Archives Specialist
Ball State University
Muncie, IN
Job posting number: #7302289 (Ref:BSU46770)
Posted: February 28, 2025
Application Deadline: Open Until Filled
Job Description
Provide user access to the historical, cultural, and educational teaching and learning materials in Archives and Special Collections by participating in the acquisition, digitization, processing, preservation, promotion, and use of the unit's collections and services; train and supervise students, interns and graduate assistants; manage reference, instruction, exhibition, and office functions; support an inclusive, diverse, and collaborative work environment and service culture to advance the strategic direction of the University Libraries.
Ball State University Libraries seeks an enthusiastic and collaborative team member to join our Archives and Special Collections team. The Archives Specialist works directly with researchers and students, teaching groups about the collections, and creating online learning materials. The Specialist also participates in the acquisition, digitization, processing, preservation, promotion, and use of the rare and unique treasures in the collection. If you enjoy working with people and would like to help us preserve and tell the stories of our community, this might be the position for you.
Degrees in public history, museum studies, teaching, and related fields are encouraged to apply, but any background will be considered.
Degrees in public history, museum studies, teaching, and related fields are encouraged to apply, but any background will be considered.
Job Function:
Provide user access to the historical, cultural, and educational teaching and learning materials in Archives and Special Collections by participating in the acquisition, digitization, processing, preservation, promotion, and use of the unit's collections and services; train and supervise students, interns and graduate assistants; manage reference, instruction, exhibition, and office functions; support an inclusive, diverse, and collaborative work environment and service culture to advance the strategic direction of the University Libraries.
Minimum Education:
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university or equivalent in library science, history, or related area.
Preferred Education:
Advanced degree in library or archival science, history, or related area.
Minimum Experience:
Over one through three years of experience in archives, library or related area; supervisory and teaching or training experience.
Preferred Experience:
Experience with information technology applications in an archive and/or library environment, including imaging technology, digital databases, and metadata standards.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Provide research assistance and instructional services for students, faculty, staff, visiting scholars, and the general public; provide instruction in the use of archives and manuscript resources to students, faculty, staff, and community users.
- Assign and review work, orient and train student employee(s), and make recommendations as to interviewing and selection, performance appraisal, and discipline; areas of training and supervision for students and interns include archival processing, scanning, archival description and metadata creation, retrieval of resources for students and researchers, and assisting with preparation and installation of exhibits.
- Analyze, select, organize, and prepare archival, manuscript, photographic, audio, moving image, and other materials in Archives and Special Collections for digitization to make accessible in the University Libraries' digital repositories; research, create, and record descriptive data for materials to be digitized.
- Analyze, organize, describe, and preserve archives and manuscript collections in compliance with professional and national standards; create descriptive finding aids for archives, manuscripts, and other items in the special collections according to archival guidelines; develop and manage databases and web-based discovery tools for facilitating collection access.
- Manage Archives and Special Collections' administrative functions, including student, intern and graduate assistant scheduling, establishing, and supervising office workflows, analyzing data, conducting statistical analysis and preparing reports, and monitoring and ordering supplies.
- Plan, coordinate, curate, and implement exhibit program; including research, planning, and selection of materials, preparation of written text, design, installation, and promotion of exhibits; develop web-based exhibits for educational and promotional purposes.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
- Maintain regular and predictable attendance.
At Ball State University, we recognize inclusive excellence as an integral endeavor to fulfill our University’s mission and our strategic plan. We recruit, support, and retain a diverse population of students, faculty, and staff. We encourage and reward diversity of thought. We promote a work environment that encourages and rewards innovation and creativity. We pledge to keep Inclusive Excellence at the highest level of institutional importance and as a foundation in all that we strive to do. Our over-arching goal for Inclusive Excellence is to adopt a university-wide Inclusive Excellence approach to academic, administrative support, and service functions of the university. We believe Inclusive Excellence must be infused in every step we take.
