The UCLA Library seeks a highly collaborative and knowledgeable professional archivist to engage in processing and description of archival collections in Library Special Collections.

Position Duties

Reporting to the Team Leader for Processing and the Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT), the Processing Archivist has primary responsibility for processing activities, through thoughtful description and arrangement, and contributes to the department’s efforts to provide holistic stewardship for all collections throughout their life cycle.

Specific duties and responsibilities include:

• Processes new and existing archival collection materials in all formats using ArchivesSpace.
• Creates finding aids and archival description using ArchivesSpace.
• Collaborates with curators, public services staff, acquisitions team members, graduate students in the Center for Primary Research and Training and other archivists, as well as donors and researchers.
• Collaborates with the Digital Archivist to develop and implement policies and workflows for the description of born-digital materials.
• Applies and contributes to the ongoing development of efficient archival processing guidelines and procedures, including extensible processing principles.
• Utilizes DACS, EAD, EAC-CPF, RDA, LCSH, and MARC21 standards in archival description.
• Contributes to department and library-wide outreach and community engagement activities, such as instruction and presentations, reference services, and social media.
• Supports the CFRPT program and graduate students carrying out archival discovery and access projects.
• Collaborates with colleagues in Preservation and Conservation for long-term stewardship of archival materials.
• Makes professional contributions to activities related to archives and special collections at UCLA and at regional or national levels.
• Works independently and collaboratively to achieve goals set forth by the position.
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

Additionally, the successful candidate will be committed to engagement with and promotion of the UCLA Principles of Community and the True Bruin Values.

General Information

Professional librarians at UCLA are academic appointees. Librarians at UCLA are represented by an exclusive bargaining agent, University Council – American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT). This is a represented position. Represented librarians are entitled to appropriate professional leave, two days per month of vacation leave, one day per month of sick leave, and all other benefits bargained in the collective bargaining agreement. The University has an excellent retirement system and sponsors a variety of group health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans in addition to other benefits. Relocation assistance may be provided.
Appointees to the librarian series at UC shall have professional backgrounds that demonstrate a high degree of creativity, teamwork, and flexibility. Such background will normally include a professional degree from an ALA-accredited library and information science graduate program. In addition to professional competence and quality of service within the library in the primary job, advancement in the librarian series requires professional involvement and contributions outside of the library, and/or university and community service, and/or scholarly activities. Candidates must show evidence or promise of such contributions.

Description of Unit

Library Special Collections (LSC) builds and stewards special collections resources, services, and operations. The department consists of four teams: Curatorial; Processing/Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT); Collection Management (CM); and Public Services, Outreach, and Community Engagement (PSOCE).

• The Curatorial Team is responsible for collection development and acquisition of materials in support of research and teaching.

• The Processing/CFPRT makes collection material discoverable and accessible through ethical and iterative processing in a pedagogical model.

• The CM Team ensures responsible stewardship of collections through ethical accessioning, cataloging, and management of collections storage.

• The PSOCE Team integrates public-facing operations for LSC including reader services, reference services, instruction, programmatic events, and activities.

The entire LSC staff of approximately 30 FTE work together holistically to build, preserve, and provide access to the outstanding rare and unique holdings of the UCLA Library. LSC works closely with our colleagues within the Distinctive Collections portfolio to steward a range of international resources in support of UCLA’s mission for the betterment of our global society.

Description of Institution and Library

As one of the world's great public research universities, UCLA integrates education, research, and public service so that each enriches and extends the others. From its beautiful neighborhood campus in a uniquely diverse and vibrant city on the Pacific Rim, teaching and research extend beyond the classroom, office, and lab through active engagement with communities, organizations, projects, and partnerships throughout the region and around the world.

UCLA’s diverse community of scholars encompasses nearly 30,000 undergraduates pursuing 125 majors, 13,000 graduate students in fifty-nine research programs, and 4,000 faculty members including Nobel Laureates; Rhodes Scholars; MacArthur Fellows; winners of the Fields Medal, National Medal of Science, Pritzker Prize, and Pulitzer Prize; and recipients of Oscars, Emmys, Tonys, and Golden Globes. UCLA ranks tenth in the Times of London Higher Education World Reputation Rankings, twelfth in the Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and fifth in the U.S. by Washington Monthly. The National Research Council ranks forty of its graduate and doctoral research programs among its top ten.

