Archivist for Digital Programs (Position #2023) -- revised and reposted

The American Heritage Center of the University of Wyoming is seeking a creative, dynamic, articulate, and out-going professional interested and skilled in digitization, project management, website management, and electronic records to fill a reshaped position as Archivist for Digital Programs at the assistant or associate archivist level.  The successful candidates will have knowledge of large 20 th-century archival collections and their administration.  S/he will be comfortable interacting with US Senators and undergraduate students, business executives and teaching faculty, archivists and fundraisers.

The AHC is a major research archive independent of the University’s libraries and reporting directly the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The AHC is one of the largest and busiest modern manuscripts repositories in the US, and its professional employees have a strong track record of leadership and scholarship in archives administration, special collections librarianship, history, women’s studies, and other fields.  Recent emphasis at the AHC has been on minimal processing and cataloging, collection policy redefinition, and a reappraisal program.

Archivists at UW have faculty status with extended term appointments possible after five years.  The Archivist reports to the Associate Director of the AHC.

Scanning

The Archivist will collaboratively plan, schedule, and implement the creation of digital collections. The Archivist will provide leadership in the creation and delivery of digital content that responds to the needs of the AHC’s collections and preservation priorities. These include digitization of archives and special collections and other materials in text, image, audio, and video formats; and participating in the development of a digital repository systems to preserve and make accessible the intellectual output of the University of Wyoming. The Archivist will oversee operating procedures and workflows; investigate and recommend appropriate standards (technical, metadata, etc.) and implement quality control procedures; prioritize and coordinate digitization production; investigate, plan, and manage format conversions and migrations; maintain awareness and develop in-depth knowledge of new technology.

It is the AHC’s intention to begin implementing what might be called MPLP-for-digitization projects, similar to those already underway at University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art. These projects involve lower-level resolution scanning, often in B&W, and access and metadata at the folder rather than the item level. AHC projects may further experiment with series-level access and metadata. The purpose is to make more material available to more people without more resources. The incumbent would play a substantial role in defining and implementing such projects, and in grant-writing to create model projects.

Website

The Archivist will manage the AHC’s award-winning website by maintaining and expanding web applications using standards-compliant markup, currency with metadata schema, web technologies and best practices. The Archivist will chair a small internal committee charged with decisions about website content and design. S/he will explore adoption of Web 2.0 applications, improve the interface with digitized collection material, recommend approaches to further the educational goals of the site, oversee the markup and uploading of new and revised content, and in general develop priorities and goals for the site that support the overall mission of the AHC.

Electronic Records

Like most repositories, the AHC is beginning to wrestle with electronic records both as part of its University Archives and in is manuscripts collections. We do not expect applicants to possess significant experience with electronic records (though that would be a plus), but do expect them to benefit from relevant recent coursework and a strong interest in the theory and application of electronic records management. The AHC will support the incumbent in further development of his/her knowledge. The incumbent will eventually be responsible for leading a project to recommend policies and procedures to the University administration for the management of University email, as well as for managing such electronic records as are appraised as permanent by the University archivist.

The incumbent will, further, eventually take the lead in defining preservation and access protocols for born-digital material received as part of manuscript collections. The AHC has access to considerable secure server space for basic storage, but has no formal approaches for cataloging, other forms of intellectual and “physical” access, migration, or authentication. The incumbent will be responsible for researching currently applied approaches at other repositories that fall within the AHC’s resources, recommending and implementing protocols and policies, and drafting grant proposals to further specific aspects of this work.

Other Duties

The incumbent participates in collection development, donor relations, and on-site assessment and acquisition of material as assigned. The AHC has just completed a complete reassessment of its collections and developed a formal collecting policy for the first time. Each faculty archivist will be assigned a collecting area for which s/he is responsible for a low-intensity but effective solicitation, negotiation, appraisal, and acquisition effort. Faculty members are also responsible for professional development, outreach, scholarship, and curricular support as defined in their formal job description.

Qualifications:

Required: Master’s degree in Library Science, Information Science, History, Public History, or other allied discipline, with concentration in archives administration. Progressively responsible experience with the concepts and software/hardware applications used in capturing, organizing and presenting digital information. Demonstrated ability to plan, coordinate, and implement effective programs, complex projects, and services. Experience and knowledge of website management, including Web 2.0 applications. Developing interfaces for Web resources, including knowledge of database management principles and software. Knowledge of software systems such as Luna and Fedora. Knowledge of current digital library technologies, standards, and best practices. Knowledge of current electronic records theory and practice. Excellent organizational skills and a demonstrated ability to handle complex analytical and detailed work. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a complex and rapidly changing environment. Ability to work well under pressure; self-confidence; professional creativity and willingness to think beyond “how it’s always been done”; deep commitment to the archival profession evinced by active participation in regional and national organizations, presentation of papers and submission of articles, and continuing education.

Preferred: The ideal candidate will present a strong combination of demonstrated experience and knowledge in many of the following areas: Obtaining grant funding and managing grant funded projects. Metadata and associated functional standards, including Dublin Core, EAD, TEI, MARC, and appropriate thesauri. Advanced knowledge and experience with electronic records programs in an archival setting. Knowledge and experience of appraisal and donor relations, particularly field appraisal, and work with large 20 th-century collections.

Salary and Benefits:  Salary range $40-$55k depending upon qualifications and starting rank ( Wyoming has no state income tax, and cost of living is low). UW’s benefit package includes health and life insurance, retirement funded solely by the university, and tuition benefits for employee and his/her spouse.  This position is afforded 22 vacation days per year plus an additional full week paid leave during annual Christmas to New Year campus closure.  Detailed information regarding the Laramie area, the University of Wyoming, the AHC, and the benefit package can be found on the web at http://www.uwyo.edu/. UW is an equal-opportunity affirmative-action employer. The university has a special interest in promoting diversity and internationalization. We welcome inquiries and applications from all qualified people, including people from underrepresented groups and from all nationalities.

Application:  Applicants should submit (preferably by e-mail to choskins@uwyo.edu)

• A letter of application.
• A resume/vitae detailing relevant academic coursework and experience related to this position.
• The names and contact information for three professional references.

Follow email with printed copy to:

Cricket Hoskins, Business Manager, American Heritage Center, Dept. 3924, 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071. Review of applications will begin immediately and this position will remain open until a suitable candidate is hired.