Please reply to the address below, not to me personally.

Sue


Access Archivist
The Pennsylvania State University
Special Collections Library

The Pennsylvania State University Libraries is seeking a 
forward-looking archivist for a new position of Access Archivist in 
the Special Collections Library.  The Access Archivist, collaborating 
closely with and reporting to the Archivist/Processing Coordinator, 
will have three primary responsibilities: collection-level 
description, reference services, and Web site development and 
maintenance.  The successful candidate will work on an active and 
comprehensive program to provide online access to the approximately 
5,000 archival and manuscript collections in the Special Collections 
Library.  This is a Fixed Term, Multi-Year, non-tenure track academic 
appointment (3 year contract) with excellent potential for renewal.

  RESPONSIBILITIES: The successful candidate will:
    * Create collection-level, archival standards-based descriptions 
as part of a project to automate the creation of online finding aids 
from the collections database;
    * Provide online and in-house reference services; and
    * Collaborate in the development and maintenance of the 
departmental Web site.
Depending on candidate qualifications, additional responsibilities 
may include:
    * Supervising processing grant personnel;
    * Editing existing collection descriptions to meet current best practices;
    * Participating in the conversion of database information into 
EAD finding aids;
    * Conducting user studies.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:  Requires a Master's degree in Archival or 
Library Studies from an ALA accredited program (or equivalent); two 
years' experience in special collections setting; superior verbal and 
written communications skills; demonstrated experience writing 
archival descriptions to current archival standards; commitment to 
diversity; superior interpersonal skills; ability to work some 
weekends and evenings; excellent research and critical thinking 
skills; experience developing and maintaining Web pages.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Minimum two years' experience in collection 
description, processing, and public service; understanding of rare 
books operations and procedures; experience creating EAD finding 
aids; familiarity with DACS and MARC descriptive standards; 
detail-oriented editing experience; familiarity with usability issues 
related to online access; knowledgeable about content management 
systems; thorough knowledge of professional standards.

ENVIRONMENT:  Located on the University Park Campus of Penn State, in 
State College, PA, the Special Collections Library consists of 
Historical Collections and Labor Archives, the Penn State University 
Archives, and Rare Books and Manuscripts. The mission of Special 
Collections is to provide primary source materials for researchers 
from Penn State and the larger world of scholarship.

The researcher can find here more than 150,000 printed volumes, more 
than 25 million archival records and manuscripts, and another million 
photographs, maps, prints, and audio-visual items, documenting many 
subjects including American and British literature, German literature 
in English translation, and art and architectural history; 
industrial, labor and political history with a strong emphasis on 
Pennsylvania since 1800; and the history of Penn State and the local 
area.  Visit the Special Collections Library Web site for more 
information: 
<http://extranet.libraries.psu.edu/speccolls/>http://extranet.libraries.psu.edu/speccolls/

Penn State, a land-grant institution, is a member of the CIC (Big 10) 
academic consortium. The Penn State University Libraries currently 
rank 12th in North America among private and public research 
universities, based on Association for Research Libraries data. In 
2006 Washington Monthly, a political, inside-the-beltway publication, 
ranked Penn State 3rd in the nation among public universities in 
preparing students to benefit the nation. The Libraries hold 
membership in ARL, OCLC, CRL and the Digital Library Federation. 
Collections exceed 5 million volumes, including more than 68,000 
current serial subscriptions. The University Libraries are located at 
University Park and 23 other campuses throughout Pennsylvania, with 
approximately 6,000 faculty and 42,000 students at University Park, 
and more than 82,000 students system wide. The University Park campus 
is set in the State College metropolitan area, a university town 
located in the heart of central Pennsylvania. State College offers a 
vibrant community with outstanding recreational facilities, a low 
crime rate, and excellent public schools. The campus is within a 
half-day drive to Washington, DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York 
City and Pittsburgh. For more information, please 
<http://www.libraries.psu.edu>www.libraries.psu.edu and 
<http://www.cbicc.org>www.cbicc.org.

COMPENSATION:  Excellent fringe benefits include liberal vacation, 
excellent insurance, State or TIAA/CREF retirement options, and 
educational privileges.

TO APPLY, send letter of application, resume, and the names of three 
references to Search Committee, The Pennsylvania State University, 
Libraries Human Resources, Box SCAA-PSUA, 511 Paterno Library, 
University Park, PA 16802. Review of applications will begin 
September 30, 2008, and continue until the position is filled.  For 
additional information about the Penn State University Libraries 
visit <http://www.libraries.psu.edu>www.libraries.psu.edu .

Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity and 
diversity of its workforce.