Archivist II- Oral History

Certified Archivists; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 56,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Houston Public Library seeks an Archivist II–Oral History to manage the oral history collection and related audiovisual materials at the African American History Research Center within the Gregory School. The role emphasizes community engagement, archival workflows, and collaboration with partners.

Candidates should have an MLS (ALA-accredited) or a Master’s in History, plus experience in archival processing and public services.

Qualifications

• Requires an MLS from an ALA-accredited program or a Master’s degree in History or related field with 1 year in archival work.
• Alternatively, a Bachelor's with 18 credits toward MLS/History and 2 years of archival experience; Master’s must be completed within 2 years of hire.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary archivist for oral history collections and audiovisual materials.
• Develop and coordinate oral history projects aligned with AA HRC mission.
• Plan, schedule, conduct interviews and processing, including transcription and metadata.
• Build partnerships with community organizations, academic institutions, or city departments.
• Create procedures/workflows for oral history and audiovisual materials.
• Conduct oral history training with community partners and assist in educational initiatives.
• Coordinate and supervise volunteers and interns.
• Represent library and AA HRC at public events and lead tours/programs.
• Assist in grant writing for audiovisual materials and participate in grant-funded projects.
• Provide specialized reference services, in person and online.

Skills

Oral history interview

Video & audio editing

Microsoft Office

Adobe Photoshop

Education

MLS (ALA-accredited)

Master's in History or related field

Bachelor's + 18 credits toward MLS/History

Tools

CONTENTdm

ArchiveSpace

Job description

Institution/Company Organization Type - Government (Federal, State, Municipal, County)
Position Title - Archivist II- Oral History
Position Type - Full-Time, Permanent
Benefits - Yes
Salary Range $56,000-$65,000
Is ACA Certification required or preferred? - Preferred
Able to apply if a provisional CA or agree to take CA exam within 1 year of hire? - Yes

Applications accepted from: ALL PERSONS INTERESTED

Division /Section: History Research Center/ Gregory School
Workdays & Hours: Monday- Saturday, 8am - 8pm* (varies)
* Subject to change

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES/ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Houston Public Library (HPL) seeks a collaborative, proactive, and community-focused professional with strong organizational and communication skills, and a commitment to excellent customer service, to serve as the Archivist II–Oral History Archivist at the African American History Research Center at the Gregory School (AAHRC).

HPL serves a population of 2.2 million citizens through a network of 37 Neighborhood Libraries, three History Research Centers, and a Central Library.
Essential job duties and responsibilities include:

• Serve as the primary archivist responsible for managing and providing stewardship of the oral history collection and audiovisual materials.
• Develop and coordinate oral history projects documenting various historical topics that align with mission of AAHRC.
• Plan, schedule, and conduct oral history interviews and process recordings, including transcription, metadata, rights documentation, for public access.
• Build and maintains oral history partnerships with community organizations, academic institutions, or city departments.
• Develop procedures and workflows for oral history and audiovisual materials.
• Conduct oral history training with community partners and assist in development of educational initiatives.
• Coordinate and supervises volunteers and interns.
• Contribute to community engagement efforts by conducting tours, leading programs, and representing the library and AAHRC at public events.
• Assist in grant writing for audiovisual and oral history materials and participates in grant-funded projects as needed.
• Provide specialized reference services and research assistance to the public in-person and electronically.
• Work one evening per month and a weekend rotation (Saturday/Sunday).
• Other duties as assigned that supports library operations.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Position requires stooping and bending; lifting of library materials up to 20 pounds. Must be able to move freely throughout the library to file/retrieve library materials. Must be able to effectively communicate orally and in writing.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION/ EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
Requires an ALA accredited Master's degree in Library Science or a Master’s degree in History or a related field and one year experience in archival processing, archival collecting, historical research, reference, programming, or a related field.
OR
Requires a Bachelor’s degree plus 18 hours toward an ALA accredited Master’s degree in Library Science or 18 hours toward a Master’s in History or a related field and two years of experience in archival processing, archival collecting, historical research, reference, programming, or a related field. A Master’s degree must be completed within two years from being hired into this classification.

LICENSE REQUIREMENTS - Yes
Requires a valid driver license and compliance with the City of Houston's policy on driving (AP 2-2).

PREFERENCES

• Oral history interview skills (podcast, instruction, journalism, family history research)
• Possesses video and audio editing experience
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Photoshop. Experience with collection management systems such as CONTENTdm and ArchiveSpace is highly preferred.
• Familiarity with archival standards including Dublin Core, EAD, and MARC-AMC.
• Familiar with copyright/digital copyright issues when creating reproductions in an archive setting.
• Experience with digitization, processing born digital archival materials, and working with audiovisual materials also preferred. Knowledge of digital assets management and/or oral history experience highly preferred.
• Training in the archival fields and/or a Certified Archivist (C.A.) is also preferred.
• Customer/Public service experience and ability to plan and organize.
• Experience researching or working within the African American History field, especially within Houston is a plus.

EOE Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Houston is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.