YCW Archives Intern
Mount Saint Vincent University

Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Compensation: $23.00 plus benefits

About the Mount:

Inspired by a strong tradition of social responsibility and an enduring commitment to the advancement of women, Mount Saint Vincent University promotes academic excellence and the pursuit of knowledge through scholarship and teaching of the highest quality. Mount Saint Vincent University is committed to recruiting exceptional and diverse scholars and teachers. Recognized as a leader in flexible education, applied research, and a personalized approach to education, the Mount is located on Canada's east coast in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Visit ww.msvu.ca to explore more.

Description and Duties    

The Mount Library seeks a candidate to fill a full-time, 4-month, term position as an Archives Intern. Reporting to the university's Archivist and working closely with the team at the University Library and Archives, the principle responsibilities of the position will focus on processing four archival fonds: Betty Peterson fonds, Mount Saint Vincent University artifact collection, Nova Scotia Women's History Society fonds and the Mount Saint Vincent University architectural collection. Tasks will mainly include arrangement and description of archival records, with the opportunity to exercise skills in the other core archival functions, including acquisition, appraisal, preservation and access. The Intern will make selected archival fonds more accessible by developing finding aids and educational information resources.

The Archives Intern will be required to inventory the contents of each fonds into file lists and arrange records into series. Descriptions of fonds will be compiled into detailed finding aids according to RAD standards which will be uploaded to the Archival Collections Database which uses Access to Memory (AtoM) open source software.

More about the collections:

Betty Peterson fonds

Betty Peterson was a peace activist who was dedicated to numerous social justice causes. She donated her collection of activist posters and buttons to MSVU Archives which document her involvement in many protests and causes. The collection will provide the intern the opportunity to arrange and describe a significant collection of graphic material.

Mount Saint Vincent University artifact collection

The MSVU Archives contains a collection of various artifacts related to the history of the university. The collection draws on a rich history of feminist education in Nova Scotia and documents the student life at the Mount. The material is predominantly from before 1970, a time when the Mount student body was still predominantly female. Of particular interest are original aluminum plates used in the publication of student newspapers, as well as original seals and stamps used by the University Registrar. The Intern will gain hands-on experience working with archival objects and expand on their unique preservation and description requirements.

Mount Saint Vincent University architectural collection

The MSVU Archives is also home to original architectural plans that document the changing landscape of the campus. The collection will provide the intern the opportunity to arrange and describe architectural drawings. Some preservation duties, including possible rehousing of material, may be included in the processing of this collection.

Nova Scotia Women's History Society fonds

The Nova Scotia Women's History Society promotes the research and education of women's relevance and contributions to the history of Nova Scotia. Recently, they have selected MSVU as the repository of its permanent records. Notably, records include documents relating to the planning and installation of the monument The Volunteers/Les Bénévoles which honours the work of thousands of women who volunteered during wartime and is an important feature on the Halifax waterfront. The Archives Intern will have the unique opportunity of accessioning this collection to the MSVU Archives.

The Archives Intern will gain experience in a university archive setting by participating in all areas of day-to-day operations. While archival arrangement and description comprises the bulk of the project, the Intern will also have the opportunity to assist in digitization of selected records, contribute ideas to archival procedures and workflows, participate in and organize outreach activities, conduct preventative conservation on records and assist in reference room duties.

Qualifications    

The following skills are required of the position:

• MLIS degree or equivalent educational background;
• familiarity with RAD archival standards;
• familiarity with archival collections databases, preferably AtoM;
• familiarity with handling (or willingness to learn) a variety of archival materials including architectural plans, graphic material, textual records, objects
• knowledge of best practices for archival preservation
• a knowledge of, and/or an appreciation for local history;
• demonstrated research skills;
• good computer skills (Word, Excel, Access; strong typing ability);
• strong oral and written communication skills; and
• traits that include being organized, responsible, reliable, and detail-oriented.

The applicant must be:

• a recent graduate who has graduated with an MLIS (or equivalent) within the last 24 months at the start of employment;
• legally entitled to work in Canada;
• a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, or have refugee status in Canada;
• be between 16 and 30 years of age at the start of employment;
• registered with Young Canada Works (young-canada-works.canada.ca);
• willing to commit to the full duration of the work assignment; and
• not employed in another full-time job (over 30 hours a week) while employed in this position.

Additional Information   

• Job duration: 4 months (35 hrs per week)
• Rate of pay: $23.00/hr (plus benefits)
• Start date: October 15, 2023
• End date: March 3, 2024

Mount Saint Vincent University is committed to the principles of employment equity and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates including women, aboriginal persons, visible minorities and persons with disabilities. Candidates who identify as being from one of these groups are encouraged to voluntarily self-identify in their application materials.
 
Applications should include a covering letter of application, a current resumé, and the names and contact information of two references. Please send applications by email no later than August 21, 2023 to:

• Alina Ruiz, Archivist
• Mount Saint Vincent University Library
• alina.ruiz@msvu.ca

Application Deadline: August 21, 2023