Elizabeth A.R. Brown Archivist

$43,919 - $70,000/Yr

University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, PA

Full-time - Mid Level

Philadelphia, PA

Educational Services

About the position

The Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts seeks an enthusiastic processing archivist to work with curators and processing staff to lead a new Penn Libraries initiative to acquire process, and make available the archives assembled by scholars in medieval studies and of professional organizations that advance the field. Situated in the Kislak Center for Rare Books, Manuscripts and Special Collections, the Elizabeth A.R. Brown archivist will be a member of the Schoenberg Institute for Manuscripts Studies (SIMS) team and the Archives and Manuscripts Processing Unit. The archivist will arrange and describe analog, digital, and hybrid archival collections, create EAD finding aids using ArchivesSpace in order to provide access to collections, and will contribute posts to the Kislak Center blogs and other social media. The archivist will work with the Schoenberg Center for Electronic Texts and Imaging (SCETI) to ensure that selected material is digitized according to established best practices so that they are made available to a global community of scholars in a timely fashion. The processing archivist will work with fellow archivists within the Penn Libraries and across campus to improve workflows, policies and practices in an effort to respond to and anticipate the evolving needs of the archival profession and the Penn Libraries' vision of responsibly and ethically promoting access to collections.

Responsibilities

• Physically process analog and hybrid archival collections of medieval studies scholars and the records of relevant professional organizations; arranging the material and rehousing for permanent archival storage.
• Describe collections, creating EAD finding aids, via ArchiveSpace.
• Write blog posts & participate in activities or events for the Kislak Center in order to promote collections and raise awareness to Penn faculty and students and the wider research community.
• Serve on Elizabeth A.R. Brown Medievalist Archive Advisory Committee, which is charged with identifying, assessing, and coordinating the acquisition of new collections in accordance with the Penn Libraries and Kislak Center's policies and procedures.
• With the Kislak Center's Born Digital Archivist and the Digital Preservation Librarian, accession, preserve, process, and make accessible natively digital collections, including electronic drafts of scholarly work, professional email, audiovisual assets, accumulated data sets, and other documentation.
• Serve as an associate member of the Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies (SIMS) team, contributing archival expertise to a broad range of conversations about the Institute's programs and collections-based initiatives.
• Supervise student and temporary staff processing assistants.
• Perform onsite assessments and preliminary triage on collections in situ, traveling to homes, offices, etc., and attending relevant scholarly gatherings to discuss potential acquisitions.
• Work with Special Collections Processing Center, University Archives, and Katz Center staff to improve workflows, policies, and best practices and develop methodologies to reduce backlog and/or enhance accessibility; including participation in large-scale agile processing and collections management projects that increase accessibility to distinctive collections.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Master of Science, MLIS, Master of Arts, and 3 to 5 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits.
• Tuition assistance for employees, spouses, and dependent children.
• Generous retirement plans including Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans.
• Substantial amount of time away from work for personal needs.
• Long-term care insurance for faculty and staff and eligible family members.
• Wellness and work-life resources to support health and balance.
• Professional and personal development resources.
• Access to University resources and cultural activities.
• Discounts and special services for faculty and staff.
• Flexible work options for work-life balance.
• Forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home in West Philadelphia.
• Adoption assistance for qualified expenses related to legal adoption.