UNH Library Processing Archivist, Contract Librarian

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The University of New Hampshire (UNH) Library invites applications for a three-year contract librarian position with possibility for renewal as a Processing Archivist at a nationally recognized R1 public research university. This position will arrange, describe, and preserve archival collections to support their long-term accessibility for researchers, students, and the broader scholarly community.

Early-career professionals are encouraged to apply.

The Processing Archivist will work collaboratively with colleagues in Special Collections and Archives to process incoming and backlog collections, create finding aids and other descriptive records, and contribute to collection management, reference, instruction, acquisition, and appraisal activities as needed.

UNH offers a collaborative and welcoming environment, with the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on an academic research library’s collections with statewide significance and national reach.

Job Description Summary:

The Processing Archivist is responsible for arranging, describing, and preserving archival collections to ensure long-term accessibility for researchers, students, and the broader scholarly community of New Hampshire and beyond. This role assesses incoming materials, establishes intellectual and physical control, and creates clear, comprehensive finding aids in accordance with professional archival standards and best practices. This role provides faculty support for reference, instruction, acquisition, and appraisal activities as needed. Early career professionals are encouraged to apply to this position.

Key Responsibilities:

Collection Processing

• Survey, appraise, and prioritize incoming and backlog archival collections with guidance from the Special Collections Librarian and University Archivist.

• Arrange archival materials following professional archival principles (respect des fonds, original order, provenance).

• Rehouse materials into appropriate archival storage to ensure long-term preservation.

• Identify preservation concerns and collaborate with preservation staff as needed.

 Description and Metadata

• Create detailed finding aids, catalog records, and inventories using standards such as DACS, EAD, MARC, or local metadata schemas.

• Apply controlled vocabularies and authority records (e.g., LCSH, LCAH, AAT, SNAC).

 Collection Management

• Track and manage the progress of processing projects.

• Recommend processing levels (minimal, baseline, full) based on collection significance, condition, and researcher needs in coordination with the University Archivist and Special Collections Librarian.

• Contribute to collection management workflows and documentation.

• Provide support for acquisition and appraisal activities as requested or assigned.

 Collaboration & Support

• Work closely with staff to support the Archives Processing and Access Program.

• Participate in cross-departmental projects.

• As needed, provide frontline reference and Reading Room support and back-up for the Public Services Coordinator. Provide instruction support, such as proctoring Reading Room, as needed.

• As required and if opportunity arises, present and share with library faculty and staff about processing projects.

• Engage in library, university, and professional service in alignment with position responsibilities that are relevant to their appointment. Contribute to library and university shared governance.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from an ALA accredited program with a concentration in archives.

• 1 year of processing experience working on large collections, demonstrating familiarity with processing archival or manuscript collections (such as an internship, employment, volunteer work, etc.)

• Familiarity with archival standards (DACS, EAD, MARC) and archival management systems.

• Knowledge of preservation principles for paper and photographic materials.

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience using archival management platforms such as ArchivesSpace.

• Familiarity with processing congressional and/or political papers.

• Familiarity with MPLP processing practices.

• Knowledge of inclusive description practices.

• Project management skills and experience establishing workflows.

• Knowledge of copyright, privacy, and rights-management issues in archives.

• This position may involve handling fragile materials, lifting archival boxes (up to ~40 lbs), and working in collection storage environments. 

Applicant Instructions:  

Applicants should be prepared to upload the following documents when applying online within the My Experience: Resume/CV section of the application: (Maximum of 5 Documents) 

• Resume/CV 

• Cover Letter 

• Sample finding aid that represents their experience with archival processing

Applications that are missing any of the required items may not move forward for consideration. Additional uploaded documents not requested in the position announcement will not be reviewed.  

Compensation Pay Range: 

$75,000 to $86,000 

The rank of the selected candidate will depend upon the candidate’s qualifications.  

The University of New Hampshire is an R1 Carnegie classification research institution providing comprehensive, high-quality undergraduate and graduate programs of distinction. UNH is located in Durham on a 188-acre campus, 60 miles north of Boston and 8 miles from the Atlantic coast and is convenient to New Hampshire’s lakes and mountains. There is a student enrollment of 13,000 students, with a full-time faculty of over 600, offering 90 undergraduate and more than 70 graduate programs. The University actively promotes a dynamic learning environment in which qualified individuals of differing perspectives, life experiences, and cultural backgrounds pursue academic goals with mutual respect and shared inquiry.

EEO Statement

The University System of New Hampshire is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access employer. The University System is committed to creating an environment that values and supports diversity and inclusiveness across our campus communities and encourages applications from qualified individuals who will help us achieve this mission. The University System prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or marital status.

The pay range for this position is listed above. Actual offer will be based on skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity, in addition to relevant business considerations. More information on benefits can be found here: USNH Employee Benefits | Human Resources

Location:

Durham

Salary Grade:

Librarians 01