions; transcribing folder titles; cataloging audiovisual
material; conducting research; etc.
Qualifications:
- Completion of Simmons LIS 438 and 440 or similar graduate-level introductory
archives coursework - Experience handling special collections materials
- Sensitivity to proper care and handling of special collections materials
- Able to commit to a set weekly schedule
- Aptitude for detail, accuracy, and efficiency; good organizational skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team environment
- Familiarity with EAD
- This position includes lifting and moving materials weighing up to 40 pounds on a
regular basis. - Interest in women’s studies
- Experience with Excel and XMetaL or another XML editor, preferred
- This position involves frequent use of computer screen, keyboard, and mouse.
To Apply:
Application deadline: Open until position is filled
Please submit resume, cover letters, and 3 references to Cat Lea Holbrook at
[email protected]