Instruction Assistant, Special Collections, Research Services

Tracking Code 26501024160720 · Posted 7/24/2026 · Full-Time/Regular · Grant-funded 3-year position

About the role

The Boston University Libraries seek an Archives Instruction Assistant for a 3-year grant-funded instruction program in the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center. This position supports undergraduate class visits, research initiatives, and the creation of learning resources focused on increasing student engagement with the archives of select civil and human rights leaders at BU.

Reporting to the Research and Instruction Archivists, the assistant will manage logistics of class visits, coordinate with faculty and students, and help develop instructional materials. Occasional evening and weekend availability may be required.

Responsibilities

• Assist Research and Instruction Archivists with planning, preparation, and hosting of undergraduate class visits to the archives.
• Provide day-of support for instruction sessions with faculty, including moving and tracking material to and from collection storage (may occur outside of standard operational hours, 8 AM–5 PM).
• Support research by identifying materials in collections for teaching and learning contexts, assisting faculty with class assignments, and performing light collection description.
• Collaborate with Instruction Archivists to create and maintain Learning Resources Repository objects (e.g., worksheets, videos, tutorials) for future classroom use.
• Manage logistics of class visits, including coordinating bookings, scheduling, collections requests, and room setup.
• Help faculty and students navigate collections and reading room policies.
• Assist with instruction assessment and track class visits and trends to inform program development.
• Work with graduate research assistants, faculty, and research teams to identify collection materials aligned with course objectives.
• Use finding aids and research guides to identify relevant materials and maintain topical resource lists for future classes.
• Ensure instructional materials are discoverable across course management systems, websites, and other platforms.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• One to three years of relevant experience.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

Pay

Salary Grade: Grade 25 · Expected Hiring Range: $21.63–$25.51 per hour. The salary of the finalist selected will be set based on factors including departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, training, and internal pay comparison.

About the workplace

Boston University Libraries is a learning organization that supports librarians, archivists, and information specialists in advancing library collections, services, and professional development. In a collaborative and engaging environment, staff assist multidisciplinary research, build distinctive collections of enduring value, and empower users in a dynamic information landscape.

The Libraries are active members of regional and national networks, including the Boston Library Consortium (BLC), Association of Research Libraries (ARL), Northeast Research Libraries Consortium (NERL), HathiTrust, and Coalition for Networked Information (CNI). BU Libraries staff serve as thought-leaders in diverse library management and service areas.