Slide Relocation Assistant, Harvard University - Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom - Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners

Description

Slide Relocation Assistant, Harvard University (Cambridge)

School or Unit: Harvard College Library

Description: Job Summary

This is a term-limited position for 2 years.

The Fine Arts Library's Digital Images and Slides Collection (DISC) provides image resources for teaching and research. The collection documents the entire range of works of art and architecture from prehistoric to the present in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Islamic world and includes images of painting, drawings, sculpture, photography, decorative arts, and architecture. The slide collection, which comprises approximately 700,000 35 mm slides, is an historic teaching collection used primarily by the Department of the History of Art and Architecture, but open to the full Harvard community. Recently, DISC completed the digitization of 200,000 rare and unique slides as part of multi-year project to preserve and expand access to the collection. The next phase of the project is to rehouse and transfer the slide collection to off-site storage at the Harvard Depository (HD) for long-term preservation.

The Fine Arts Library seeks an enthusiastic, detail- and production-oriented associate who can assist library staff with this multi-phase project. Reporting to the Visual Resources Librarian, and working closely with the Access Services Supervisor, this position will provide support in two aspects of this large-scale relocation project. First, the position will assist with processing tasks, such as arranging slides, maintaining inventories, packing boxes, labeling boxes, coordinating shipments, and assisting with record keeping. Secondly, in order establish intellectual control of materials and enable their physical relocation to remote storage, the incumbent will also perform cataloging tasks under the supervision of the Visual Resources Librarian, including developing inventories for sub-sections of the slide collection and cataloging individual digital images, both digitized project slides and new digital images added to the collection based on patron requests, as needed. This position will also interact as needed with other DISC staff, including the Visual Resources Librarian for Islamic Art and Architecture and the Digital Imaging Coordinator.

This position will predominantly work with the Digital Images and Slides Collection, which is currently located in Lamont Library.

Position Description

• Re-file slides returned from image capture vendor to slide cabinet drawers, in collaboration with additional student/project staff.
Assist in preparing slides for off-site storage and retrieval, including boxing, labeling, barcoding slides or boxes, maintaining inventories, and managing supplies.

• Prepare inventories for sections of the slide collection to be sent to remote storage to enable future retrieval.

• Coordinate shipments of rehoused slides to off-site storage, including tracking, recording, and shipping boxes.

• Catalog digital images in JSTOR Forum, the image cataloging database, working from digital slide images or book sources.

• Provide assistance with recording keeping and any related project-related tasks, as they arise.

• Communicate effectively with project staff about problems, issues, or discrepancies, as they are identified.

• Performs other duties, as assigned, consistent with the functions of the work unit and level of responsibilities.

Basic Qualifications

• High school diploma.

• Minimum of 1 year of academic library, museum, and/or archival experience or equivalent work experience.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity inclusion, belonging, and antiracism.

• College degree preferred.

• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.

• Demonstrated computer skills, including databases, digital image file management, and the Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and Outlook.

• Familiarity with visual resources, photographic, archival, or special collections projects in an academic setting preferred.

• Degree in art or architectural history, or related humanities field, and/or coursework towards a library science degree preferred.

• Library work experience preferred.

• Reading knowledge in non-English language preferred.

• Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.

• Excellent attention to detail and ability to sustain production-oriented efforts over the project period.

• Ability to adapt to shifting conditions and timelines, and to remain flexible in a production-oriented environment.

Working Conditions

• All duties are accomplished in a library/office/classroom environment.

• Interacts with collections that may contain dust, mold, or other contaminants.

• This position is performed fully onsite at the Digital Images and Slides Collections (part of the Fine Arts Library) at Lamont Library, Harvard Yard. The slide collection is in the basement of Lamont Library.

• Work location is responsive and subject to change based on business needs. Requests for flexibility will be considered consistent with Harvard University flexwork policies.

We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website ( to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.

• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.

• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.

• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.

• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.

• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.

• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.

• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.

• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

LinkedIn Recruiter Tag (for internal use only)

#LI-MG1

Job Code: Library Assistant VI

Job Function: Library

Work Format: On-Site

Salary Grade: 052

Department: Fine Arts Library

Salary Range: $50,148 to $77,666

Time Status: Full-time

Pre-Employment Screening: Criminal, Education, Identity

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EOE Statement: We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.