Native American Phillips Library Long Term Fellow, Phillips Library, Peabody Essex Museum (Rowley, MA)
Posted September 17, 2025
Description:
The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) is pleased to announce a library fellowship for 2026-2028, generously funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Beginning in early 2026, this 12- to 24-month fellowship in the Phillips Library will provide an emerging librarian with exciting opportunities for personal and professional growth. The Mellon Library Fellow will be fully integrated into the Phillips Library team, gaining training and duties comparable to those of an Assistant Librarian. This position will play an integral role in assisting with developing and executing cataloging projects to provide better access to materials related to Indigenous subjects. In addition, the Mellon Library Fellow will collaborate with each library unit to help support the library’s mission of collecting, stewarding, and providing access to materials and resources for our diverse set of local, regional, and international communities.
Position Duties:
The Mellon Library Fellow will utilize their analytical, interpersonal, and organizational skills as they receive guidance and training using library and archival vocabularies, standards, and schemas such as LCSH, RDA, and MARC, as well as with traditional office software like Excel. Experience with an integrated library system (FOLIO), Connexion, and knowledge of rare materials handling is a plus. Must be resourceful, able to work independently, and adjust easily to changing priorities. Excellent strategic thinking, written and oral communication, time and project management and multi-tasking skills required; creativity and initiative in identifying and fulfilling library requirements essential; highly organized and detail oriented a must; strong interpersonal skills and a team-oriented work style are critical. Strong research skills as well as familiarity with word processing, spreadsheets, and databases required. The position interfaces across many PEM departments, especially with Collection Services, Curatorial, and Marketing regarding the implementation and promotion of projects. Learning the operational aspects of a leading museum library through hands-on training and mentorship will lead to a well-rounded experience, and targeted projects offer the chance for achievement and meaningful development for the Mellon Library Fellow, the library, and PEM. Opportunities for professional development and network building are integrated into the fellowship.
Qualifications:
We are looking for persons of Native American, Alaska Native, Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian), First Nations, Métis, and Inuit heritage and members of federally recognized tribes, consistent with the distinctions established under Federal U.S. law. Individuals who reside on Native or tribal lands may also apply, and those whose work and/or study contributes to the artistic traditions, research, and preservation of Native American art, culture, and history, and who demonstrate consistent commitment through their life and their work to the purpose of the program, the cultural, and educational mission of the library and museum. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States. Current, prospective, or recent graduates of an ALA-accredited program in library and information science, or an equivalent combination of education and related experience, preferably in a library and/or art museum setting, will contribute to the success of the fellowship.
Hours and Compensation:
The hiring range for this role will be $21.63 to $24.00 hourly. The accepted Fellow must relocate to an area within a reasonable commuting distance of the Peabody Essex Museum’s Hawkes Collection Center in Rowley, MA or in the surrounding towns and cities before the first day of work. As the Hawkes Collection Center is not accessible via public transportation, the accepted Fellow must have reliable personal transportation.
How to Apply:
We will begin reviewing applications immediately, so please apply as soon as possible. The closing date is subject to change at any time. To apply, visit https://www.pem.org/about-pem/jobs-opportunities/open-positions