Description

ABOUT US

The Oregon Historical Society is dedicated to making Oregon’s long, rich history visible and accessible to all. For more than a century, the Oregon Historical Society (OHS) has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms, educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and rich as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view.

The OHS Research Library is committed to providing broad access to its collections for teaching, learning, and research, both onsite in our newly renovated downtown Portland library and online through robust digital collections and digital history websites. The library holds the largest collection of archival and published materials relating to the history of Oregon, including the historical regions of the Oregon Country and the Oregon Territory. Our collections serve as a foundation for scholars, teachers, students, and the general public to research and reflect on our state and regional history. The resources and staff of the OHS Research Library play a significant role in fulfilling OHS’s mission to “preserve our state's history and make it accessible to everyone in ways that advance knowledge and inspire curiosity about all the people, places, and events that have shaped Oregon.”

The Oregon Historical Society practices and promotes inclusiveness. We honor the diverse strengths, needs, voices, and backgrounds of all members of our community and are committed to the equitable treatment of all people and the elimination of discrimination in all its forms. We are committed to building a diverse workforce and strongly encourage applications from diverse candidates.

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

Health insurance (medical, vision, alternative care, prescription)
Dental insurance
Generous paid time off
4% matching 401(k) retirement plan
Flexible spending accounts
Long-term disability insurance
Life insurance
Employee assistance program
Museum admission and lectures, programs and gift shop discounts

How To Apply

Submit the following required materials at: https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/All/

Cover letter addressing how your personal and professional skills and experiences have prepared you for this position.
Resume

Application review begins August 20, 2024; position remains open until filled.

Employment is contingent on passing a background check.

Summary

The Architecture & Design Librarian is a project position currently funded for two years.

Provides care, management, and access to the Oregon Historical Society (OHS) research library’s holdings of over 350 archival collections of architecture, engineering, landscape, and design (AELAD) records of regional, national, and international significance.

Leads and executes a two-year project to rehouse, arrange, and describe high priority collections; develops and refines related workflows, best practices, and procedural documentation for AELAD program; promotes collection while nurturing new relationships with the stake holding community.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Assesses, arranges, describes, catalogs, preserves, and provides public access to high priority AELAD records in a variety of paper formats in accordance with established archival procedures and library best practices.
Creates a framework and model for the intellectual and physical control of AELAD records across library storage spaces by developing and monitoring storage, procedures, and workflows; provides input on all aspects of AELAD records program as needed; cooperates with other collections area staff to maintain consistency across collection format areas.
Provides expertise on AELAD records format identification, collections care and preservation needs, arrangement and descriptive norms, and topical knowledge on Oregon architecture and design.
Performs outreach to promote OHS’s research library’s architecture and design records; cultivates connections with Oregon’s architecture and design community to gather input, foster support, and promote collection development.

Job Duties

Develops plan, workflow, and basic tool(s) for a focused AELAD records survey. Surveys AELAD records and may supervise others in doing do. Assesses and reports on preservation, arrangement and descriptive needs and recommended actions for high priority AELAD collections and their storage spaces and makes recommendations for project planning in AELAD collections areas.
Correctly identifies AELAD record formats, media, and carriers, and determines appropriate care, housing, and storage; provides input on AELAD format identification, care, housing and storage needs through best practices documentation. Plans and executes collection shifts and rehousing projects; makes recommendations for future shifting and rehousing projects to mitigate preservation risks.
Arranges and describes, and/or revises previous such work, for high priority AELAD records; creates templates, standard series, or models for future processing of AELAD records. Advises other collections staff on processing and handling AELAD records within mixed collections. Performs archival appraisal within selected AELAD collections, proposes and executes weeding and/or sampling of non-archival formats as needed.
Draws on format and subject knowledge to recommend library collecting priorities for AELAD records. Works directly with potential donors and vendors to gather information about specific acquisitions, as assigned by Deputy Library Director for Collections or Library Director. Provides expertise on collecting needs and makes recommendations on specific acquisitions. Provides accurate and complete information for the accession process.
Develops, recommends, coordinates, and documents procedures, standards, workflows, and reporting for arranging, describing, and preserving AELAD collections according to professional standards and best practices and in alignment with OHS library practices. Recommends policies for approval by Deputy Library Director for Collections and Library Director.
Identifies, researches, and recommends drawings or other items within AELAD records for future digitization to the library’s Digital Collections unit for public access via OHS Digital Collections and for other institutional projects. Performs provenance and copyright research as needed for image use and reproduction including for OHS internal purposes and external uses. Provides information for metadata production, and contextual information for other purposes, as needed.
Increases visibility of the library’s architecture and design records through public programming, publications, and by contributing to OHS social media, blog, e-newsletter, and other approved marketing efforts.
Responds to reference inquiries and conducts research in AELAD and related collections as needed.
Represents the Society in professional organizations and at community events related to architecture and design records collections.
Makes presentations at professional conferences, programs, and other public venues related to historical architecture and design records and content, as needed.
Participates in professional development activities to maintain knowledge of current library practices, trends, and developments, and historical scholarship. Internally communicates new developments and trends affecting the library’s work.
Guided by OHS’s mission in daily work and aspires to enact the Society’s values of integrity, invitation, equity and inclusion, cultural humility, accessibility, and learning. Adheres to OHS policies and professional standards of the American Library Association and Society of American Archivists.
Reports progress to Deputy Library Director for Collections and Library Director on a monthly and as-needed basis.
Maintains punctual, regular, and predictable attendance.
Works collaboratively in a team environment with a spirit of cooperation
Displays excellent communication skills including presentation, persuasion, and negotiation skills required in working with customers and/or coworkers and including the ability to communicate effectively and remain calm and courteous under pressure.
Respectfully takes direction from manager.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position may be responsible for overseeing the work of one temporary worker dedicated to architecture and design records for a portion of the project.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

