Job Opening Title:
Contract Reference Services Archivist
Name of Employer:
Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution
Job Site Location (City, State) :
Washington, DC
Application Deadline:
March 29
Minimum Degree Requirement:
Years of experience required:
3-5
Salary Range:
Job Opening URL:
Job Description (if URL to posting not available). Include instructions for how to apply.:
The Archives of American Art (AAA) has a need to procure 1600 hours of professional services from a contractor to fulfill requests for digitization of textual materials in AAA’s collections and to serve as a reading room attendant. Work will include management of requests, collaboration with AAA staff on preparation of materials and with AAA contractors on digitization, tracking workflows, and other tasks. The work will also include staffing the reading room for two shifts (one morning, one afternoon) per week and associated tasks such as retrieval and reshelving of materials.
The selected contractor should have an understanding and demonstrated experience with archival practices relating to reference and reproductions. Applications used for this project include AAA’s in-house Collections Information System (CIS), ArchivesSpace, the Archives’ request management system (Aeon), and SI Digital Asset Management System (DAMS). Additional instruction and written procedures will be provided to the contractor by the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) and/or the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC). The contractor must be self-motivated, able to work independently, and meet measurable goals and time frames.
METHODOLOGY
This project requires fulfilling digitization requests through AAA’s established digitization-on-demand program. The contractor is directly responsible for ensuring the accuracy, timeliness and completeness of assignments and tasks.
For each request the contractor will:
1. Evaluate the request for suitability, cancelling requests as appropriate, forwarding requests that require handling by reference staff, and sending invoices.
2. Monitor queue of requests that are awaiting delivery and begin digitization process.
3. Retrieve folders, ensure material is suitable for digitization, create tracking documents, and prepare material for preparation for digitization by processing archivists.
4. Transfer prepared folders to digitization technicians.
5. Monitor review by processing archivists of digitized folders and spot check generated PDF folders.
6. Deliver PDF folders and high-resolution files.
7. Reshelve folders.
8. Coordinate tasks associated with ingest of files to DAMS.
9. Generate Digital Archival Objects through CIS workflows.
10. Confirm image display on public website.
For reading room:
1. Retrieve materials for research use during reading room shift (one morning and one afternoon per week) as necessary.
2. Greet all patrons and orient new researchers to reading room including rules for use of materials.
3. Monitor researchers to ensure safe handling of materials and correct when necessary.
4. Communicate with reading room team with updates and information on researchers or their requests.
5. Perform one light cleaning task twice a month to assist with maintenance of reading room.
6. Reshelve materials as necessary.
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE
The contractor should plan to start work on or around May 1 and complete the work within a 12-month period, by April 30, 2025, or when the 1600 hours have been expended, with the possibility of an extension.
The contractor’s specific work schedule of 30-35 hours per week will be determined by mutual agreement between the COTR and must occur within normal business hours (7:30 am – 6:00 pm).
Interested parties should email Marisa Bourgoin at bourgoinm@si.edu for information and instructions on submitting a quote.
Individuals and companies that want to do business with U.S. government agencies, including the Smithsonian Institution, are required to maintain active and valid registrations in the System for Award Management (SAM). Registration with SAM is free and accomplished via https://www.sam.gov.
Archives Gig 