Come join our team at Colgate!
The Colgate University Libraries seek a collaborative, thoughtful, and forward-thinking individual to fill the position of Collections
Archivist. Reporting to the Head of Special Collections and University Archivist, the
Collections Archivist accessions, arranges, describes and preserves manuscript and archival collections including University Archives records. The Collections Archivist also participates in records management activities for university records, including the management of electronic records, and provides records management instruction to university offices and departments. The Collections Archivist supervises the department’s student workers and manages the reading room. The individual provides reference services to members of the Colgate community and other researchers and manages reproduction requests. In addition to supporting the department’s general instructional and outreach programs, the Collections Archivist works closely with the Head of Special Collections and University Archivist to support research being conducted in classes and for the university’s bicentennial celebrations.
Primary Duties and Essential Functions (may include, but not limited to the following):
Collections services
In collaboration with the Head of Special Collections and University Archivist, develop an overall strategy for bringing the University Archives and other manuscript and archival collections in line with professional archival standards and best practices.
Accession, arrange and describe manuscript and archival collections in all formats in accordance with professional standards and best practices.
Develop and document workflows and procedures for processing manuscript and archival materials.
Develop and document workflows for the acquisition of born-digital content.
Participate in the department’s web archiving program, including creating and monitoring web crawls, performing quality control checks and supervising others in quality control checks, and creating descriptive metadata for web content that accords with professional standards.
Create EAD collection guides, MARC records, and other finding aids in accordance with professional standards and guidelines. Collaborate with the Cataloging & Metadata department to develop workflows for representing manuscript and archival collections in the library’s online catalog.
Identify preservation needs and priorities for materials in all formats during processing work.
Coordinate and carry out preservation activities for archival and manuscript collections, working with other departmental personnel as needed.
Recommend new local history and historical manuscript acquisitions to the Head of Special Collections within the context of the collection development policy.
Participate in digital curation and preservation tasks.
Records management
Facilitate the transfer and storage of inactive records from university departments and offices.
Collaborate in the development of a records management program that includes the collecting of electronic records.
Participate in records management instruction for university departments and offices.
Access services
Provide reference services to members of the Colgate community and other researchers.
Assist researchers in identifying materials relevant to their research and retrieve materials from storage areas.
Manage the fulfillment of reproduction requests in analog and digital form.
Manage the reading room and coordinate the proper storage of hold materials.
Order call slips and registration books and maintain reading room supplies.
Supervisory responsibilities
Hire, train, and supervise student employees.
Train and supervise other temporary or permanent staff as needed.
Support the department’s instructional and outreach programs.
Participate in departmental outreach activities, including events for Family Weekend and Reunion.
Support class instruction sessions.
Participate in the department’s digital programs and utilize ContentDM, Omeka and other digital content systems.
Manage and maintain the department’s web pages within the Libraries’ established standards.
Help create and mount exhibits that highlight important aspects of the library’s collections, particularly as they relate to the curriculum and important university events.
Create documentation, finding aids, and web guides for print and digital collections which promote the use of Special Collections and University Archives to both the local and outside scholarly communities.
Work with the other members of the Special Collections and University Archives department to ensure the security of the collections.
Performs other duties as assigned.
In addition to specific job responsibilities, all library faculty are expected to do the following:
Participate in the faculty liaison program, in this case as a liaison to university offices and groups.
Work cooperatively and in partnership with the Head of Special Collections and University Archivist to develop and manage the collections.
Participate in library faculty governance.
Participate in University governance and/or serve the University in other ways as appropriate.
Demonstrate an active commitment to the library profession as described in the Library Faculty Handbook.
Qualifications
It is expected that all Colgate University Libraries faculty and staff members will demonstrate exceptional workplace behaviors in the execution of their specific position responsibilities. These are: customer focus; collaboration; effective team skills; creative problem-solving; continuous learning; and a commitment to inclusion.
Required:
Master's Degree from an ALA-accredited institution with a focus in archives and records management
2 years of professional archives experience
Experience arranging, describing, and preserving archival and manuscript collections
Strong command of archival theory and best practices, especially as they relate to the particular issues posed by born digital content
Demonstrated knowledge of DACS, EAD, MARC, authority control practices, as well as knowledge of emerging standards for description
Knowledge of preservation standards and best practices
Strong organizational skills and written and oral communication skills
A high degree of technical facility, ability to work in command line interfaces, and the demonstrated ability to learn new technical skills through research and self-study
Ability to work independently and collaboratively with a variety of staff in a rapidly changing environment
Commitment to providing responsive and innovative services to a culturally and racially diverse campus
Ability to work a schedule which includes some evening, weekend, and holiday hours
Preferred:
3-5 years of professional archives experience
Demonstrated ability to plan, coordinate, and implement complex projects
Experience accessioning analog and digital materials
Proficiency working with ArchivesSpace and/or other collection management systems
Experience providing reference services in an archives or manuscripts repository
Experience working with college or university archives records
Experience with records management
Knowledge of strategies developed or adopted by the archival community for managing born-digital archival material
Knowledge of digital preservation principles, and knowledge of digital standards such as PREMIS and OAIS
Proficiency with HTML, CSS and XSLT
Proficiency working with digital content systems, such as ContentDM and Omeka
Ability to lift and shelve boxes weighing up to 40 pounds
Desired:
Supervisory experience
Experience effectively instructing or training students, faculty, and/or staff
Experience with web archiving and tools such as the Internet Archive's Archive-It
Knowledge of central New York history
Additional information about Colgate University and the Colgate Libraries can be found at
http://exlibris.colgate.edu/joinus.html
Candidates will need to upload a letter of application, curriculum vita, and provide email addresses for three references, including current supervisor. Colgate strives to be a community supportive of diverse perspectives and identities. Candidates should describe how they have or would propose to work in a diverse environment. Official transcripts will be
required of candidates selected for an on-campus interview.
Review of application materials will begin on
April 18, 2016, and continue until the position is filled.
Colgate is a highly selective private liberal
arts university located in Hamilton, NY, and is an EO/AA employer. Women and candidates from historically
underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Applicants with dual career
considerations can find postings of other employment opportunities at
http://www.upstatenyherc.org