Reference and Backlog Archivist
Queen's University Archives

Location: Kingston, Ontario
Compensation: $63,248/year (General Archivist Floor)

Queen's University Library consistently receives top marks as a medium-sized university library.  It comprises six libraries and several cross-library divisions supporting the university's academic mission, and is known for its dedicated staff, strong research collections and superb facilities.  As part of the library, Queen's University Archives undertakes its activities to manage, preserve, conserve, and make accessible the information assets of the University; to maintain an authentic record of the programs, people, and operations of the University; to provide archival management and conservation for culturally significant records of external organizations and individuals in support of the teaching, research, service, and administration interests of Queen's University.

Within its mission, the Archives has acquired and built over the years an impressive archival collection of private records of national, provincial, and regional significance, as well as substantial institutional records making the unit unique among university archives in Canada. As a cultural resource, measured in terms of breadth, depth, and richness of information, as well as monetary value, the holdings are important and significant.  As part of the Queen's University Library, collections are supported by a technological infrastructure that includes the archives database (Access to Memory), web archiving (Archive-It), an online transcription service (FromThePage), a digital preservation system (Permafrost/Archivematica), and digital asset management system (Islandora 8). Located at Kathleen Ryan Hall, the staff of four Archivists, a Conservator, and three technicians play a vital role in supporting the university's academic mission across all disciplines and the needs of the communities it serves, providing reference and research support for students, faculty, and community members.   

Description and Duties    

Reporting to the University Archivist and Associate University Librarian, the Archivist works as part of a team of archivists and archives staff in a collegial environment to contribute to the planning, organizing, initiating, coordinating and executing  the public services functions of the University Archives; to ensure that the institutional archival record of Queen's University is acquired, preserved, and made available; and to take part in private records acquisition and processing functions according to professional practice and prevailing standards, and subject to relevant policies and procedures.   

This role will focus primarily on support for reference services and the reduction of archival backlog in both University records and private manuscripts. Position requires knowledge of all aspects of archival science, the administration of archives, methodologies for intellectual and physical control, knowledge of the delivery of archival public services and an understanding of the context in which records are created, as well as the necessity of handling sensitive and confidential information.  
The University Archives comprises over 10 km of unique print records, two million photographs, tens of thousands of architectural plans and drawings, and thousands of sound recordings and moving images. It is unique in Canada in that it also serves as municipal and regional archives for the City of Kingston and the County of Frontenac. The regionally, nationally, and internationally significant print, photographic, audio-visual, and digital resources held by the Archives means that the position plays a key role in supporting Queen's University faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students in addition to external scholars and community users.

Within the context of the Queen's University Library's system-wide goals and priorities, the position's responsibilities and duties include but are not limited to:

• Supports the public service program, policies, and procedures by: Helping to coordinate Reference Area and Reading Room facilities, services, and support staff; helping to coordinate daily reference services, by maintaining and participating in the monthly reference roster for approximately 50% overall roster time; Participating in programs and outreach activities, both virtual and in-person, including reference work, tours, orientation, exhibitions, and information literacy training with archives; Participating in the enquiries management system and answers reference enquiries; Logging public service statistics, including frequency of use for collections. 
• Works as part of a team to address the backlog in University records and private records by: Appraising, selecting, arranging, describing records; creating finding aids based on accepted principles, standards, and methodology of archival science; Monitoring access restrictions on new and existing archival collections and advising staff on status of restrictions.
• Consulting with the Conservator as needed to ensure that proper care and handling procedures are incorporated into all public service and processing functions.
• Maintains public services and records-based content for the web site.
• Undertakes or assists with special projects or other temporary assignments, as required.
• Contributes to a culture in the library where diversity, equity and inclusion are valued and recognized. Contributes to open and welcoming spaces, collections and experiences for faculty, staff, students, and visitors.
• Participates in academic and/or professional development, and service to the university, profession, or community, as outlined in the Queen's University - QUFA collective agreement

Required Qualifications:

• ALA accredited MAS or MISt/MLIS or equivalent with archives courses in reference services, arrangement and description, digital library or archives technologies, and metadata standards.
• Coursework in and/ or experience with a variety of computer-based information systems, especially integrated archives systems, particularly those capable of multi-level archival cataloguing (e.g., Access to Memory [AtoM], DB/Textworks, etc.).
• Strong service philosophy and a commitment to effective user experience.
• Demonstrated high degree of computer literacy.  
• Excellent interpersonal communication and organizational skills required.
• Demonstrated research and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated ability to present to groups.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and/or experience serving diverse populations of users.
• Demonstrated leadership, oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of team.
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of digitization procedures, standards, and systems.
• Experience working in archives.
• Experience with records analysis, appraisal and selection, and arrangement and description.
• Experience with contemporary and emerging digital library and archive technologies,  and metadata standards.

Academic staff at Queen's University are governed by a Collective Agreement between the University and the Queen's University Faculty Association (QUFA), which is posted at http://queensu.ca/facultyrelations/faculty-librarians-and-archivists/collective-agreement and at http://www.qufa.ca.

How to Apply    

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen's is strongly committed to employment equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and encourages applications from Black, racialized/visible minority and Indigenous/Aboriginal people, women, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQ+ persons. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.  
To comply with federal laws, the University is obliged to gather statistical information as to how many applicants for each job vacancy are Canadian citizens / permanent residents of Canada.

Applicants need not identify their country of origin or citizenship; however, all applications must include in the cover letter one of the following statements: "I am a Canadian citizen / permanent resident of Canada"; OR "I am not a Canadian citizen / permanent resident of Canada". Applications that do not include this information will be deemed incomplete.
Applicants are asked to send an application package electronically as a single PDF in confidence to the Appointments Committee at library.hr@queensu.ca. 

A complete application consists of:  

• a cover letter (including one of the two statements regarding Canadian citizenship / permanent resident status specified in the previous paragraph) 
• a current curriculum vitae 
• names of three referees, one of whom must have been in a supervisor role 

We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those selected for an interview by the Appointments Committee will be contacted. 

The University will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant's accessibility needs.  If you require accommodation during the interview process, please contact Samira Dean, Human Resource Manager at samira.dean@queensu.ca

Application Webpage (URL): https://library.queensu.ca/about-us/careers

Application Deadline:  16 May 2022