Job Description
Description Job: Full-Time, salaried, exempt, union
Supervisor: Director of Knowledge Management & Digital Assets
Union Minimum Rate: $58,500 annually
Overview The Museum Archivist will manage day-to-day oversight and operation of the Museum’s archival collections and records management program. ?Work Location: Milwaukee Art Museum Main Campus and Milwaukee Art Museum-Research Center located at 1201 N Prospect Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202
A critical member of the Knowledge Management team, the Museum Archivist is responsible for ensuring proper description and organization of assets that allow the staff and public to find and navigate 130-years of information about the Museum, artists, and the collection as a whole. The Museum Archivist reports to the Director of Knowledge Management and Digital Assets and works closely with them to shape the vision and focus of the research collections and to determine strategies to achieve them.
The Knowledge Management department focuses on the capture, cataloging, care, and circulation of the Milwaukee Art Museum’s rich archival and research holdings to facilitate a deeper understanding of the history of the Museum and its collections. Comprised of information and knowledge professionals, KM leverages technology to manage and deliver collective knowledge about art, art history, and the Museum—onsite and online—in support of research, connectivity, efficiency, creativity, and inspiration.
Job Highlights & Responsibilities - Lead cataloging and processing efforts, oversight, management, development and user-training associated with ArchivesSpace database.
- Lead the accession, preservation, arrangement, and description of both physical and digital archival materials in accordance with SAA standards and best practices.
- Coordinate and conduct historical research and develop and maintain service relationships with Museum departments.
- Respond to reference inquiries from staff, non-staff researchers, identify records appropriate for consultation, and facilitate research access.
- Develop and lead projects and collaborate with colleagues to preserve and make accessible analog and digital Museum records.
- Process and file records of the Museum, its related entities and other holdings and create and update finding aids and inventories.
- Work in tandem with the Knowledge Management team, including the Director of knowledge management and digital assets, and the digital asset manager, to help implement a record management program for the Museum, including creating retention/disposition schedules for active/inactive records from these departments.
- Educate Museum staff on archiving and records management procedures, services, policies, and objectives in support of the records management program.
- Present Museum archive collections and services to internal and external audiences.
- General upkeep of library stacks and reading room area at the Art Research Center. May include the processing and re-shelving of library books in accordance with ALA standards and best practices.
- Train and oversee volunteers and interns for Knowledge Management initiatives.?
- Other related duties.
Requirements Desired Qualifications - MS in Information/Library Science, or MA in History. Background in art history preferred.
- Demonstrated knowledge of Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS), Encoded Archival Description (EAD) and other professional standards
- 2-4 years’ experience of progressive responsibility in a library, archives or cultural/reference collections’ management organization.
- Knowledge of current archival and records management issues and trends, particularly in relation to born-digital records, digitization, and descriptive standards.
- Demonstrated experience working with born digital materials and electronic records
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Records management experience desired
Skills & Abilities - Understand and apply the principles of library science.?
- Knowledge and experience maintaining an art library and archival collections.
- Experience with resources and database searching in art, art history, and bibliography.?
- Proficiency in archives and library collection management systems. With a familiarity in ArchivesSpace and Destiny preferred.
- Knowledge of cataloging standards (MARC, AACR2/RDA, LCSH, and LCCN)
- Must be highly organized with strong attention to detail.?
- Effective oral and written communication skills.?
- Ability to cultivate relationships with colleagues, donors and vendors.?
- Excellent technical and interpersonal skills, including the ability to foster a collegial work environment that encourages change and innovation.?
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to be systematic, meticulous, patient, and a self-starter.
- Manage time efficiently, analyze and solve problems independently and if necessary, collaboratively.
- Able to be flexible and embrace change within this position due to departmental priorities.
- Able to work with a wide variety of people to achieve the Museum’s goals.
- Ability to be proactive, use independent judgment and initiative.
Physical Requirements - Sit up to six (6) hours per day
- Stand up to three (3) hours per day
- Lift up to 40 lbs.
- Talk and hear
- Close and distant vision
- Color vision
- Ability to adjust focus
- Books and other printed materials may be carried throughout the library and placed on or retrieved from the shelves
- Walk about the museum and campus offices
- Climb. (stairs/ladders)
The employee is regularly required to communicate professionally in person, over the telephone, through email and other electronic means, move about their work area, between buildings and the Museum campus grounds, handle various types of materials, and visually or otherwise identify, observe and assess.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Disclaimer The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all qualifications, responsibilities, duties and skills.
Benefits Summary The Milwaukee Art Museum offers a competitive compensation package including Health and Dental benefits, Vision Plan, Flex/Dependent Spending Account, Health Spending Account, Group Term Life and Voluntary Life Insurance, Short Term Disability, Pension Plan, Retirement Plan, Vacation, Personal Days and Holidays, Parking Discount, Museum Membership and Museum Discounts.
Milwaukee Art Museum is an EOE/M/W/Vets/Disability Employer. DEAI Statement The Milwaukee Art Museum is an equal opportunity employer. The Museum recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, and other protected status as required by applicable law.
We are committed to recruiting, developing, compensating, and retaining professional staff that reflect our community. We aspire to be a diverse workplace where talented people want to come, stay, and do their best work.
We stand committed to the work ahead, informed by our community, which we will support with our best thinking, our deepest empathy, and the courage to embody the convictions shared in our Strategic Direction.
Job Tags
Full time, Temporary work, Holiday work,