Special Collections and University Archivist

St. Mary's University•San Antonio, TX

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The University Archivist directs and administers activities involved in the acquisition, description, preservation, and dissementation of records pertaining to the mission of Special Collections or generated by St. Mary's University. The position will ensure the accessibility of research collections in a variery of formats by working collaboratively with librarians, library staff, and other departments. This is a professional position without faculty status and non-tenure track.

Requirements

Graduate degree from an ALA-accredited institution, or its appropriate equivalent from another country, specializing in Archival Studies or a related discipline with formal training in archival management.
2 years of experience working with stakeholders and matieral in an archives or records management settings.
Must clear and maintain a favorable background investigation and clearance.
Must have valid driver's license, motor vehicle liability insurance and personal injury insurance; or have a self-reliant source of transportation to conduct business on a daily basis.
Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills
Strong public relations and customer service skills with an ability to implement diplomacy and discretion at all times; an ability to work effectively with communities across the university.
Must have high ethical standards and a strong sense of confidentiality; ability to prioritize and manage multiple deadlines; thrive in a complex work environment; displays solid problem solving and interpersonal skills; works well independently and as part of a team.
Must have a high attention to detail and be able to organize workflow, coordinate activities, balance simultaneous projects without loss of efficiency in a multi-tasked environment, and manage multiple priorities to meet deadlines.
May be required to work more than 40 hours a week, depending on the event schedule.
Demonstrates a commitment to a campus culture that promotes and values inclusion, diversity, equity, and access; promotes a welcoming environment for all internal and external constituencies.
Demonstrated commitment to customer service, diversity and inclusion, and an enthusiasm for identifying new opportunities to enhance library services and build partnerships across campus.
Demonstrated knowledge and experience of current archival preservation, management, collection management software, and emerging technologies and their application in academic libraries, archives, and special collections.
Demonstrated knowledge of the current copyright law and its application in libraries and unviersities.
Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with library information technology, systems, products and delivery technologies that support access to library materials; LibGuides, MS Office ( Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) , social media platforms and web-based communication, information and collaboration tools
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Library staff.

Nice To Haves

Professional experience working in an academic special collections department or archives preferred.
Certification in records management, a plus.

Responsibilities

Develops a long-term vision for the unit that fits the strategic plan of the university and the library
Develops and disseminates appropriate policies and procedures.
Serves as an advocate for the collection and use of the records of StMU.
Develops strong relationships across the University community in order to advise on retention and preservation of records and ensure the regular transfer and long-term preservation of both physical and born-digital materials.
Partners with University departments to facilitate records transfers, appraise materials for archival value, and maintain documentation of accessioned collections and transfer records.
Processes and manages archival and manuscript collections, including appraisal, accessioning, preparation of processing plans, arrangement and description, security, access, and preservation of materials in all formats and collecting areas according to best practices
Identifies items with preservation or conservation concerns and works with library management to determine an appropriate plan.
Oversees donations, departmental transfers, and usage requests for Special Collections and University Archives
Creates and maintains thorough administrative documentation as pertains to acquisitions and record transfers, records retention schedules, reference interactions, copyright negotiations, and finances, etc.
Collects, preserves, and provides access to materials that document the history of St. Mary's University
Maintains Special Collections, including determining if items meet criteria under the collection development policy for inclusion in the collection.
Contributes content to the institutional repository related to Special Collections and University Archives as appropriate, including uploading and managing materials.
Provides specialized reference assistance to scholars and university community
Participates in monitoring patrons in the Special Collections room
Provides written reports on the usage of Special Collections and University Archives and prepares an annual report on usage services.
Participates in research initiatives utilizing Special Collections resources and archival records in order to advance public understanding of St. Mary's University and its Hispanic-Serving Institution designation to support the goals and mission of the university.
Prepares references documents such as subject guides and finding aids
Engages in outreach initiatives among students, faculty, administration, and public user groups.
Develops, designs, and manages special projects such as oral histories, displays, and online exhibits
Plans and oversees digitization projects and collaborates with stakeholders to maintain and expand the library's digital collections.
Creates original cataloging for items in Special Collections for input into OCLC database
Collaborates with the Cataloging team on Special Collections cataloging projects
Consults on metadata creation for both Library and digital projects with other departments.
Provides reference, learning, and engagement support to departments and programs including course-integrated instruction, collection development (tangible and digital formats), and research consultations specifically related to Special Collections and University Archives.
Stays abreast of innovations, best practices, and trends in special collections and archives and applies new rules, interpretations, and techniques as appropriate.
Engages in and contribute to the profession through continuing learning, service, research, presentations, or professional communications.
Participates in library, university, and community organizations and committees as opportunities arise.
Performs other duties as assigned.