Project Archivist Jobs

Archivist Position Description

The East Palo Alto Community Archive (EPACA), founded in 2020,is a non-profit organization devoted to collecting, sharing, promoting, celebrating and preserving the unique history of the East Palo Alto community for future generations. Through the archive, residents learn about the past and collectively reimagine the future of East Palo Alto, an inclusive, welcoming, connected, multilingual, multicultural community located in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Position Summary

The Archivist reports to the Executive Director and works closely with the Executive Director and the Records Manager to keep the EPACA online artifact database running smoothly, catalog new artifacts, communicate and coordinate with donors and positively represent EPACA to the public. They digitize artifacts and manage the online database and artifact metadata, and the Self-Archiving and Oral History Programs. They also serve as the reference librarian for research requests.

Responsibilities

Collections

●Select artifacts to be added to the EPACA collection based on the collection development policy

●Stabilize physical artifacts including identification of preservation needs

●Select artifacts for publication to social media channels (Facebook and Instagram) and exhibits

Technical

●Digitize artifacts using a scanner or digital camera

●Process & catalog new artifacts, including metadata creation and management and rights/deed information

●Report database and website bugs to developers

●Oversee the EPACA Google Shared Drive

Public Relations

●Assist with planning community engagement events and educational programming

●Interact with donors and community members, answering questions related to the archival process and community archives

●Work with patrons to identify materials related to their research needs

●Write blog posts about archival collections, artifacts, and EPACA programs

●Represent EPACA at public events, professional conferences, and in the Bay Area archives community.

Other duties as directed by the Executive Director in fulfillment of EPACA’s mission.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

●Bachelor's Degree

●At least two years of experience at a historic or archives institution

Skills and Knowledge

●Knowledge of or interest in community archives, oral history or public history

●Strong knowledge of archival metadata schemas (i.e., DACS, DublinCore, EAD)

●Knowledge of archival content management systems, technologies, or digital asset management systems, such as HYRAX and Samvera

●Experience with current archival cataloging standards

●Experience making archival appraisal decisions and prioritizing artifacts for digitization

●Experience handling and preserving analog and/or born-digital archival materials (documents, photographs, 3D objects, newspapers) in a professional or internship setting

●Experience training and working with volunteers and interns

●Experience writing blog posts. database descriptions and creating and installing exhibits

●Experience with Google Drive

●Exacting attention to detail, while maintaining a high level of productivity

●Self-motivated, with the ability to work with minimal supervision and collaboratively as part of a team

●Strong communication skills (both oral and written)

Preferred Qualifications

●Bilingual in English and Spanish

●MLIS from an ALA-accredited university

●Experience working with culturally diverse populations

The Archivist is a contract position averaging 100 hours/month with an hourly rate ranging from $40 to $50, commensurate with background and experience. Work is conducted both remotely and on-site in office space situated in East Palo Alto, California.

Expressions of interest must be submitted to [email protected]

NO LATER THAN August 15, 2023. All submissions should include a cover letter and current resume.