Processing Archivist

Job Posting: Processing Archivist at the Jewish Public Library Archives, Montreal

Organization: Jewish Public Library of Montreal
Category: Full time
Duration: Contract for 8 months, with possibility of extension
Start date: May 1st, 2024.

1. Background – Jewish Public Library Archives (jplarchives.org)
The Jewish Public Library (JPL) was founded in 1914. It is the largest public lending library of Judaica in North America. Both a research and lending library, it is home to the JPL Archives which houses manuscripts, photographs, and time-based media from the fonds of journalists, artists, and intellectuals dating back from the turn of the century from Montreal’s Jewish community.

2. Job Description
The Processing Archivist position is a full-time position. Under the guidance and supervision of the Director of Archives, the Processing Archivist arranges and describes fonds in the Archives. As part of a dynamic team, this position will also digitize and make accessible content, and advise the Reference Archivist on arranging and describing materials, in order to increase access to our archival collections. The position offers the opportunity to apply research, appraisal and organizational skills and be part of a team that is working on increasing digital access, which forms part of the JPL’s Digital Transformation Initiative.

3. Responsibilities
-Apply archival principles and standards in the areas of appraisal, arrangement and description following the standards laid out in Rules for Archival Description
-Maintain inventory and database accuracy
-Create and maintain digital assets
-Keep processing statistics and prepare reports
-Assist the Director of Archives in additional archival functions as needed, in the domains of appraisal, collections management and storage
-Alongside the Director or other team members, train and supervise practicum students
-Collaborate with the Outreach Team in the curation of exhibitions using newly processed archival content
-Collaborate with the Outreach Team in the creation of social media posts

4. Qualifications
-Master’s degree in library, archival, and/or information studies from an ALA-accredited institution OR a graduate degree in a similar area such as museum studies or history with accompanying experience in archival work
-Experience processing archival fonds following the standards laid out in Rules for Archival Description
-Records management experience
-Bilingual English and French an asset
-Knowledge of Yiddish and/or Hebrew an asset
-Knowledge of Montreal Jewish community and its history an asset.
-Strong written and oral communication skills

5. Salary
Salary commensurate with industry standards and experience of candidate

6. Application process
Please submit a cover letter and CV as one document, to Maya.Pasternak (a) JPLMontreal.org.
Please name the document following the convention ProcessingArchivist_FirstLastName.
Deadline to apply: April 1, 2024.

The Jewish Public Library thanks all interested candidates, however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.