Salary: $38,000
Closing Date: 8/6/2021
Type of Appointment: 1 Year Grant Funded

The African American Library at the Gregory School, Houston Public Library, located in historic Freedmen’s Town and housed in the Gregory Elementary School, the first African American school in Houston and an Archeological landmark in Texas, houses a variety of primary resource materials that documents and focuses on the experience of African American residents, businesses, institutions and neighborhoods throughout Houston and the surrounding region. The growing collection includes books, pamphlets, periodicals, photographs, oral histories manuscripts, newspapers, personal family archives and ephemera documenting Houston's African American history and culture.

Gregory School and the Houston Public Library seek a temporary Project Archivist to arrange, describe and digitize five collections related to historic Freedmen’s Town and Fourth Ward in Houston, Texas. This is a one-year grant funded position to start in July 2021-June 30, 2022.

Description of Duties/Essential Functions
• Processes and catalogs 32.4 linear ft. of manuscript and photograph collections
• Creates encoded finding aids according to current national standards and best practices
• Scans, digitizes, and indexes archival materials using imaging equipment such as feeder scanner, flatbed, oversize format scanner. Proficient in all software for various scanning equipment
• Creates and transforms metadata for items selected for digitization
• Responsible for all steps in life cycle of a processing project, including surveying and developing the processing plan
• Reports statistics throughout the year; these statistics include data on linear feet processed and any other information pertinent for reporting purposes

Qualifications
• ALA-accredited master’s degree in library and information science required, or equivalent accredited degree, with formal training in archival theory and practice.
• Demonstrated expertise in arranging and describing archival collections and preparing finding aids of varying size and complexity.
• Familiarity with basic preservation of archival materials, including proper handling, housing, and storage.
• Ability to work well in a collaborative, team-based environment.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills including accuracy and a strong attention to detail.

Experience
• Two or more years of professional archival processing experience, preferably in an academic or research library. Experience with digitization projects a plus.
• Experience working with archival content management systems, such as ArchivesSpace or Archivists’ Toolkit.

Apply
To apply for the position, please send cover letter and resume to sheena.wilson@houstontx.gov. Review of resumes will begin immediately and continue until filled position is filled.

The position is funded, by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.