Project Cataloger, Moravian Church Archives (Winston-Salem, NC)

Posted June 18, 2026

Job Description

The Project Cataloger for the Archives of the Moravian Church in America, Southern Province is tasked with creating access to the rare book collection held in the Archives. The Moravians first settled in the Piedmont of North Carolina in 1753, and the materials held in the rare book collection date as far back as at least the early 1600s. Titles specific to Moravians cover the history of the church, missions to indigenous peoples, biographies of leaders, and theology and doctrine. Subjects also span the history of North Carolina and Salem, history and theology of other Protestant religious movements and sects, and texts that would have been used in the Salem Boys School and Salem Female Academy focused on language learning, math, and science. The Project Cataloger, working in collaboration with the Director and Assistant Director, will assist in completing an inventory of the uncatalogued portion of the collection, appraising the entire collection to determine disposition of volumes, establishing policy and procedures for cataloging print materials held by the Moravian Archives, review existing catalog records to bring them into compliance with the new policy and procedures, creating new catalog records for the uncatalogued portion of the collection, and apply appropriate preservation interventions for identified volumes. The ideal candidate will have a good understanding of rare book cataloging and book conservation, experience with both copy cataloging and original cataloging, strong written and verbal communication skills, and practiced attention to detail.

Responsibilities

Rare Book Description (80%)

• Inventories the uncataloged portion of the rare book collection with attention toward information needed to make appraisal decisions and assess for conservation interventions
• Compares the inventory of the uncataloged portion of the rare book collection to the cataloged portion and makes recommendations about the current disposition of the volumes, including candidates for weeding, based on availability and condition and in observance of the Moravian Archives Collection Development Policy
• In collaboration with the Director, establishes policy and procedures for cataloging print materials held by the Moravian Archives
• Reviews existing catalog records against the policy and procedures and brings existing catalog records in line with those standards
• Creates new catalog records for the uncataloged portion of the rare book collection

Rare Book Preservation and Conservation (15%)

• Creates acid-free shelf identifiers for every volume in the rare book collection and removes any existing identifiers, especially stickers
• Moves and shifts volumes on shelving to be sure they are in call number order as well as stored properly to facilitate long-term preservation
• In collaboration with the Assistant Director, applies appropriate conservation measures to identified volumes, including housing in protective envelopes, creating enclosures, and repairing or replacing bindings

General (5%)

• Participate in monthly staff meetings
• Contribute to the annual report for the Archives
• Stay abreast of rare print materials cataloging standards and ensure the Moravian Archives is in compliance with those standards

Required Qualifications

• ALA-accredited graduate degree in library or information science. Candidates with an advanced degree in a relevant subject area and relevant experience in a library setting will also be considered.
• A minimum of 2 years’ professional cataloging experience, including original and complex copy cataloging
• Demonstrated working knowledge of the following metadata content standards and tools: MARC21; Resource Description and Access (RDA); Library of Congress classification and subject headings; Getty Art & Architecture Thesaurus
• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and knowledgeably in multiple modalities
• Ability to plan and execute long-term projects without extensive supervision
• Proficiency in cataloging software, as well as Microsoft Office products

Preferred Qualifications

• Reading proficiency in languages other than English represented in the rare book collection, especially German
• Demonstrated experience communicating with and/or writing for a non-specialist audience
• Experience using LibraryThing and TinyCat
• Experience using Airtable

Position and Benefits

• Full-time position/Monday-Friday
• This position is grant funded for the term of one year. Ideal start date is August 24, 2026.

Salary and Benefits

• $60,000
• $2,122 annual allowance for professional development expenses
• Moving and relocation expenses stipend as needed
• 10 paid holidays
• 15 days of paid annual leave
• 8 days of paid sick leave
• Health insurance, including dental and vision, with a high-deductible HSA account to which the Province contributes $600 annually
• 403(b) plan through our ecumenical partner ELCA. The Province pays a 5% annuity based on annual salary. Employees have the option of investing it into their 403(b) or taking it as case to invest otherwise.
• Basic employee term life, dependent term life, supplemental employee term life, and long-term disability insurance available.

How to Apply

Apply by July 17, 2026. Submit resume/curriculum vitae and cover letter to Director Meaghan O’Riordan at [email protected]
Applicant selected will be subject to background check and drug/alcohol screen testing.