P/T - Archivist - AAAC

ARCHIVIST (PART-TIME)
Asian American Arts Centre (AAAC)

Part-time Archivist for non-profit arts organization in Manhattan

Asian American Arts Centre (AAAC) seeks an enthusiastic archivist to develop, maintain, and provide access to the physical and digital archives for Asian American contemporary artists.

About the Organization and Archives:
Asian American Arts Centre brings cultural events in the visual and traditional arts to the general public since its establishment in 1974. Its aim is to address the distinctive concerns of Asian Americans in the United States, and their linkages to other cultural communities. Founded as a not-for-profit community arts organization, AAAC specializes in contemporary art exhibitions and archives that engage viewers in the historical and cultural presence of Asian American artists and those Americans influenced by Asia.

AAAC Artist Archive, a research archive of over 1,500 entries dating back to 1945, has been developed from the original slide archive that started in 1982. Artist vertical files have been accumulated documenting the history of Asian Pacific American artists in the United States. The first portion of it will be available as the first-of-its-kind digital archive on http://artasiamerica.org in the summer of 2009.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master's Degree in Archival Management, or Library or Information Science from an ALA-accredited institution with a focus in archival and special collections studies. Equivalent degree or experience with a practicum or internship can be considered.
- Demonstrate understanding of the principles of arrangement and description of archival collections; understanding of current archival best practices and standards
- Some experience with digital preservation and metadata creation using professional standards such as AAT
- Commitment to professional growth; intellectual curiosity and engagement with archival issues
- Excellent organizational, time and project management skills
- Good written and oral communication and interpersonal skills in English. Other Asian languages a plus.
- Ability to work independently; to take initiative and to exercise sound judgment
- Strong work ethic; commitment to diversity; ability to handle complex procedures is key

Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience working with artwork on paper, slides and photographs, or other visual materials
- 1-2 years successful experience for a digitization project including supervising interns or students
- Academic background in Asian / Asian American visual art, or art history
- Experience with digital assets management systems and imaging equipment
- Experience creating a successful grant application

Employment Period & Rate of Pay:
Starting mid July 2009; 24 hours per week; a wage of $12.50/hour or more depending on qualifications.

HOW TO APPLY:
Please submit:
-Resume,
-cover letter stating why you are interested in this position (description of education/work experience highlighting those most influential).
-A writing sample (this is for us to see your ability to think and write logically).

Email materials ASAP to Robert Lee at rlee@artspiral.org

Asian American Arts Centre
26 Bowery 3fl.
New York, NY 10013

Originally posted on a library school listserv.