Librarian for Archival Collections Management

Description

Librarian for Archival Collections Management
Tamiment Library & Wagner Labor Archives

The Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives at New York University seek a forward-thinking individual to oversee its accessioning program, take a lead role in its descriptive program, and to work as part of a team to provide access and facilitate discovery of Tamiment collections in support of research, teaching, and learning in the library.  This position will reshape the way Tamiment acquires and intakes collections, increasing visibility and accessibility for scholars, faculty and donors to our collections. Librarians are expected to serve as partners in the educational mission of NYU by establishing strong relationships with faculty and students and providing responsive and innovative information services.  The incumbent will be responsible for creating or facilitating creation of initial collection level description for all holdings, ensuring responsible administrative and physical control and basic intellectual access for all material at time of accession, and providing the base infrastructure upon which any future archival work will be built. The position will also play a leadership role in the Tamiment descriptive program, contributing to policies, procedures, and workflows for processing and description; overseeing processing and description work of one FTE professional and multiple students; and serve as point person for the administration of the collections management database. This position will also closely collaborate with other archivists throughout the division, staff in special collections and with the Preservation Dept.

The Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives at New York University is one of the oldest special collections in the United States devoted to the history of left politics, labor, and social protest movements. Its holdings include oral histories, film, and more than 75,000 monographs, 20,000 linear feet of archives and manuscripts, 15,000 periodical titles, an 850,000 item pamphlet and ephemera collection, and a million photographs. Its collections document the history of labor with an emphasis on the New York area, and the history of radical politics: socialism, communism, anarchism, utopian experiments, the cultural left, the New Left, the post-New Left, the struggle for civil rights and civil liberties as well as the social and cultural contexts in which these movements functioned. It is the repository for the Archives of Irish America, the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives, and a growing Asian American labor collection.
Under the general supervision of the Associate Head, the successful candidate will:
Oversee accessioning program, including establishing basic physical and intellectual control over all incoming archival collections, rights assessment of incoming collections, follow up communication with donors, regular reporting on accessioning activities. Creation of accession records and initial descriptive information for all incoming collections, in a timely manner and according to archival standards, in the collections management database (Archivists’ Toolkit and its successor ArchivesSpace) and publishing EAD encoded finding aids on the web.  In collaboration with colleagues from the department of Knowledge Access, Design & Development, coordinate strategies and workflows for integrating EAD records into NYU’s primary discovery portal. Maintain documentation of accessioning and location management procedures and processes; maintain master accession records. 

Manage location and storage of collections, including maintaining locations data, assessing and planning for storage needs for new collections. Arranging for intake of new collections to the library, which may include field work such as surveying, packing, and transporting materials.
Arrange or oversee arrangement of archival records in accordance with accepted archival standards. Describe or oversee description of archival collections according to archival standards, in the collections management database (Archivists’ Toolkit and its successor ArchivesSpace) and publish EAD encoded finding aids on the web. Aid in the creation and maintenance of documentation and policies for arrangement and description. In collaboration with Associate Head for Archival Collections, assess processing priorities for newly accessioned collections. Provides training and support for the unit for the collections management database (Archivists’ Toolkit and its successor ArchivesSpace). Maintains documentation and procedures for its use.

Supervise professional and student staff in assisting with accessioning, arrangement, and description functions. Exercise authority or make effective recommendations for hiring, promotions, salary adjustments, and any other change of status. Identify and prioritize assignments to ensure deadlines are met; review work for accuracy.
Facilitates exhibit loan requests; participates in unit wide meetings and planning; contributes to the department reference services by providing reference assistance in person and remotely; serves on library-wide committees as necessary.

As a member of the senior staff and in close collaboration with the Head and Associate Head, assist in implementing professional standards and best practices and setting priorities for collection management, processing, cataloging, digitization, and discovery; participate in general planning and policy development in the support of Tamiment and University Libraries strategic directions; assist in fundraising and development activities as appropriate; serves on library-wide committees as necessary.

Qualifications:
Master's degree in Library & Information Science from an ALA accredited institution with a concentration in Archival Studies. A second master’s degree will be required for tenure; and we prefer the second masters in a field related to Tamiment collecting areas of expertise. Relevant experience of at least 3-5 years  in a special collection or archives department in a research library.  Demonstrated proficiency in archival theory and practice, especially accessioning, processing and description, including minimal and basic processing strategies; demonstrated proficiency in the use, maintenance, and support of automated archival collections management systems (Archivist’s Toolkit and its successor ArchivesSpace); demonstrated proficiency in the use and application of DACS, EAD, MARC, LCSH, LCNA, AACR2, and other library and archival descriptive and content standards; familiarity with XML schemas and the use of XML editors and the manipulation of metadata across systems and platforms. Knowledge of basic preservation and conservation issues as they relate to archival collections. Knowledge of rights administration and management issues for archival collections. Familiarity with current approaches to accessioning and description of born-digital holdings, preferred. Superior written and verbal communication skills; excellent interpersonal skills, demonstrated ability to work collegially within and across organizations; great attention to detail; demonstrated ability to manage time and tasks and complete projects in a timely manner. Ability to supportively and efficiently supervise professional staff, students, and interns.


New York University Libraries:
Libraries at New York University serve the school’s 40,000 students and faculty and contain more than 5 million volumes. The Libraries supports NYU’s vision to become the first true Global Network University by collaborating and providing services to our 11 global academic centers and our first “portal campus”, in NYU Abu Dhabi. New York University Libraries is a member of the Association of Research Libraries, the OCLC Research Library Partnership, and the Digital Library Federation. The Libraries participates in a variety of consortia and collaborates closely with the New-York Historical Society and the Brooklyn Historical Society. For the NYU Libraries Mission and Strategic Plan go tohttp://library.nyu.edu/about/Strategic_Plan.pdf.

Salary/Benefits:
Faculty status and attractive benefits package including tuition remission and generous time off. Salary commensurate with experience and background.

To Apply:
To ensure consideration, send resume and letter of application, including the name, address and telephone number of three references to: Enrique Yanez, Director, Human Resources, New York University Libraries, 70 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012 or via email to jobs@library.nyu.edu. The search will remain open until April 30, 2013.

NYU’s Division of Libraries embraces diversity and is committed to attracting qualified candidates who also embrace and value diversity and inclusivity.
NYU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.