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The David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of
African Americans and the African Diaspora seeks an Archivist to plan,
organize, and implement systems and procedures for creating a collection of
items donated by Prof. David C. Driskell with the goal of preserving and
improving access to this collection. The Driskell Archive contains about
50,000 items, including rare books, journals, newspapers, exhibition
catalogues, personal papers, and others. This position is supported by a two-
year grant-funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation's Council on Library and
Information Resources [CLIR].

  
The project's goals include, a) documenting Professor Driskell's one-of-a-kind
archive; b) increasing accessibility to the collection through the Center's
on-line presence; c) updating procedures for managing the still growing
archive; d) increasing the knowledge and skills of current staff and
professionals to further strengthen African American museums; and e) providing
educational work experience for graduate students who are interested in
professional careers in museums of African American art and culture. This
project is a continuation of a two-year grant awarded to the Center by the
Institute of Museum and Library Services.

  
The Archivist will oversee the methodology and integration of archival
practices into an ever-growing corpus of materials used by scholars and
students and will update the current (draft) procedures manual for archivists
in museum environments. The Archivist should have a broad understanding of
archival and digital technology as related to an academic research library
setting as well as knowledge of emerging trends in digital technologies and
archival practices. Candidates should have demonstrated organizational skills
in planning, prioritizing, and achieving goals. Additionally, they must
possess knowledge of archival and records management principles and practices
and the data structure standards relevant to the archival control of digital
collection materials. They should also have demonstrated the ability to work
with databases, develop functional requirements and workflows for programmers
building new content management applications. The Archivist will provide
overall coordination for the project, supervise graduate students, and oversee
the IT aspects ?including on-line presence- of the project to improve overall
collection management and accessibility. The project includes creating a new
digital collection with item descriptions and establishing authority control
over the Driskell archive catalog records. The archivist processes archival
materials to include accessioning, arranging, and describing; appraising and
preserving, as needed; plan, organize, and implement systems and procedures
for maintaining the digital collection with the goal of improving
accessibility. The archivist will follow the recommendations of a hired
consultant archivist and report to the Driskell Center's Acting and Interim
Executive Directors.

  
SALARY AND BENEFITS: Commensurate with experience. This position is supported
by a two-year grant funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation's Council on
Library and Information Resources [CLIR], ending on December 2014. This is an
Exempt, full-time, grant supported position, (Monday-Friday, 40 hours per
week); for 12 months, renewed for the remaining months in 2014, until Dec. 31,
2014.

  
This position requires a graduate degree (MLS or MIM) in library science,
information science, archival administration, or a related field; at least two
years of relevant professional experience, including database management and
project management in a research or academic library, including at least one
year of experience in special collections or archives at a paraprofessional or
professional level; in-depth knowledge of library/archives systems,
procedures, and standards. Demonstrated knowledge of archival appraisal,
preservation, arrangement, description, and access theories and procedures.
Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills; oral and
written fluency in English. Supervisory experience; experience in project
planning, management, and completion. Experience with Microsoft Access,
PastPerfect, and open source software (specifically CollectiveAccess and
Archivists' Toolkit).



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