The Women's Committee Library and Archives Fellow

About the role

The Library and Archives Department seeks a Women’s Committee Library and Archives Fellow for a one-year term to support the department in two special projects that will improve access to and discoverability of important unprocessed collections focused on women and underrepresented groups.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Library in assessing its Artist Files by conducting an initial collection review and survey in accordance with established local collection development policies and workflows
• Conduct research on current and historical best practices for organizing Artist Files, including leading outreach to peer institutions on local workflows and description standards
• Learn to develop a project plan and criteria for weeding, migrating, and/or separating ephemera and related materials stored in the Artist Files, with an emphasis on improving access for local Philadelphia artists, women artists, and artists from historically underrepresented groups
• Draft documentation, including an inventory of the materials and descriptive metadata, such as Scope and Content
• Learn to use archival documentation systems by performing bulk import and entering related descriptive metadata
• Plan, coordinate, and lead a comprehensive tour of the Library and Archives’ holdings and services for the members of The Women’s Committee
• Present the work and accomplishments to the members of The Women’s Committee and at a professional organization conference, such as the Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA), Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC), or the Society of American Archivists (SAA), at the end of the term

Requirements

Your background and experience include:

• Enrolled full or part-time through at least Spring 2027 or recently graduated from a graduate program in Library and Information Science, Archives, or related fields
• Familiar with or experience in metadata work and processing, including describing and arranging archival collections and adhering to collection development policies
• Familiar with current archival and bibliographic metadata standards and authorities, including: DACS, ISAD(G), MARC21, RDA, AAT, ULAN, and Library of Congress authorities and classification, with an interest in advancing understanding and practical application of emerging metadata standards and technologies
• Knowledge of current metadata and archival practices, tools, and challenges
• Knowledge or experience using a collection management system for archival materials
• Strong attention to detail, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with experience in repetitive data entry-related work
• Able to organize workload and be comfortable working both independently and collaboratively
• Open-minded, curious, proactive, and creative thinker, particularly when applying theoretical knowledge to action and developing workarounds for projects without clear solutions

Qualifications

• Strong attention to detail, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with experience in repetitive data entry-related work
• Able to organize workload and be comfortable working both independently and collaboratively
• Open-minded, curious, proactive, and creative thinker, particularly when applying theoretical knowledge to action and developing workarounds for projects without clear solutions

Skills

• Strong attention to detail
• Analytical skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Attention to detail
• Organizational skills
• Curiosity
• Proactivity
• Creativity

Benefits

The salary for this position is $46,561. This position is Full-Time, Exempt, and 35 hours per week. This position is part of the AFSCME Local 397 bargaining unit. This position reports to Martha Hamilton Morris Archivist. This is a 1-year term position, ending October 2027.

Physical requirements:

• Able to remain stationary for extended periods of time
• To utilize computers and other office equipment required of this job
• To perform physically administrative duties in a typical interior office environment, gallery, or exhibit space
• To access most public and staff areas of the museum campus
• Able to lift objects, such as archival boxes, weighing up to 40lbs
• Comfortable working in an open floor plan workspace

Application timeline:

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis
• We encourage candidates to apply early as the position will close once we have a robust applicant pool or a candidate has been selected

What we offer:

• Free general admission to the museum for you and your immediate family
• Discounted guest tickets for admission
• Discounts on gift memberships
• Special staff tours and presentations from our curatorial and conservation teams
• Discounts at the museum restaurant, museum cafés, and museum retail and online stores

We offer a comprehensive benefits package for employees including:

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits
• Fully paid short-term disability insurance, long-term disability insurance, and life insurance
• Health savings or flexible spending account program
• Retirement savings program with museum match
• Paid vacation, personal days, sick days, and holidays