The Morton Arboretum is a world-renowned leader in tree science and education, working to save and plant trees. At the Arboretum, the Sterling Morton Library plays a critical role in capturing and sharing knowledge and information to advance the Arboretum's mission and research. Our archival collections include a host of resources including original manuscript materials, artifacts, audiovisual materials, maps, plans, and photographic images. Working with Arboretum colleagues and volunteers, the Archivist builds, stewards, and increases engagement with our digital and analog collections and resources. The successful candidate will have a passion for capturing and sharing stories, increasing access to collections, partnering with colleagues, and working in a collaborative environment. This is an exciting opportunity for someone keenly interested in creating a greener, healthier, and more beautiful world.
Position Summary: Responsible for acquiring, organizing, cataloging, processing, preserving, and making accessible archival materials in many formats as well as maintenance of the Arboretum’s institutional archives. Facilitate the production, organization, and curation of a growing collection of digital resources serving visitors, staff, and the education and scientific communities.
Essential Functions:
- Maintain the archival collections, including preparing retention schedules, accessioning, deaccessioning, inventorying, processing, cataloging, and creation of finding aids.
- Develop, arrange, and describe archival collections in accordance with accepted standards and practices.
- Facilitate initiatives related to digitization, access, and other metadata-dependent efforts to capture, describe, manage, preserve and share the collections of the Sterling Morton Library.
- Engage with a variety of audiences (staff, subject matter specialists, and the general public) to understand their archive-related information needs; work with Library staff to evaluate and deploy solutions that meet those needs.
- Research, evaluate, and offer recommendations to Arboretum staff on best practices regarding archival and document management / retention and assist with acquiring and organizing these materials for research, design, and preservation purposes.
- Work with the Knowledge Management team to provide job aids, training materials, and other resources to share archival and document management best practices with Arboretum staff.
- Post new content on the library’s pages of the Arboretum’s website and intranet related to the archives and other related content.
- Coordinate, train, and supervise volunteers and interns working with archives.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications: ALA accredited Master’s degree in Library Science required. 1+ years experience preferred. Experience with archival practice preferably with a focus on processing. Knowledge of digital asset management including the ingest, organization, storage, and retrieval of digital collections required. Knowledge of archives principles and practices in both digital and analog formats required. Knowledge of current and emerging metadata and cataloging standards and relevant controlled vocabularies required. Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google applications strongly preferred.
Success Factors: Strong organizational and communication skills. Ability to facilitate and initiate collaboration. Ability to multitask and prioritize. Ability to communicate effectively, tactfully, and patiently with diverse library users, staff, volunteers, and patrons. Ability to work flexibly and creatively in a changing environment. Interest and knowledge of trees, horticulture, or natural history a plus. Ability to embrace and align with the organization’s employee core values to be inclusive, take ownership, work together, keep learning, and make the Arboretum exceptional.
Physical Demands and Work Environment: The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
- Physical Demands: Requires some physical activity: limited lifting and carrying (up to 30 lbs.), climbing a step ladder.
- Work Environment: Work is primarily performed indoors in an office setting. This position requires regular on-site presence.
- Equipment: General office equipment, digital camera, scanner, step ladder.