Job Opening Title: Associate Archivist
Institution/Organization Name: The Shubert Foundation
Job Location (City, State, Province, Country): New York, NY, USA
Application Deadline:
Link to job posting:
Years of experience required: 1-2 years
Job Description (if URL to posting not available). Please include instructions for how to apply.: The Shubert Archive currently has an opportunity for an Associate Archivist.
In 1976, The Shubert Archive began to organize the papers and business records of the Shubert brothers into a comprehensive archive. Under the direction of Brooks McNamara (Professor Emeritus, New York University) and former archivist Brigitte Kueppers, more than six million documents related to the Shuberts’ theatrical activities were acquired and integrated into the Archive. The Shubert Archive collection – more than a century’s worth of costume and set designs, scripts, music, publicity materials, photographs, correspondence, business records and architectural plans – was made available to researchers in the fall of 1986. It has grown substantially over the years and continues to expand with contemporary company records.
In 2002, the Archive celebrated the centennial of The Shubert Organization with the publication of The Shuberts Present: 100 Years of American Theater (Abrams, 2001) and a special issue of The Passing Show, its free annual newsletter. And in 2002, the Archive launched a database project that will eventually make some of its finding aids and selected collections accessible to researchers on the Web.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
•Assist with general Archive operations.
•Provide reference assistance to researchers in-person, on the telephone, and via mail (traditional and electronic).
•Arrange and describe archival materials in all formats and create collection guides and finding aids in accordance with professional standards and best practices.
•Spearhead the Archive’s ongoing digitization project by scanning images and documents; applying appropriate descriptive, technical, and administrative metadata; and reviewing content for quality control.
•Assist with the creation, implementation, and management of procedures for the preservation of born-digital and digitized archival records.
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
•Assist with the implementation of public access and collection policies.
•Assist Archive and company-wide staff in matters of records management.
•Assist with collection preservation, conservation, and maintenance.
•Assist in creating the Archive’s annual newsletter, The Passing Show.
•Assist in training and supervising student interns.
•Keep abreast of developments in archival theory and practice, as well as copyright law as it pertains to the Archive’s holdings.
•Participate in professional associations to remain informed and proficient in rapidly changing archival practices.
•Perform other duties as required.
QUALIFICATIONS:
•MLS or MLIS from an ALA-accredited university, preferably with a significant archival component, or a Masters degree in archival studies. Consideration will be given to applicants with a graduate degree in other related fields, who also have significant archival experience or training. A degree in theatre history a plus.
•Demonstrated experience with, and knowledge of, archival practice, preferably in a business or arts setting.
•Extensive knowledge of digital archives and emerging digital curation practices.
•Thorough understanding of professional standards and best practices for archives, as well as records management principles and procedures.
•Demonstrated knowledge of computer applications such as Word, Excel, and Cuadra Star (or similar) archival management/database software. Experience with Photoshop and InDesign a plus.
•Working knowledge of descriptive metadata and encoding standards, such as DACS, Dublin Core, RDA, and EAD. Familiarity with web-based languages such as CSS, HTML, and XML a plus.
•Working knowledge of American theatre history with a special emphasis on Broadway.
•Ability to set appropriate priorities for a variety of competing tasks, and to work independently or collaboratively as needed.
•Good interpersonal skills.
•Strong organizational skills with attention to detail.
•Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to author articles for publication, perform copy-editing, and deliver presentations.
•Physical ability to perform the duties of this position, including lifting and carrying boxes weighing up to approximately 50 lbs.; climbing stairs and ladders; and engaging in considerable standing, walking, stooping, bending, and lifting.
All candidates will be required, at a point in the selection process, to submit a finding aid and a writing sample of at least 1,000 words.
We offer a competitive salary and a superior benefits package.
Please submit cover letters and resumes to hr@shubertorg.com
EOE
Archives Gig 