Archive Consultant

Description

PEN American Center seeks an Archive Consultant for a project funded by The Mellon Foundation that will span approximately 2 months. The project will provide the background and planning work for the assessment of PEN’s archives in three locations to determine the feasibility and cost of preserving and digitizing the archives to make them available online free of charge to a global audience. The Archive Consultant will report to PEN’s Website Editor and Project Lead, and will work closely with the Project Assistant and Audio/Video Consultant for the project, as well as with the staff of the Princeton Library where some of PEN’s archives are held. The Archive Consultant will be responsible for assessing the intellectual and cultural value, physical condition and preservation issues of the materials in PEN’s archives.

Key responsibilities include:

• Physical review of printed documents, audio recordings, and video located at Princeton Library, offsite storage, and PEN offices to assess the physical condition and scholarly value of materials to determine integrity for preservation and/or digitization
• Read/view samples and make assessment, based on consultant’s literary expertise, of significance for PEN

Requirements include:

• Relevant advanced degrees or experience in library science, archival studies, and preservation
• Ability to apply effectively SAA standards and guidelines for assessing items that are candidates for archiving as well as for reviewing the suitability of past selections
• Ability to assess and accurately report on the suitability of a broad range of materials (printed documents, audio files, video files, and photographs), in terms of physical characteristics and condition, stability, and suitability of current storage
• Ability to identify and consult, as needed, with other specialists to produce accurate assessments and recommendations related to condition and characteristics
• Ability to assess items’ cultural, historical and scholarly value, and, if needed, to consult with other specialists to produce accurate assessments and recommendations, regarding the value of the content
  • Strong familiarity with the broad range of materials and substantial knowledge of literature
  • Previous work in a team setting in a similar role
  • Ability to work independently, excellent literary judgment, and professionalism
  • Excellent organizational and communication skills
  • Travel to Princeton, NJ required