Ability to perform essential job duties with or without reasonable accommodation and without posing a direct threat to the safety or health of employee or others. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION And/or EXPERIENCE

A master’s degree in library information science or related field, or equivalent academic training and/or experience. At least 5 years' experience working with archival collections in an archives or research library setting, including 2 years providing arrangement and description for architecture and design records (volunteer, intern, and student work experience are applicable). Technical training and expertise in metadata creation and library preservation is also required.

Demonstrated experience processing, cataloging, describing, and preserving archival collections, especially AELAD records.
Experience applying established standards and protocols for arrangement, description, and preservation of AELAD materials;

including standards established by the Library of Congress, Society of American Archivists, Getty Art and Architecture Thesaurus, and other relevant authorities.

Knowledge of current principles and methods of professional archival preservation, and special collections library procedures.
Knowledge of the processes and creation contexts for various formats, media, carriers and iterations of AELAD records, and their differing preservation risks, storage needs, and research values for archival retention.
Awareness of intellectual property rights, copyright, rights management, patron and donor privacy, and other legal issues as they apply to archives and libraries.
Working knowledge of MARC cataloging, RDA, Encoded Archival Description (EAD); Describing Archives: a content standard (DACS), Dublin Core (DC), and other metadata standards. Experience with large databases and online systems, including library catalogs and collection management systems.
Proficiency with managing and manipulating data in Excel or similar spreadsheet tools.
Experience working with researchers and conducting research in a library setting.
Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills in an environment requiring attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.
Ability to work within deadlines and without close supervision.

Preferred Skills

Knowledge of United States and Pacific Northwest history.
Knowledge of North American architecture, design, or art.
Experience supervising staff, interns, and/or volunteers.
Experience using ArchivesSpace collection management system.

Language Skills

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers and/or peers.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Computer Skills

Position requires specialized computer skills. Must be adept at using various applications including specialized database, photo editing, spreadsheet, report writing, project management, graphics, word processing, scheduling software and communication by e-mail. Has advanced computer job skills including creating presentations, creating and downloading forms, preserving/backup important data, and. Strong facility with online searching techniques and resources.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical Instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Valid driver's license.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable Individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feet; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds unassisted and climb or balance. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

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.

The noise level in the work environment ls usually quiet. This position occasionally requires the employee to work near moving mechanical parts. This position requires extended work hours at busy times of the year. Must be willing and able to work a flex schedule to meet the demands of the position. This position is assigned to work primarily at the OHS Gresham Support Facility {GSF), with occasional work at the OHS facility in downtown Portland. Must be able to work in a confined space shared with other workers and/or volunteers. May be required to work with potentially hazardous materials such as historical collections containing dust and mold.

COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT

The OHS has adopted a policy where all employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Employees may request an exception from vaccination because of a disability or sincerely held religious beliefs from the HR Department.

Oregon Historical Society

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