Librarian / Archivist

About the role

We are seeking a part-time Librarian/Archivist to steward a small but genuine field of scholarship centered on Kapp & Peterson, our Dublin pipe factory with a history stretching back more than 160 years. The role involves preserving, organizing, and making accessible a scattered collection of out-of-print books, trade catalogs, magazines, and company records that exist in only a few places worldwide. You will serve as the reference desk for internal teams, journalists, authors, and researchers who rely on this archive for accurate information.

Responsibilities

• Catalog and preserve the physical collection (approximately 300–500 books and magazines, plus a Peterson-focused archive of research value) in TinyCat, a public LibraryThing-hosted catalog.
• Design a digital taxonomy from scratch for digital assets in Google Drive using Workspace Labels (dropdowns, dates, people fields).
• Serve as the primary reference resource for internal teams and occasional external parties, including press, industry researchers, and enthusiasts.
• Tag new assets and maintain the taxonomy to keep the collection organized and searchable.

What you’ll thrive here if

• You see a pile of old books and trade catalogs not as clutter, but as a record worth preserving and a system waiting to be built.
• You have a mind trained to organize and preserve knowledge and want a project that leverages that expertise.
• You take satisfaction in creating order and retrieval systems that make a collection usable, not just stored.
• You can design a taxonomy that others understand, not just one that makes sense to you.
• You enjoy being the person people turn to for answers, even when they only half-remember what they’re looking for.
• You work independently but treat the reference desk as a service, not a back-room task.

What you’ll bring

• Hands-on cataloging experience and comfort learning a SaaS catalog like TinyCat/LibraryThing.
• The judgment to design a metadata taxonomy from scratch.
• Comfort working in Google Workspace, especially Drive and its Labels feature.
• A public-service instinct: you enjoy helping people find things and are patient with vague requests.
• An appreciation for preservation for its own sake—understanding why a complete run of a defunct magazine matters even when no one has asked for it yet.
• Curiosity about pipes, cigars, or other “deep hobby” worlds where minutiae matter.
• On-site availability in the Grand Strand area, a valid driver’s license, and the ability to pass a criminal background check.

Hours

Initially, the role may require up to 28 hours per week during the taxonomy development and indexing phase, largely at your discretion. After the initial ramp-up, the scope settles to approximately 16 hours per week in four-hour blocks, focusing on reference requests, external inquiries, and maintaining the taxonomy. This part-time commitment leaves room in your week while providing a meaningful project.

Compensation

$40/hour, above the regional library average, reflecting the specialized, dual-domain (physical and digital) nature of the work.

You can expect a collection worth preserving, real autonomy over how it’s organized, and the rare opportunity to build an archive the right way from the start.

The culture is passionate: a group of “Laudisians” who value the products, the customers, and working with people who genuinely care.

Note: The work environment involves tobacco and smoke; many team members are enthusiasts. You will sometimes be in or near smoking areas, so comfort with that environment is necessary.