To enable our accomplished students, faculty, and staff to create, disseminate, and apply knowledge for the benefit of global society, the UCLA Library is re-envisioning how it acquires, synthesizes, and shares knowledge and information across academic audiences and with the public. The services and expertise we provide via our collections connect users to their learning needs, their research, or their creative efforts. We do this by ensuring discoverability; engaging in curricular support and advancing information literacy for our students; by offering scaled support asynchronously, through online training modules, and research support. We offer targeted services for our graduate and undergraduate students trying to solve a problem, understand a system, or learning how to use a new tool to responsibly manage and explore data. We develop public programming, exhibitions, curated experiences, and other engagement opportunities to connect our unique collections, cultural materials, research resources, and services with the campus and greater LA communities fostering discovery, dialogue, and access to collections for visitors, researchers and lifelong learners alike.

The Library serves UCLA students, faculty, and staff whenever and wherever they need its resources and expertise. Reconfigured, high-tech spaces and services in its ten campus libraries enable users and librarians to explore and work with print and digital materials collaboratively or individually, pursue new lines of inquiry, and develop new pedagogical approaches as well as novel forms of scholarship. More than 3.5 million people visit annually, while an additional 3.4 million visitors enter online through its virtual front doors.

Whether on campus or online, the Library forms the intellectual heart of UCLA, a hub for cutting-edge discovery, scholarship, and instruction.

Under federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally authorized to work in the United States as established by providing documents specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Employment is contingent upon completion of satisfactory background investigation.

• ALA-accredited Master’s Degree in Library or Information Science required at the time of hire; OR Master’s degree (or other advanced degree) in Information Sciences or related field at the time of hire and work experience in a library setting.

• Experience in archival processing, arrangement, and description.

• Experience applying efficient processing techniques, in arranging, describing, and preserving archival collections and preparing finding aids for collections of varying size, condition, content, and complexity.

• Knowledge of archival principles, responsible collection stewardship, as well as best practices for efficient processing and archival description.

• Experience managing metadata for archival collections, including data standardization, remediation, and repurposing metadata for reuse, as well as an understanding of metadata mapping.

• Experience with or interest in expanding knowledge of ArchivesSpace, Airtable, or other archival information management systems.

Applicants who possess the above required qualifications are strongly encouraged to apply and will be considered fully qualified. Applicants with all the above required qualifications and any of the following preferred qualifications or professional experiences are also encouraged to apply, however, the desired qualifications below are not required:

• Knowledge, understanding, and desire to engage with current developments, trends, and technologies in special collections.

• Ability to stay abreast of privacy, confidentiality, copyright, and related policies associated with acquisition, access, and use of archives and special collections materials.

• Knowledge of archival processing theory and approaches for manuscripts and archives.

• Experience in communicating effectively with diverse communities and donors.
  Experience with scheduling, project planning, management, completion, and project assessment.

• Ability to balance competing priorities and work under tight deadlines.

• Strong research, project management, interpersonal, and oral and written communication skills.

• Ability to work independently and be self-motivated.

• Experience working in a highly collaborative team-based environment.

• Ability to work creatively, collaboratively, and effectively and to promote teamwork, diversity, equality, and inclusiveness for the LSC accessioning program and within UCLA Libraries and the campus

• Familiarity with the Guidelines for Efficient Archival Processing in the University of California Libraries, OCLC’s Total Cost of Stewardship toolkit, and other models that promote ethical and iterative approaches to description and access.

• Demonstrated experience in archival processing in a variety of formats.

• Experience with XML editing tools.

• Experience providing reference to special collections users.

• Knowledge of a language other than English.

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V. detailing education and relevant experience.

• Cover Letter - A cover letter reflecting on your personal and professional experiences, highlighting your past contributions and future commitments to advancing the UCLA Library strategic directions and organizational values and the UCLA mission and strategic plan, among which are ensuring opportunity for all students and fostering an inclusive community where everyone experiences a sense of belonging. These accomplishments and ambitions should be discussed in the context of describing your experience and qualifications for the position for which you are applying.

• Reference check authorization release form - Complete and upload the reference check authorization release form

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment