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Archives & Manuscripts Processing Coordinator, University of Kansas Libraries (Lawrence, KS)

Posted September 23, 2024

The University of Kansas Libraries seeks a knowledgeable, energetic and innovative individual to lead and manage the Libraries Archives & Manuscripts Processing Unit. Reporting to the Head of Cataloging & Archival Processing, the incumbent serves as the supervisor of the Unit, supervising 3 full-time staff and a varying number of student assistants.

The Unit is responsible for following national standards and local policies to inventory and physically process manuscript collections, prepare collection/series/box and folder descriptions in ArchivesSpace, KU Libraries’ manuscript and digital object collection management system, generate other descriptive metadata as needed, and update legacy records.  The Unit processes materials from the following four collecting areas in the Kenneth Spencer Research Library: 1) Kansas Collection, our regional history collection; 2) Special Collections, which consists of materials from writing’s origins on ancient cuneiform tablets to volumes of poetry produced within the last year; 3) University Archives and 4) the Wilcox Collection, one of the country’s largest assemblages of American left- and right-wing materials.

This is a full-time, 12-month, tenure-track faculty position. Rank considerations are based on professional performance, research, and service experience sufficient to qualify for appointment at the rank of Assistant Librarian or Associate Librarian.

Minimum salary $60,000, final determination commensurate with experience.

Job Description

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES (70%)

  • Works to establish processing priorities and appropriate levels of processing for groups of materials in collaboration with appropriate KU Libraries staff and supervisor
  • Develops and enhances workflows and procedures for accessioning, processing, and managing collections in a variety of formats in accordance with accepted archival standards, the unique needs of KU Libraries, and an understanding of various processing techniques including minimum level processing (MPLP)
  • Recruits, trains, supervises, and evaluates the work of the manuscript processing staff and student assistants; reviews, copy edits and publishes completed finding aids created by staff and students to KU’s public interface
  • Assists in the preservation assessment of collections and in the selection of materials for conservation treatment
  • Follows national standards for archival description, e.g. Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)
  • Participates in collections meetings and other formal and informal communication systems, especially those related to manuscript processing, across Spencer Research Library and KU Libraries
  • As time permits, processes and catalogs new manuscript collections and additions. This includes the creation and/or editing of finding aids using collections management systems.

RESEARCH (20%)

  • Contributes to the profession’s collective knowledge by engaging in scholarly research activity.
  • Research may involve the publication of articles, books, book reviews, grant-supported inquiry, or editorial work (see Promotion and Tenure Procedures at KU, Spring 2017).

SERVICE (10%)

  • Contributes to the profession’s collective knowledge by engaging in scholarly research activity. Research may involve the publication of articles, books, book reviews, grant-supported inquiry, or editorial work (see Discipline Expectations for Librarians at KU, July 2014)

Required Qualifications

  1. ALA-accredited master’s degree in Library/Information Science or equivalent from a foreign institution; OR in the closely related, specialized field of archives, a graduate degree (master’s or Ph.D.) in an appropriate field; OR an Archival Certification by the Academy of Certified Archivists may be considered. Degree and/or Certification completed by time of appointment.
  2. Minimum 2 years’ experience processing manuscript and archival collections.
  3. Minimum of 1 – year supervisory experience.

Preferred Qualifications

  1. Demonstrated knowledge of current archival theory, practice, and national/international standards and best practices governing the arrangement and description of primary source materials as evidenced in application materials.
  2. Experience in providing staff training and documenting policies and procedures.
  3. Experience organizing work, setting priorities, developing processing plans, managing projects, and meeting deadlines for self and others.
  4. Experience communicating verbally and in writing to partner effectively with a variety of internal stakeholders.
  5. Broad knowledge in the humanities, particularly in American and/or modern European history, as demonstrated through academic degrees, training, or experience.
  6. Reading knowledge of at least one Western European language other than English.
  7. Records management experience or training.
  8. Experience using ArchivesSpace or other collection management systems.

How to Apply:

Applicants should attach a cover letter, resume/CV, and contact information for three professional references (including at least one previous or current supervisor) to this online application. Please use your cover letter to address how you meet the required and preferred qualifications. An online application must be completed to be considered for this position.

Application Review Begins: Tuesday October 15, 2024

The full position description and application is linked at: https://employment.ku.edu/jobs/faculty/archives-and-manuscripts-processing-coordinator/28958br

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