Teaching & Learning Archivist

Basic Qualifications

• Master's degree in library and/or information science or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Minimum of two years' experience in archives, special collections, or related institutions. Education may count toward experience.

• Experience with teaching in special collections, library, academic, or other contexts.

Position Description

• Works across collections to prepare and lead instruction sessions with primary source materials, including evaluating and selecting materials, developing class plans, and collaborating with faculty on assignment design and learning outcomes.

• Performs curriculum-related collections research and develops expertise in archival and special collections holdings, especially at the Harvard University Archives.

• Develops learning objects like LibGuides, online resources, and worksheets and shares them for use by library staff, faculty, and students.

• Promotes inclusive teaching practices and a commitment to accessibility in the development and delivery of services and programs.

• Participates in data collection, assessment, and planning related to library instruction services.

• Contributes to planning, promoting, and delivering extracurricular and co-curricular workshops, including January Term offerings.

• Uses, promotes, and continually learns best practices for primary source instruction and assessment.

• Participates in ongoing learning and professional development relevant to position responsibilities and delivery of services and programs, as well as committees and special projects.

• May work in the Harvard University Archives reading room as needed.

• May supervise students and/or less-than-half-time employees.

• Participates in other tasks or projects as assigned.

Job Summary

Although this position will remain posted until filled, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by end of day on May 17, 2024.

Reporting to the Head of Teaching and Learning for Archives and Special Collections, the Teaching and Learning Archivist supports archival instruction and other curricular needs within Harvard Library's Arts, Archives, and Special Collections, especially the Harvard University Archives.

The Teaching and Learning Archivist will collaborate with colleagues in the Teaching and Learning unit and the Harvard University Archives to prepare and lead instruction sessions using archival material across all disciplines, teach co-curricular workshops, and develop physical and digital learning objects for primary source learning and archival literacy. While primarily serving Harvard's academic needs, they may also support instruction needs of other partners, such as University staff, community groups, other institutions of higher education, or K-12 classes.

Houghton Library has joined with the Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library, Fine Arts Library, Harvard Film Archive, and Harvard University Archives to create Archives, Arts, and Special Collections of Harvard Library, an administrative unit engaged in planning integrated approaches to public services and technical services for archives and special collections across the portfolio.

Houghton Library and Harvard University Archives are in the process of creating an integrated Public Services department that will provide research and teaching services for patrons of both units. The Teaching and Learning Archivist will be an important member of this new unit.