Archivist II - Oral History

City-of-Houston,-T; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Houston seeks an Archivist II – Oral History at the African American History Research Center to manage the oral history collection and lead community-focused projects. The role includes planning interviews, coordinating workflows, and developing accessibility for public research while collaborating with local organizations.

The holder will supervise volunteers, contribute to educational initiatives, and participate in grant-funded activities, with evening/weekend rotations as needed.

Qualifications

• Requires an ALA accredited Master’s degree in Library Science or a Master’s in History or related field and one year archival experience.
• OrBachelor’s degree plus 18 hours toward an ALA accredited MLS or Master’s in History with two years archival experience; Master’s must be completed within two years of hire.

Responsibilities

• Manage and provide stewardship of the oral history collection and audiovisual materials.
• Develop and coordinate oral history projects aligned with the African American History Research Center’s mission.
• Plan, schedule, and conduct interviews and process recordings including transcription and metadata.

Skills

Oral history

Interviewing

Community engagement

Customer service

Project coordination

Education

ALA accredited MLS

Master’s in History

Tools

CONTENTdm

ArchiveSpace

Microsoft Office

Adobe Photoshop

Video editing

Job description

Archivist II - Oral History | Career Pages page has loaded.

Applications accepted from: ALL PERSONS INTERESTED
PN# 39566
Division: Customer Experience
Section: History Research Centers
Reporting Location: Gregory School, 1300 Victor Street
Workdays & Hours : Monday- Saturday, 8am - 8pm* (varies)
* Subject to change

POSITION OVERVIEW

Applications accepted from: ALL PERSONS INTERESTED
PN# 39566
Division: Customer Experience
Section: History Research Centers
Reporting Location: Gregory School, 1300 Victor Street
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, as well as 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.

**Preference shall be given to eligible veteran applicants provided such persons possess the qualifications necessary for competent discharge of the duties involved in the position applied for, such persons are among the most qualified candidates for the position, and all other factors in accordance with Executive Order 1-6.**

GENERAL INFORMATION

SELECTION / SKILLS TESTS REQUIRED - None

Department may administer skills assessment test

SAFETY IMPACT POSITION - Yes

If yes, this position is subject to random drug testing and if a promotional position, candidate must pass an assignment drug test.

SALARY INFORMATION

Factors used in determining the salary offered include the candidate's qualifications as well as the pay rates of other employees in this classification .

PAY GRADE: 23

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.