The Hoover Institution Library & Archives at Stanford University is seeking a Processing Archivist to join our team!
The Processing Archivist is responsible for working independently, as an expert, and as a supervisor on a team to appraise, organize, arrange, describe, and provide access to archival collections in a variety of languages, especially Chinese, German, or Polish. The Processing Archivist may also contribute to multiple forms of outreach, including reference, to further promote the use of the Hoover Institution’s archival collections.
JOB PURPOSE:
The Processing Archivist is responsible for working independently, as an expert, and as a supervisor on a team to appraise, organize, arrange, describe, and provide access to archival collections in a variety of languages, especially Chinese, German, or Polish. The Processing Archivist may also contribute to multiple forms of outreach, including reference, to further promote the use of the Hoover Institution’s archival collections.
CORE DUTIES*:
- Coordinate the appraisal, arrangement, and description of large, complex, multi-lingual archival collections, according to professional standards and current archival procedures.
- Participate in the formulation and implementation of project planning, management, and workflow; determine project goals and schedules; and survey archival holdings to identify materials in need of additional attention.
- Assist with the development of procedures and workflows to address the backlog of unprocessed collections.
- Independently analyze problems and recommend solutions, displaying a high degree of initiative, originality, and judgment in applying archival principles and procedures to complex and unique collections.
- Conduct preservation assessments to determine appropriate preservation treatment and archival storage decisions.
- Collaborate with team members to evaluate, select, and apply metadata schemas and techniques, standards, data elements, and thesauri to provide uniform description and access to Library and Archives materials.
- Assist with the supervision, hiring, and training of archives assistants.
- Collect and maintain statistics, reports, and other metrics to improve processing, preservation, and reference functions.
- Assist with reading room activities, providing orientations and instruction to researchers in how to request and use rare materials
- Participate in relevant professional and outreach activities.
* Other duties may also be assigned.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Education & Experience:
MLIS from an ALA-accredited library school or MA with an archival concentration, archival management certificate, or related subject specialty. Demonstrated understanding of academic libraries and a background in twentieth century history, politics or culture strongly preferred. Two years of experience with arranging and describing archival materials and reading knowledge of Chinese, German, or Polish required.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of archival arrangement and description for personal papers and organizational records in many formats including manuscripts, records series, photographs, born digital material, newspapers, books, posters, audio, film, microfilm, objects, and other materials.
- Reading knowledge of Chinese, German, or Polish.
- Demonstrated experience in applying current archival and special collections descriptive practices and principles including DACS, RDA, LCSH, and/or DCRM(MSS).
- Familiarity with EAD, XML and other machine actionable metadata schema.
- Ability to learn, analyze, and utilize existing and emerging metadata standards and practices associated with linked data.
- Experience using archival or special collections information systems, such as ArchivesSpace, or the ability to learn them.
- High level of proficiency using PC-based applications (Windows, word processing, spreadsheets) and other computer applications (email, Internet, Integrated Library Systems); ability to keep up to date with emerging technologies.
- Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize work, with strong project management skills, and the ability to use considerable judgment and initiative.
- Experience with or ability to learn processing of digital collections, data migration, digital curation, and mapping of metadata schema.
- Experience supervising and training archival assistants.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work independently, as a team member, and across departmental boundaries in a fast-paced environment.
- Demonstrated consistent accuracy and attention to detail while maintaining a very high level of productivity.
- Flexibility to be organized, productive and effective in a dynamic environment, involved with a variety of simultaneous projects and workflows.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
- Ability to rapidly learn and implement new archival description procedures and principles adopted by the Hoover Library and Archives.
For more information and to apply online, visit: http://m.rfer.us/STANFORDNGp5EF
