Processing Archivist, (12 month, non-renewable) Institute of Jazz Studies, John Cotton Dana Library, Rutgers University Libraries

October 21, 2024 ACADEMIC POSITION PROFILE APP. 24FA1090

TITLE: Processing Archivist, (12 month, non-renewable)
Institute of Jazz Studies, John Cotton Dana Library, Rutgers University Libraries

SUMMARY: The Rutgers University Libraries (RUL) seek a processing archivist for the Institute of Jazz Studies based at the John Cotton Dana Library at Rutgers University-Newark. The Processing Archivist will provide core archival services for a signature collection at the Institute of Jazz Studies. This position will complete the processing of the Mary Lou Williams papers, music, artifacts, and audiovisual materials collection; the Mary Lou Williams Foundation records collection; and the Father Peter O’Brien, J.S. papers and audio recordings collection. This position will be responsible for rehousing, arranging, and describing records and papers in the respective collections. Mary Lou Williams was a ground-breaking and influential jazz musician, composer, and mentor. This position will occasionally assist the Institute with other archival and project related tasks as necessary. This lecturer position reports to the Associate University Librarian – Newark and will work collaboratively and with the guidance of the other Institute of Jazz Studies archivists.

RESPONSIBILITIES: The Processing Archivist’s key responsibilities are to:
• Create or update finding aids to the folder or item level and add them to the archive online platform. The Processing Archivist will use the location management feature of the platform to enter box locations.
• Review the current finding aids for inaccuracies and apply corrections as appropriate.
• In collaboration with the metadata archivist, create item-level metadata for audio and video recordings and for artifacts.
• Create a detailed inventory of materials within the collections that have been digitized. The Processing Archivist will propose a method of connecting the inventory descriptions to the finding aids.
• Handle project logistics including identifying supplies and materials required for the successful completing of the project.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
This position is a member of the Rutgers University Libraries Faculty, a team of librarians committed to providing excellent services to a diverse academic community. This position will collaborate with colleagues across the Libraries, and especially with archivists working in other distinctive collections, to enhance the effectiveness of library services to the University community. Appointment is for 12-months non-renewable.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Required:
• Master’s degree from an American Library Association-accredited program or its equivalent
• Experience or coursework in museum or archival collection management, archival/special collections handling, conservation, and/or metadata creation
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to work in a diverse environment
• Proficiency using Windows or Mac OS and Microsoft Outlook tools

Preferred but not required:
• Knowledge of or an interest in jazz and jazz history
• Demonstrated organizational skills with attention to detail
• Experience processing an archival collection and creating a finding aid

The successful candidate should be able to understand institutional cultures and their impact on people and perspectives. They should communicate effectively and respectfully with varying audiences, actively communicate with those with differing opinions and differing levels of understanding.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
SALARY: Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Current contractual minimum salary for appointment is $82,694.
STATUS/BENEFITS: Faculty status (Lecturer, calendar year), twelve-month appointment (non-renewable) retirement plan, life/health insurance, prescription drug, dental and vision plans, tuition remission, 22 vacation days annually.

LIBRARY PROFILE:
John Cotton Dana Library and Institute of Jazz Studies: The John Cotton Dana Library, named after former Newark Public Library director John Cotton Dana, opened in 1966 and is the main library at Rutgers University–Newark, supporting all the institution’s undergraduate and graduate programs except for law. Dana Library houses Rutgers University Libraries’ research collections in business, nursing, and neuroscience and contains over 600,000 volumes, 600,000 pieces of microform, and 15,000 audiovisual items. An intellectual hub of the university and locus of student activity, the library hosts Rutgers–Newark’s largest computer lab and conducts a popular workshop series for graduate students. It houses the Institute of Jazz Studies, the world’s foremost jazz archives and research library, and has been a federal depository since its opening. For more information, visit www.libraries.rutgers.edu/newark.

Rutgers University Libraries: Rutgers University Libraries are the intellectual center of the university—serving all members of the university community, supporting all disciplines, and playing a key role in advancing student learning and faculty research. The Libraries serve all institutions that make up Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey: Rutgers University–New Brunswick, Rutgers University–Newark, Rutgers University–Camden, and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences. The Libraries have a highly valued staff of about 180, who are committed to developing innovations in access services, information literacy, and digital initiatives. Rutgers University Libraries operate with a budget of $45 million and have outstanding collections, especially in jazz and New Jerseyana. Collectively, the Libraries’ holdings include more than 5 million volumes.

CAMPUS PROFILE:
Rutgers University–Newark: Located in the state’s largest city and serving a broader metropolitan area, Rutgers University–Newark is a remarkably diverse, urban, public research university that is not merely in, but of its environment. With close ties to the Newark community, the university recognizes its location as a defining influence and source of distinctive strength in attracting new generations of students hungry for the opportunities afforded by gaining an outstanding higher education in a major American urban center; recruiting faculty who vigorously embrace the opportunity to produce high-impact scholarship, engage the community, and prepare these students for professional success and informed citizenship; and retaining staff committed to the advancement of an inclusive campus culture focused on excellence. Classified as an R2 Doctoral University (Higher research activity) by the Carnegie Classification, Rutgers–Newark enrolls 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students in its six schools: School of Arts and Sciences-Newark, School of Public Affairs and Administration, School of Criminal Justice, Graduate School–Newark, Rutgers Law School, and Rutgers Business School–Newark. The campus is in the University Heights section of Newark and is accessible via mass transit. The Newark Museum of Art, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and the main branch of the Newark Public Library are within several blocks of the Rutgers-Newark campus.
TO APPLY: REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS AND INTERVIEWS WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY AND CONTINUE UNTIL THE POSITION IS FILLED. SUBMIT RESUME, COVER LETTER, AND NAMES OF THREE REFERENCES: https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/238177

All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of all pre-employment screenings.
It is university policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all its employees and applicants for employment regardless of their race, creed, color, national origin, age, ancestry, nationality, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, disability status, liability for military service, protected veteran status, affectional or sexual orientation, atypical cellular or blood trait, genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing), or any other category protected by law. As an institution, we value diversity of background and opinion, and prohibit discrimination or harassment on the basis of any legally protected class in the areas of hiring, recruitment, promotion, transfer, demotion, training, compensation, pay, fringe benefits, layoff, termination or any other terms and conditions of employment. For additional information please see the Non-Discrimination Statement at the following web address: http://uhr.rutgers.edu/non-discrimination-statement

The Libraries are strongly and actively committed to diversity and seek candidates who will contribute creatively to the University’s multicultural environment.