Manager, Archival Processing and Special Projects
About The Position
The New York Public Library’s Special Collections Processing department promotes access to distinctive collections by describing and preparing rare and unique materials for discovery and use. Its Archival Processing team supports access to and preservation of archival collections by arranging and describing archives and manuscripts, creating finding aids, managing the ArchivesSpace Staff Interface, accessioning acquisitions, remediating legacy description, and managing archival metadata across systems. The team processes more than 1,500 linear feet, 6,000 audio and moving image recordings, and 3 terabytes of archival material annually. The Manager, Archival Processing and Special Projects oversees archivists who process collections from across the Research Libraries. The position supervises processing of new acquisitions and backlog collections, manages staff and grant-funded projects, maintains documentation and archival metadata, conducts training, and supports description remediation and data migration work. The role works with teams and stakeholders across Collections and Research Services, Digital, and Digital Collections Operations, and represents NYPL in professional settings. The position is based at the Library Services Center and is fully onsite. The schedule is 35 hours per week, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with flexibility to change. The role has 4–8 full-time direct reports and includes project management and staff training responsibilities.
Requirements
- ALA-accredited Master’s degree in Library and Information Science, or a Master's degree with successful completion of archival training.
- At least 5 years of experience in an archives or manuscripts repository working with personal papers and organizational records across collections of varying size, complexity, format, and condition.
- At least 3 years of experience supervising staff and managing projects.
- Strong background in archival processing and archival theory, including processing analog, digital, audio, and moving image collections.
- Experience with efficient and extensible archival processing.
- Experience developing and conducting staff training in archival systems and standards.
- Demonstrated knowledge of current standards for archival description, cataloging, and archival metadata: DACS, EAD, MARC 21, RDA, DCRM, LCSH, LCNAF, AAT, and TGM.
- Strong working knowledge of descriptive tools and systems, including ArchivesSpace, FTK, OCLC Connexion, Sierra, RDA Toolkit, and MARCEdit.
- Familiarity with scripting and querying languages such as SQL and Python.
- Experience managing and versioning documentation, particularly in GitHub.
- Experience with project management tools including Trello, AirTable, and JIRA.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including active listening and clear speaking and writing.
- High degree of personal integrity, reliability, and commitment to quality service.
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to assist with movement of collection materials and unpacking supplies weighing up to 40 lbs.
Responsibilities
- Supervise staff processing new acquisitions and backlog collections, ensuring alignment with national standards and curatorial processing priorities.
- Recruit, hire, and manage processing staff for special projects, including managing deliverables and timelines for archival processing grant-funded projects.
- Develop and help maintain documentation for archival processing, ArchivesSpace, and accessioning on AP’s public GitHub documentation site.
- Conduct training on archival processing and descriptive systems for archivists across NYPL research divisions.
- Maintain archival metadata in descriptive systems, including ArchivesSpace, Archives Portal, and the Research Catalog, ensuring content aligns with national standards.
- Perform database queries and produce reports to inform description remediation priorities in support of data migration projects.
- Represent NYPL in committees, professional organizations, and conferences, and keep up to date with evolving standards and developments in archives management.
- Work with Digital Collections Operations partners to support large-scale digitization projects.
- Assist in managing AP’s Description Remediation Program.
- Support ArchivesSpace users by troubleshooting, resolving technical issues, and facilitating training.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
