Assistant Archivist Position – Texas Tech University

Oral History; Lubbock (TX); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Texas Tech University Libraries invites applications for a full-time, 12-month, tenure-track, Assistant Archivist (Open Rank) – Field Acquisitions/Collection Development and Outreach to begin July 1, 2024. The archivist will assist in acquiring and describing collections, conducting oral histories, and engaging with donors and communities.

Responsibilities include outreach, teaching assistance, and preparing finding aids with established metadata standards, while collaborating with TTU

Qualifications

• Master’s in history or related field with archival coursework or MLS from an ALA-accredited library program.
• Minimum two years of professional archival experience.
• Experience with collection development and public relations with external stakeholders and online finding aids.
• Record of publication, presentations, and/or related research in archives.
• Experience with outreach to underserved communities and donors.
• Service with professional archival organizations.

Responsibilities

• Assist in collection development, acquisitions, teaching assistance, and outreach.
• Conduct oral histories and curate exhibits to promote holdings.
• Arrange and describe archival papers per DACS.
• Create finding aids using EAD, Dublin Core, and related metadata standards.
• Engage with donors and external communities.
• Support reference duties and participate in committees and governance.

Skills

Teaching support

Public relations

Oral histories

Collaboration

Education

Master’s in history or related field

MLS from an ALA-accredited library program

Tools

DACS

EAD

Dublin Core

Job description

Position Description

This is an entry level faculty position. The University Libraries at Texas Tech University invites applications for a full-time, 12-month, tenure-track, Assistant Archivist (Open Rank) – Field Acquisitions/Collection Development and Outreach to begin July 1, 2024.

Serves the research needs of the archives’ patrons in assigned area. Duties may include arranging and describing archives, manuscript, and image collections according standards; accessioning, processing, and preserving materials in various formats; conducting oral histories; exhibit curation and creating finding aids. Assistance with reference services. The position is expected to cooperate and function as part of a team to meet the needs of patrons. Represents the SWC/SCL and interacts with donors.

Major/Essential Functions

The Assistant Archivist for Field Acquisitions and Collection Development assists the Southwest Collection Archivist in collection development, acquisition, teaching assistance, presentations, and other outreach initiatives to assist Texas Tech University (TTU) students and faculty, as well as regional, state, national, and international communities of interest to the institution. The archivist also assists in working with under-documented communities for the collection of cultural heritage materials. Travel is necessary in the southwest region for acquisitions. The archivist arranges and describes archival manuscripts, records, photographs, and other materials, then creates finding aids via Encoded Archival Description (EAD), developing inclusive descriptive metadata standards to accurately define and promote the diverse voices within the SWC/SCL’s physical and digital archival collections. The archivist shall exhibit the interpersonal and knowledge skills necessary to form collaborative partnerships with SWC/SCL stakeholders including, TTU, TTU Libraries, and external communities and entities. The position assists with reference duties as required, including during extended hours. The Assistant Archivist for Field Acquisitions and Collection Development shall engage in scholarly pursuits and professional activities in accordance with TTU Libraries faculty standards for promotion and tenure.

Responsibilities include:

• Participation in outreach with various university entities and external communities via teaching assistance, presentations, field acquisitions, collection development, and management practices, to help document, preserve, and make history accessible to a global audience.
• Conducts oral histories, curates and promotes exhibits, and utilizes social media to promote, to enhance, and make publicly accessible the archival holdings of the Southwest Collection.
• Arrange and describe archival papers and records per “Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS).”.
• Use of Encoded Archival Description (EAD), Dublin Core (DC), and other metadata standards to create finding aids and metadata for physical and digitized archival collections.
• Stays abreast of current trends in archival practice, metadata standards, and outreach initiatives and tools.
• Participates in library and university committees and governance.
• Engage in scholarly pursuit and other professional activities in accordance with Texas Tech Libraries’ faculty standards for promotion and tenure.
• Candidates who have very strong records of scholarship supported by extramural funding and who have the proven capacity or clear potential to bring externally sponsored research to Texas Tech University are encouraged to apply.

Faculty Qualifications

• Master’s in history or related field, with graduate-level archival course work or certification or M.L.S. from an ALA accredited library institution. Minimum two years of professional archival experience.
• Experience providing teaching or teaching support at an institution similar to SWC/SCL via experience with collection development and public relations with external stakeholders, working with or creating online finding aids, experience of appraising, arranging and describing archival collections, etc.;
• A previous record of publication, professional presentations, and/or other related research/creative activity related to work, experience, or research at an archive;
• Experience with outreach or service to a variety of communities including under documented communities and potential donors. Record of service with professional organizations related to the archives field.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated record of outreach activities, including oral histories, presentations, and collaborations with students, faculty, and with diverse communities.
• Strong collaborative skills to support student and institutional success.
• Ability to work effectively, both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple programs concurrently.
• Demonstrable experience with archival arrangement and description per “Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)” and Encoded Archival Description (EAD), as well as Dublin Core and similar metadata standards for digitized materials.
• Demonstrable experience with current metadata standards and philosophies that support the description of materials documenting underserved and under documented communities.