Overview
The Dewitt Wallace Library at Macalester College is seeking to hire an Archives Specialist. This position performs essential collection management functions, including processing, accessioning, creating archival finding aids, and preservation of archival materials. The Archive Specialist assists the College Archivist in all other day-to-day activities of the Archives, including evaluating potential new collections for the Archives; providing reference services, outreach, and instruction; supervising student assistants; and supporting the College’s records management needs. This position serves as a member of the Collection Development and Discovery team and reports to the College Archivist.
About The Archives:
The purpose of the Macalester College Archives, housed in the library, is to preserve for research the historically valuable materials which document the origins, development, activities, and achievements of the College since its inception in 1874. The College Archives collections include newspapers, reports, meeting minutes, administrative records, student organization materials, scrapbooks, photos, audio and video recordings, buttons, posters, born-digital materials, email correspondence, social media posts, and more.
Responsibilities
Archival Organization:
- Arranges and describes archival collections in accordance with accepted standards and practices.
- Prepares detailed contextual descriptions (finding aids) of archival collections to facilitate discoverability and use by researchers and patrons.
- Carries out preservation program for the diverse types of materials related to the history of the College, both print and digital, including paper, audio and visual materials, photographs, slides, digital images, web pages, and digital archives files. Performs basic physical preservation work such as rehousing of collections in archival-quality storage materials and enclosures, assessing collection conditions, removing staples, and re-foldering.
- Digitizes archival materials and creates metadata according to pertinent local, national, and international standards.
- Collaborates on digital projects, physical and digital exhibits, publications, presentations, instructional sessions, and other outreach activities.
- Performs other essential collections management work, including verifying and updating inventories; shifting collections; paging and shelving; and sorting and filing publications and other print materials.
- Implements and follows archives policies and procedures.
- Consistently performs work with attention to detail and in a timely and accurate manner meeting the needs of the library as well as community demands.
Reference and Research Services:
- Provides reference services and research assistance for researchers regarding the use of archival collections. Researchers may include both campus community and outside patrons.
Supervise Student Employees
- Assists with direction of student employee workflow and training.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
- 3-5 years of experience, minimum of 1 year of experience working with archival collections highly desirable.
- Associate’s Degree required; Library Information Technology field of study preferred.
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity. Actively engaged in learning and practicing principles of social justice and inclusion to increase individual capacity to support institutional changes that create and sustain a more welcoming and inclusive environment across the Macalester Community.
- Knowledge of or experience with standard archival principles and practices, especially metadata standards and best practices for processing analog and digital collections.
- Ability to follow and document core policies and procedures.
- Excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication skills. Ability to work effectively and creatively independently as well as in a dynamic team environment.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science, History, or related discipline preferred. Two years or more of experience working in archives, libraries, museums, public history or research setting will be considered as a substitute for some of the above preferred education.
- Ability to evaluate collections to determine origin, importance, and condition of materials for appraisal and preservation.
- Capability to plan and manage multiple projects, including developing workflows, writing documentation, and training and supervising student assistants.
- Experienced with standard computing applications for productivity and communication. Ability to adopt, implement and teach new technologies and library systems.
Compensation & Benefits:
This is a full-time, 1.0 position with Macalester’s full benefits package and an annual starting salary of $44,000-$49,000.
Application Guidelines:
To be considered, please apply via Macalester’s Employment Webpage and submit your resume with your pdf in one document by March 1st. No applications will be received after this date.
All inquiries about this position can be addressed to:
Jaclyn Howard
Talent Acquisition Manager
Macalester College - Institutional Overview
Since its founding in 1874, Macalester has provided students with the inspiration, insight, and experience to become successful and ethical leaders. Located in St. Paul, Minnesota, Macalester enrolls nearly 2,100 students who come from virtually every state and 91 countries. Macalester is committed to being a preeminent liberal arts college known for its high standards of scholarship and its special emphasis on internationalism, multiculturalism, and service to society.
Macalester is proud of its longstanding commitment to social justice and creating a safe environment for all people regardless of sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, gender, religion, age, or ability. Macalester is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic staff committed to working in a multicultural environment and strongly encourages applications from everyone who would add richness to our community, including people of color, individuals with disabilities and women.
Benefits
Macalester employees enjoy a fantastic benefits package and working environment that is second to none. Please visit http://www.macalester.edu/
Our Commitment to Safety in response to COVID-19:
For the safety of our community, Macalester requires all employees to have received a COVID-19 vaccine. Should a newly hired employee be unable to receive the vaccination for either medical or religious reasons we offer accommodations and assistance.
Questions or concerns about this process should be directed to Bob Graf, Director of Employment Services, at rgraf@macalester.edu
