Oral History Archivist

University of Florida•Gainesville, FL

2d•$60,000 - $65,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Oral History Archivist will serve as the primary professional responsible for managing new and legacy oral history materials, including accessioning, arrangement, description, metadata, digitization coordination, preservation planning, and access workflows. The position will work closely with the SPOHP Director and University of Florida Libraries staff to support the preservation and public accessibility of oral histories through the University of Florida Digital Collections.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate area of specialization and four years of related library experience; or a master’s degree in Library or Information Science or another directly relevant area.

Nice To Haves

A master’s degree from an ALA-accredited library or information science program with a concentration in archives, or a master’s degree in history, public history, archival studies, museum studies, information studies, or a related field.
At least two years of experience with archival processing, arrangement, description, and collections management.
Experience working with oral history collections, audiovisual archives, or other non-paper-based archival materials, including audiocassettes, VHS, DVD, CD, and reel-to-reel recordings.
Knowledge of archival best practices related to audiovisual preservation, digitization, born-digital records, and digital preservation.
Experience creating inventories, abstracts, indexes, finding aids, or other archival reference tools.
Experience applying archival description and encoding standards, including Describing Archives: A Content Standard and Encoded Archival Description.
Experience managing data in an archival management system such as ArchivesSpace.
Experience processing and managing born-digital records.
Experience administering deeds of gift, permissions, restrictions, embargoes, and access controls.
Experience providing reference assistance to researchers and the public.
Experience working with community organizations, cultural heritage groups, historical societies, or community-centered archival initiatives.
Familiarity with culturally sensitive collections, community-centered archival stewardship, and protocols for Native American archival materials.
Demonstrated ability to plan and complete complex projects, establish and maintain workflows, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
Experience training or supervising students, interns, employees, or volunteers in an archival environment.
Experience collaborating with libraries, digital collections platforms, or institutional repositories such as the University of Florida Digital Collections.
Strong written, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively while managing multiple priorities.
Experience handling confidential, restricted, culturally sensitive, or otherwise sensitive materials with discretion.
Proficiency in Spanish is helpful but not required.

Responsibilities

Appraise, accession, arrange, describe, and process new and legacy oral history collections and related materials.
Manage collection databases, tracking systems, inventories, and related archival documentation.
Assist with the development and implementation of policies and workflows for digital preservation, records management, storage, and long-term access.
Lead efforts to address archival backlogs, including legacy analog audiovisual materials, digitization tracking, and processing prioritization.
Oversee daily archival and collection-related activities involving oral histories and associated audiovisual and documentary materials.
Create, revise, and standardize metadata, inventories, indexes, abstracts, finding aids, and other descriptive tools to improve intellectual control, discoverability, and access.
Coordinate archival workflows with University of Florida Libraries and the University of Florida Digital Collections, including metadata preparation, ingest support, and public access to processed materials.
Maintain documentation related to deeds of gift, permissions, embargoes, restrictions, and other rights or access conditions for oral history materials.
Support responsible stewardship of restricted, embargoed, culturally sensitive, and rights-sensitive collections using appropriate professional and ethical practices.
Assess and support the care of audio and video recordings, transcripts, digital files, paper records, photographs, and other collection materials.
Coordinate storage, preservation planning, digitization, and reformatting workflows.
Develop, document, and maintain archival workflows and standards for new oral history projects, including file-naming conventions, folder architecture, interview documentation, metadata capture, and the transfer of materials into SPOHP’s archival systems.
Provide collection data, inventories, and related documentation to support preservation planning, reporting, and grant or contract proposals involving archival processing and digitization.
Provide reference services and assist faculty, students, researchers, and community users in discovering and using SPOHP collections.
Respond to inquiries regarding collection content, access, restrictions, permissions, and appropriate use.
Serve as a liaison to University of Florida Libraries and relevant campus and community partners on matters related to archival access, preservation, and stewardship.