CENTRAL LIBRARY ARCHIVIST

Fulton County, GA; Georgia; On-site; USD 52,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Fulton County Library System is seeking an Archivist at the Central Library to administer archival services, index and preserve records, and supervise assigned staff to ensure efficient operations.

The role requires a Master's in history, humanities, library science or related field, plus three years of archival experience including two years in supervision; ACA Archivist certification may be required; a Georgia driver's license could be needed.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in history, humanities, library science or related field.
• Three (3) years archival experience in a library, museum, or related setting, including two (2) years supervisory experience.
• May require a Georgia Driver's License. ACA Archivist certification may be required.

Responsibilities

• Supervises, directs, and evaluates assigned staff and manages workflow.
• Organizes, prioritizes, and assigns work to meet objectives and ensures resources are available.
• Manages archival collections: processing, finding aids, exhibits, and preservation.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Archival knowledge

Policy compliance

Education

Master's degree in history, humanities, library science

Job description

UNCLASSIFIED VACANCY IN THE FULTON COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM

BRANCH LOCATION:

CENTRAL LIBRARY

Minimum Qualifications:

Master's Degree in history, humanities, library science or a related field required; supplemented by three (3) years of archival experience in a library, museum, or related setting, including two (2) years supervisory experience.

Specific License or Certification Required:

May be required to possess and maintain a valid Georgia Driver's License. Professional certification as an Archivist issued through the Academy of Certified Archivists (ACA) is required.

Specific Knowledge, Skills, or Abilities:

Must be able to demonstrate proficiency in performance of the essential functions and learn, comprehend, and apply all county or departmental policies, practices, and procedures necessary to function effectively in the position.

Veterans’ Preference:

Qualifying veterans will be given preference in the form of a guaranteed invitation to interview for any position to which they applied and have been found to have met the minimum qualifications. Veterans’ preference provides for hiring preference on initial appointment only. To see the full Fulton County Veterans’ Preference Policy and Procedure, please

Examination:

The examination will consist of an evaluation of education and experience, accomplished by analysis of the application. Application must document that the applicant possesses the minimum knowledge, skills, education and experience as listed to be rated as qualified. If selected, an official, accredited college transcript is required, at time of employment, for all degrees/course work used to qualify for this position.

Purpose of Classification:

The purpose of this classification is to perform duties related to administering archival services for the Library. Responsibilities include managing assigned staff and indexing, storing, and preserving archives, manuscripts, and other historically valuable records and documents.

Essential Functions:

Supervises, directs, and evaluates assigned staff: makes hiring or termination decisions/recommendations; develops and oversees employee work schedules to ensure adequate coverage and control; compiles and reviews time cards; processes employee concerns and problems and counsels or disciplines as appropriate; assists with or completes employee performance appraisals; acts as a liaison between employees and management; and trains staff in operations, policies, and procedures.

Organizes, prioritizes, and assigns work; prioritizes and schedules work activities in order to meet objectives; ensures that subordinates have the proper resources needed to complete the assigned work; monitors status of work in progress and inspects completed work; consults with assigned staff to assist with complex/problem situations and provide technical expertise; and provides progress and activity reports to management.

Manages collections: oversees the processing of permanent and historically valuable materials to include accessing, arranging, describing, preserving, classifying, and referencing of archival collections; supervises the development and utilization of finding aids, such as registered indexes and filing systems; and selects and prepares materials for exhibits and publications.

Administers the cultivation of potential donors of personal papers, correspondences, diaries, historical documents, and artifacts to build a comprehensive archival collection to provide primary source materials for research: evaluates the relevance of manuscripts and other historical records; determines the proper storage and restoration of archival materials.

Administers a descriptive inventory of historical records and papers in accordance with professionally accepted standards and practices: evaluates the archived collection and individual subjects for appropriate formatting applications; and coordinates collaborative efforts in the use of technology to retrieve archival information.

Develops and monitors assigned program budget: reviews previous yearly expenditures; determines budgetary needs for staffing, supplies, equipment, services, and/or capital improvements; collaborates with non-profit organizations to support and enhance generation of revenue; monitors expenditures for budget compliance; and approves program expenditures prior to submission for payment.

Manages facilities and contents: monitors furniture and equipment to ensure availability and usefulness; monitors maintenance and other contracts applicable to Research Library; administers maintenance projects; reports issues to appropriate authorities; and coordinates/confers with Security personnel regarding Research Library needs.

Provides research assistance to scholars and the general public through the development of finding aids and other tools for retrieving information. Provides technical knowledge of the collection through research guides and one‑on‑one assistance. Provides written reports on various activities as required.

Additional Functions:

Performs other related duties as assigned.

For Applicants with Prior Military Service

We strongly encourage veterans, prior military and transitioning service members to apply. Many of the competencies and transferable skills developed through military service directly support success in this role, including:

• Leadership Under Pressure:Demonstrates steady, effective leadership when managing archival priorities during high-volume periods, tight deadlines, or unexpected collection needs.
• Operational Planning & Execution:Plans, organizes, and executes archival projects with precision, ensuring procedures, timelines, and resource use are consistently followed.
• Adaptability & Rapid Problem‑Solving:Quickly adjusts to changing project demands, collection conditions, or technology issues and resolves problems with practical, timely solutions.
• Team Cohesion & Communication:Works collaboratively with staff, volunteers, and community partners, communicating clearly to support shared archival and public service goals.
• Safety & Risk Awareness:Identifies risks to people, materials, and equipment and follows established protocols to ensure safe handling, storage, and preservation of collections.

Performance Aptitudes:

Data Utilization:

Requires the ability to coordinate, manage, and/or correlate data. Includes exercising judgment in determining time, place and/or sequence of operations, referencing data analyses to determine necessity for revision of organizational components, and in the formulation of operational strategy.

Human Interaction:

Requires the ability to work with others to coordinate the more complex programs and more complex problems associated with the responsibilities of the job. Often represents the department and/or organization when dealing with others.

Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization:

Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.

Verbal Aptitude:

Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference, descriptive, and/or advisory data and information.

Mathematical Aptitude:

Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; may include ability to perform mathematical operations with fractions; may include ability to compute discount, interest, and ratios; may include ability to calculate surface areas, volumes, weights, and measures.

Functional Reasoning:

Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or synthesis functions; to deal with several concrete and abstract variables; and to analyze major problems that require complex planning for interrelated activities that can span one or several work units.

Situational Reasoning:

Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving broader aspects of organizational programs and operations, moderately unstable situations, or the direction, control and planning of an entire program or set of programs.

It is the policy of Fulton County that there will be equal opportunity for every citizen, employee and applicant, based upon merit without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, genetics, disability or sexual orientation.