Reference Archivist (Librarian), Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology

Emory•Atlanta, GA

8h•Onsite

About The Position

ABOUT PITTS THEOLOGY LIBRARY Pitts Theology Library, the premier theological library in North America, is one of Emory University’s six instructional libraries. It holds a distinguished collection of theological materials in a beautiful 60,000 square-foot facility. With active instructional and outreach programs and over 650,000 volumes, including over 155,000 volumes in its Special Collections, the library provides rich resources and services for the Candler School of Theology, Emory University, and the broader community. Reporting to the Head of Special Collections, the Reference Archivist (RA) works with Special Collections materials and provides reference and research services to researchers, which may include Emory students and faculty, visiting scholars, and members of the public, and may also provide outreach on behalf of the Pitts Theology Library. The Reference Archivist also processes archival materials and creates descriptive metadata including catalog records and finding aids for material in all formats, including digital. The RA is responsible for recruiting, training, mentoring, and supervising 2-3 graduate and/or undergraduate students to assist with reading room duties and archival processing, creating meaningful learning and employment experiences for Emory University students. Administrative responsibilities include contributing to unit and division annual planning and reports. Finally, the Reference Archivist is expected to contribute to the library and professional community through committee service, conference presentations, and/or scholarship.

Requirements

ALA-accredited masters degree in Library and Information Science or Archival Studies OR equivalent education and experience (relevant subject expertise combined with professional library education and/or experience).
One to two years demonstrated experience in appraising, accessioning, arranging, and describing manuscript collections, preferably in a special collections library in an academic environment.
Demonstrated knowledge of issues relating to rare books, archives, and manuscripts.
Demonstrated knowledge of current national archival and descriptive standards and best practices, including working knowledge of MARC format, EAD, DACS, and other archival descriptive standards.
Ability to lift 40-pound boxes and to work in a dusty environment.
Evidence of analytical, organizational, communication, project, and time management skills and demonstrated ability to set priorities, meet deadlines, and complete tasks and projects on time and within budget and in accordance with task/project parameters.
Commitment to fostering a diverse educational environment and workplace and an ability to work effectively with a diverse faculty and student population.
Capacity to thrive in an ambiguous, future-oriented environment of a major research institution and to respond effectively to changing needs and priorities.
Demonstrated knowledge of current trends and issues in academic libraries and higher education.
Ability to build and sustain effective interpersonal relationships with library staff, faculty, and students, off campus faculty and administrators, campus administrators, etc.

Responsibilities

Serves as primary source of reference assistance in Special Collections.
Provides reference and research consultation services, in-person and virtually, for primary source research methods. Work with Emory students and faculty, visiting scholars, and the public as needed and assigned.
Guides researchers through the completion of online registration for Aeon and shows researchers how to request Special Collections materials in Aeon.
Provides primary oversight at Pitts Theology Library of the Special Collections Request System (Aeon) for Emory students and faculty, visiting scholars, and the public as needed.
Maintains physical order of Special Collections stacks and assists with retrieval and reshelving of materials.
Oversees reading room security by monitoring use of materials in the reading room as well as working with researchers to explain the rules of care and handling for special collections material.
Arranges and describes archival collections.
Performs high-level collection analysis to assess intellectual and institutional value of collections and develops work plans outlining documentation, arrangement, timelines, and project decisions.
Conducts appraisal of material within collections, a process by which the permanent, archival value of materials are evaluated.
Determines appropriate levels of arrangement and description based on collection condition, local policy and practice, and professional judgment.
Determines and performs basic preservation work such as removing rusty metal hardware, unfolding, and flattening documents, and transferring material to new, acid-free folders and boxes.
Coordinates with the conservation unit regarding preservation issues with Special Collections materials.
Creates finding aids for collections within ArchivesSpace, including biographical notes, scope and content notes, and detailed container inventories.
Creates MARC format bibliographic record for collections, which are included in both WorldCat and the library's local catalog.
Coordinates with the Digital Assets Librarian regarding the digitization of Special Collections materials.
Writes blog posts about archival collections or other topics related to the Special Collections department.
May collaborate with Pitts staff regarding the planning, curation, and design of exhibitions.
Supervises students to arrange and describe archival materials in accordance with current library and archival standards.
Prioritizes work according to unit, departmental, library and university needs.
Contributes relevant input and suggestions to inform decision making during annual processing planning.
Makes recommendations on personnel selection, staffing requirements, and equipment and supply needs.
Performs other duties as needed to accomplish the goals of the unit and library.
Acts as a resource for fellow staff regarding procedural issues and archival theory.
Participates in appropriate professional and scholarly associations and organizations including maintaining membership and/or accreditation; attending meetings, conferences, workshops; and serving in appointed or elected positions.
Maintains up-to-date professional knowledge and skills in areas related to primary job assignment as well as maintains general knowledge of current trends in higher education, academic libraries, and information and educational technology.
Provides reference assistance to Emory students and faculty, visiting scholars, and the public as needed and assigned.
Participates in library and campus committees as appropriate for service purposes.