Society of Southwest Archivists

Archivist II- Oral History | Houston Public Library, African American History Research Center (Houston, TX)

  • 28 Sep 2026 1:33 PM
    Message # 13721083
    Weston Marshall (Administrator)

    Job Description:

    Houston Public Library (HPL) seeks a collaborative, proactive, and community-focused professional with strong organizational and communication skills, as well as a commitment to excellent customer service, to serve as the Archivist II–Oral History Archivist at the African American History Research Center at the Gregory School (AAHRC).

    HPL serves a population of 2.2 million citizens through a network of 37 Neighborhood Libraries, three History Research Centers, and a Central Library.

    Essential job duties and responsibilities include:

    • Serve as the primary archivist responsible for managing and providing stewardship of the oral history collection and audiovisual materials.
    • Develop and coordinate oral history projects documenting various historical topics that align with mission of AAHRC.
    • Plan, schedule, and conduct oral history interviews and process recordings, including transcription, metadata, rights documentation, for public access.
    • Build and maintains oral history partnerships with community organizations, academic institutions, or city departments.
    • Develop procedures and workflows for oral history and audiovisual materials.
    • Conduct oral history training with community partners and assist in development of educational initiatives.
    • Coordinate and supervises volunteers and interns.
    • Contribute to community engagement efforts by conducting tours, leading programs, and representing the library and AAHRC at public events.
    • Assist in grant writing for audiovisual and oral history materials and participates in grant-funded projects as needed.
    • Provide specialized reference services and research assistance to the public in-person and electronically.
    • Work one evening per month and a weekend rotation (Saturday/Sunday).
    • Other duties as assigned that supports library operations.

    Applicants are encouraged to submit a Cover Letter and Resume when applying.

    WORKING CONDITIONS

    Position requires stooping and bending; lifting of library materials up to 20 pounds. Must be able to move freely throughout the library to file/retrieve library materials. Must be able to effectively communicate orally and in writing.

    MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

    EDUCATION/ EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

    Requires an ALA accredited Master's degree in Library Science or a Master’s degree in History or a related field and one year experience in archival processing, archival collecting, historical research, reference, programming, or a related field.

    OR

    Requires a Bachelor’s degree plus 18 hours toward an ALA accredited Master’s degree in Library Science or 18 hours toward a Master’s in History or a related field and two years of experience in archival processing, archival collecting, historical research, reference, programming, or a related field. A Master’s degree must be completed within two years from being hired into this classification.

    LICENSE REQUIREMENTS - Yes

    Requires a valid driver license and compliance with the City of Houston's policy on driving (AP 2-2).

    PREFERENCES

    • Oral history interview skills (podcast, instruction, journalism, family history research)
    • Possesses video and audio editing experience
    • Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Photoshop. Experience with collection management systems such as CONTENTdm and ArchiveSpace is highly preferred.
    • Familiarity with archival standards including Dublin Core, EAD, and MARC-AMC.
    • Familiar with copyright/digital copyright issues when creating reproductions in an archive setting.
    • Experience with digitization, processing born digital archival materials, and working with audiovisual materials also preferred. Knowledge of digital assets management and/or oral history experience highly preferred.
    • Training in the archival fields and/or a Certified Archivist (C.A.) is also preferred.
    • Customer/Public service experience and ability to plan and organize.
    • Experience researching or working within the African American History field, especially within Houston is a plus.

    Location (City AND State):

    Houston, TX

    Application Deadline:

    9/30/2026

    Minimum Degree Requirement:

    Master's Degree

    Years of experience required:

    1-3

    Workplace Model:

    In-Person

    Salary Range:

    $2,326.00 - $2,484.62 Biweekly

    For more information and to apply, please visit this link.

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