The American Folk Art Museum seeks an enthusiastic, highly organized, archive professional to support collection management and preservation activities at the museum’s new Archive and Study Center. The archivist will report to the chief registrar and work closely with the museum’s deputy registrar, the curatorial staff, the librarian and the executive director.
Primary Responsibilities:
• Oversee in all aspects of the museum’s new Archive and Study Center
• Processing archival materials in all formats, including digital formats (and including surveying, appraising, acquiring, accessioning, arranging, preserving, and describing records).
• Develop and manage digitization projects, including the identification of possible third party vendors.
• Create web-based finding aids
• Respond to reference and research inquiries.
• Assist in the development of programs and exhibits that promote the objectives and contribute to the vision and mission of the museum
• Assist in training and supervising of interns and/or student employees.
• Promote the use of Archive Study Center to scholars, researchers, teachers, and students
• Assist the development department in researching funding opportunities for archive projects
Qualifications:
Graduate level studies in Archival Science or Library and Information Science, Masters degree required. Ability to direct and lead the processing of manuscripts, artifact, photo, and material culture collections with adherence to the Society of American Archivists standards. Experience working on digitization projects; experience with legacy audiovisual formats; good communication and interpersonal skills; knowledge of best standards for digital capture, description, and preservation; active interest in emerging digital technologies; proven record of successful project management and working in a team environment. Interest in folk art and the work of self-taught artists a plus.
Salary is competitive and dependent upon qualifications and experience. Position is available immediately, part time (approximately 3 days a week) from now until the end of the year, full time after January 1, 2015.
About the Archive and Study Center:
The Archive and Study Center at the American Folk Art Museum consists of approximately 330 linear feet of papers, photographs, slides, transparencies, ephemera, audio and video recordings in many formats, manuscripts, plaster casts, and research on artists and folk art subjects. The museum is the center of international scholarship on the artist Henry Darger, and has the largest holdings of the archives of this artist, including his original 15,000 page novel, several additional manuscripts, and other ephemera. This position offers a unique opportunity to shape the development of the new Archive and Study Center to maximize access and scholarship opportunities. The Center is located in in Long Island City, near MOMA Queens.
To apply, please send resume and cover letter to library@folkartmuseum.org.
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