Responsible for preserving and processing photograph and manuscript collections. Makes collections more accessible by creating and up dating finding aids. Responsible for digitization and metadata creation for selected materials and making them available online. Trains and supervises students, interns, and volunteers in processing and digitizing manuscript and photographic materials. Provides occasional reference service in Special Collections. Assists with exhibits program. Assists in overall management of the department.
Responsibilities:
- Responsible for preserving and processing photograph and manuscript collections.
- Maintains and improves access to the manuscript and photograph collections by creating and updating finding aids and other records describing the collections.
- Digitizes selected manuscript and photographic materials for online access and for fulfilling patron requests.
- Participates in the selection and appraisal of acquisitions.
- Supervises students, interns, and volunteers in processing manuscript and photograph collections.
- Participates in preservation activities.
- Helps to maintain security and physical control over the collections.
- Provides reference assistance to students, faculty, and other patrons using the collections.
- Participates in planning and management activities of Special Collections.
- Assists in the development and implementation of departmental policies and procedures.
- Participates in training and supervision of staff, student assistants, and volunteers.
- May assume collection development responsibilities for some book collections.
- Participates in public relations and outreach activities.
- Helps to prepare brochures, bibliographies, and guides to the collections.
- Helps coordinate exhibits and special events.
- Participates in professional activities such as library wide projects and committees, and regional or national organizations dealing with libraries, archives, and special collections.
- Serves on committees as needed.
- Performs other duties and participates in special projects as assigned
Minimum Qualifications:
- To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- M.L.S. from an ALA accredited institution, or master's degree in a related field such as public history or museum studies and Formal training in archival management and description.
- Experience in an academic library, manuscripts repository, or archives.
- Must meet basic computer competencies.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience and Background:
- Experience as a professional archivist or special collections librarian.
- Formal training in archival management and description.
- Experience or training in the preservation of art works and photographic materials.
- Experience preparing exhibits and brochures.
- Supervisory experience.
Skills and Knowledge:
- Excellent written and oral command of English.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to interact well with co workers, the university community, donors, and library patrons.
- Knowledge of preservation procedures for library and archival materials.
- Knowledge of cataloging and metadata standards.
- Familiarity with historical photographic and media formats.
- Proficiency in the use of personal computers, especially word processing, database applications.
- Familiarity with imaging technologies.
- Knowledge of XML coding for Encoded Archival Description; familiarity or training using HTML coding for web access.
- A working knowledge of Spanish.
- Familiarity with the history and culture of the U.S. Mexico border region.