Lead Archivist for Music History Projects

King William County Library System; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)

Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)

Paid Time Off

Job summary

The King William County Library System is seeking an experienced Archivist / Project Manager to lead a 12-month project focused on processing and preserving significant archival collections related to American music history. This role involves direct contributions to the preservation and public access of valuable cultural heritage collections.

The ideal candidate holds a Master of Library Science (MLS) and has at least three years of archival processing experience, demonstrating strong project management skills and effective communication abilities.

Qualifications

• Minimum three years of professional archival experience performing archival processing.
• Experience conducting collection assessments and developing processing plans.
• Knowledge of archival principles and methods.

Responsibilities

• Serve as project lead and primary point of contact for contract performance.
• Conduct collection surveys to evaluate physical condition and processing requirements.
• Establish and maintain series and folder-level organization of archival collections.

Skills

Archival processing

Project management

Research skills

Communication skills

Metadata management

Education

Master of Library Science (MLS) or Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS)

Job description

Description

LAC Federal is seeking an experienced Archivist / Project Manager to oversee a 12-month project to provide processing, arrangement, description, preservation, and management of significant archival collections documenting prominent figures in American music history. The Archivist / Project Manager will serve as both the technical lead and day-to-day project manager responsible for collection assessment, processing plan development, archival arrangement and description, finding aid creation, metadata management, quality assurance, and coordination with agency personnel. This position offers an opportunity to contribute directly to preserving and expanding public access to nationally significant cultural heritage collections.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as project lead and primary point of contact for contract performance and technical execution.
• Conduct collection surveys and assessments to evaluate physical condition, intellectual organization, preservation concerns, restrictions, and processing requirements.
• Research collection provenance, acquisition history, and processing history to support processing decisions.
• Develop and maintain collection processing plans, schedules, workflows, and project documentation.
• Arrange and describe archival materials in accordance with approved processing plans and established archival standards.
• Establish and maintain series, subseries, and folder-level organization of archival collections.
• Process correspondence, subject files, music manuscripts, photographs, audiovisual materials, scrapbooks, biographical materials, and related archival formats.
• Rehouse materials into archival-quality folders, boxes, sleeves, and protective enclosures.
• Create and maintain collection metadata, inventories, and finding aids.
• Enter and update archival description information in designated systems and templates.
• Review deliverables to ensure compliance with project requirements, processing standards, and quality assurance procedures.
• Prepare reports, track project progress, and coordinate project activities with Library of Congress staff.

Requirements

Mandatory Qualifications

• Master of Library Science (MLS) or Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) from an ALA-accredited institution.
• Minimum three (3) years of professional archival experience performing archival processing, arrangement, and description.
• Experience conducting collection assessments and developing processing plans.
• Experience organizing and processing manuscript, archival, or special collections materials.
• Experience creating archival descriptions, inventories, and finding aids.
• Knowledge of archival principles, methods, and best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a professional research environment.
• Ability to lift and move archival materials weighing up to 35 pounds.

Preferred Qualifications

• Four (4) or more years of professional archival processing experience.
• Experience processing music collections, performing arts collections, or manuscript collections.
• Knowledge of American music history.
• Ability to read and interpret music notation.
• Experience processing photographs, audiovisual materials, scrapbooks, oversized materials, and mixed-format collections.
• Experience developing archival finding aids using established archival description standards.
• Experience performing preservation assessment and archival rehousing activities.
• Experience serving as a project lead, team lead, or supervisor on archival projects.
• Experience supporting federal libraries, archives, museums, or cultural heritage institutions.
• Familiarity with Library of Congress archival processing practices and standards.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift, carry, push, and move archival materials, records, and storage boxes weighing up to 30 pounds, and transport materials throughout archival storage and work areas.
• Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, reach, and climb step stools or ladders as needed to access collections stored on shelving and perform collection assessments and processing activities.
• Ability to perform repetitive tasks requiring fine motor skills, visual acuity, and sustained attention to detail, including handling fragile archival materials, preparing finding aids, entering metadata, and working at a computer for extended periods.

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short Term & Long-Term Disability
• Training & Development

EEO Statement

The company and its subsidiaries are an equal opportunity employer and celebrate the population of differences and does not discriminate in its hiring/hiring practices, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Nothing in this job specification restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Critical features of this job are described under various headings above. They may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons. The above statements are strictly intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees in this position.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently.

Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.