Museum Archivist

Full-time - Mid Level

Milwaukee, WI

About the position

The Museum Archivist will manage day-to-day oversight and operation of the Museum’s archival collections and records management program. Work Location: Milwaukee Art Museum Main Campus and Milwaukee Art Museum-Research Center located at 1201 N Prospect Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202. A critical member of the Knowledge Management team, the Museum Archivist is responsible for ensuring proper description and organization of assets that allow the staff and public to find and navigate 130-years of information about the Museum, artists, and the collection as a whole. The Museum Archivist reports to the Director of Knowledge Management and Digital Assets and works closely with them to shape the vision and focus of the research collections and to determine strategies to achieve them. The Knowledge Management department focuses on the capture, cataloging, care, and circulation of the Milwaukee Art Museum’s rich archival and research holdings to facilitate a deeper understanding of the history of the Museum and its collections. Comprised of information and knowledge professionals, KM leverages technology to manage and deliver collective knowledge about art, art history, and the Museum—onsite and online—in support of research, connectivity, efficiency, creativity, and inspiration.

Responsibilities

• Lead cataloging and processing efforts, oversight, management, development and user-training associated with ArchivesSpace database.
• Lead the accession, preservation, arrangement, and description of both physical and digital archival materials in accordance with SAA standards and best practices.
• Coordinate and conduct historical research and develop and maintain service relationships with Museum departments.
• Respond to reference inquiries from staff, non-staff researchers, identify records appropriate for consultation, and facilitate research access.
• Develop and lead projects and collaborate with colleagues to preserve and make accessible analog and digital Museum records.
• Process and file records of the Museum, its related entities and other holdings and create and update finding aids and inventories.
• Work in tandem with the Knowledge Management team, including the Director of knowledge management and digital assets, and the digital asset manager, to help implement a record management program for the Museum, including creating retention/disposition schedules for active/inactive records from these departments.
• Educate Museum staff on archiving and records management procedures, services, policies, and objectives in support of the records management program.
• Present Museum archive collections and services to internal and external audiences.
• General upkeep of library stacks and reading room area at the Art Research Center. May include the processing and re-shelving of library books in accordance with ALA standards and best practices.
• Train and oversee volunteers and interns for Knowledge Management initiatives.
• Other related duties.

Requirements

• MS in Information/Library Science, or MA in History. Background in art history preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS), Encoded Archival Description (EAD) and other professional standards.
• 2-4 years’ experience of progressive responsibility in a library, archives or cultural/reference collections’ management organization.
• Knowledge of current archival and records management issues and trends, particularly in relation to born-digital records, digitization, and descriptive standards.
• Demonstrated experience working with born digital materials and electronic records.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Records management experience desired.

Nice-to-haves

• Understand and apply the principles of library science.
• Knowledge and experience maintaining an art library and archival collections.
• Experience with resources and database searching in art, art history, and bibliography.
• Proficiency in archives and library collection management systems. With a familiarity in ArchivesSpace and Destiny preferred.
• Knowledge of cataloging standards (MARC, AACR2/RDA, LCSH, and LCCN).
• Must be highly organized with strong attention to detail.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to cultivate relationships with colleagues, donors and vendors.
• Excellent technical and interpersonal skills, including the ability to foster a collegial work environment that encourages change and innovation.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to be systematic, meticulous, patient, and a self-starter.
• Manage time efficiently, analyze and solve problems independently and if necessary, collaboratively.
• Able to be flexible and embrace change within this position due to departmental priorities.
• Able to work with a wide variety of people to achieve the Museum’s goals.
• Ability to be proactive, use independent judgment and initiative.

Benefits

• Health and Dental benefits
• Vision Plan
• Flex/Dependent Spending Account
• Health Spending Account
• Group Term Life and Voluntary Life Insurance
• Short Term Disability
• Pension Plan
• Retirement Plan
• Vacation
• Personal Days and Holidays
• Parking Discount
• Museum Membership
• Museum Discounts