Archivist – Hennepin History Museum

Organizational Background: Hennepin History Museum’s mission is to collect, preserve, and share Hennepin County history to educate, enlighten, and inspire. Today, our historic mansion is home to three exhibition galleries, a multi-use grand salon used for programs such as
presentations and performances, a reading room, archives, and object collections storage. In recognition that Hennepin County’s past, present, and future have been and will be shaped by people from all backgrounds, our organization lives into the values of inclusive, innovative, intimate, relevant, and responsible for stewarding all that is entrusted to us. Our tagline is “Your History. Your Museum,” and we consider it essential that all Hennepin County residents find their history reflected in our programming, exhibitions, and collections.

Job Title: Archivist
Hours: 32 hours/week Tuesday through Saturday; Core hours: 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Occasional evenings and weekends required

Position Summary: The Museum Archivist is responsible for the Museum’s archival collection and library holdings. The Archivist is responsible for ensuring the collection are properly processed, stored and preserved based on current archival standards. The Archivist must work with patrons to provide assistances with research requests within a timely and a professional manner. Additionally, the Archivist must with work with volunteers and other staff to help maintain and develop the Archives, so they meet established collection policies and procedures. In 2019, the Archivist will also oversee the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grant-funded Archival Collection Arrangement and Description project, including hiring and overseeing 2 – 3 Processing Archivists in accordance with the grant agreement.

General Expectations
• Adheres to museum’s policies and procedures
• Performs duties as workload necessitates
• Maintains a positive and respectful attitude
• Communicates regularly with supervisor and other staff as needed
• Demonstrates flexible and efficient time management and ability to prioritize workload
• Consistently reports to work on time prepared to perform duties of position
• Supports and follows the museum’s agreed-up values

Main Responsibilities
1. Arrange, describe, and record new and existing collections.
2. Add existing and new collections into electronic database and that the database is maintained.
3. Stabilize deteriorating materials, protect the collections from new damage, slow the natural deterioration of materials using accepted and established archival standards.
4. Provide guidance and research assistance to patrons visiting the Reading Room.
5. Respond to inquiries received from patrons via telephone, email and research request forms.
6. Train and supervise volunteers on various archival related projects.
7. Train staff and the public on the care of and access to archival materials.
8. Assist in the development and enhancement of museum exhibits with archival items, as requested.
9. Advise other history groups and organizations on archival practices and collections, as requested.
10. Attend workshops and classes on preservation and conservation of library and archival collections.
11. Represent HHM and its collections to professional organizations, public agencies, other historical societies, museums, and other organizations, as requested.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Knowledge on professional standards established by the Society of American Archivist and International Council of Archives
• Knowledge of professional best practices and norms, including both legal and ethical guidelines related to archives
• Knowledge on how to handle and maintain archival material
• Management/leadership: the ability to manage people, time, and resources.
• Ability to work under pressure and short deadlines
• Experience with grant writing and managing grants
• Interpersonal skills: ability to communicate effectively via writing, in person, and by phone, with a variety of stakeholders, including visitors, colleagues, volunteers, interns, donors, board members, community members, and others in the field.
• Cultural awareness: understanding and awareness of the diversity of people who have called Hennepin County home over the years, and an ability to ensure that this diversity is included within the archival collections
• Ability to lift boxes and other objects up to 40lbs
• Ability to work in sometimes dusty and dirty conditions

Desired Qualifications: Master’s in Library and Information Science with additional training in archives. Prior experience working in archival or library setting is beneficial. Knowledge and interest history and some awareness of local and Hennepin County history is beneficial.
Knowledge using Word, Excel, Access, Past Perfect, Archival Systems or other archival specific databases.

Application Process: Please submit a cover letter and resume by 5 p.m. on January 18, 2019 to the Hennepin History Museum, Attn: Archivist Hiring Committee, 2303 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404, or via email to [email protected] with “Archivist Position” in the subject line. For further information, questions can be directed to Cara Letofsky, Interim Director, at [email protected]