Archives and Special Collections Public Services Fellow

Job Description

Amherst College invites applications for the Archives and Special Collections Public Services Fellow position. The Archives and Special Collections Public Services Fellow is a part-time (20 hours per week), one-year term position. The expected range for this position is $20.87-22.00 per hour.

The Amherst College Library is seeking a part-time Public Services Fellow to support researchers and librarians in the Archives & Special Collections reading room. This is an excellent opportunity to gain reference and special collections experience for someone who is interested in pursuing a career in archives, library science, or other knowledge communities.

Reporting to the College Archivist and working closely with the Archives & Special Collections team, the individual in this position will manage the reading room and provide support for specific special collections projects and tasks as assigned.

Summary of Responsibilities

• Work with the ASC team to oversee Archives & Special Collections reading room operations
• Support projects related to rare books, archives, and manuscripts (including outreach, digitization, cataloging, and archival processing)

Qualifications

Required: Bachelor's degree with coursework in relevant fields such as history, English, or a related area (in lieu of degree - 5-6 years of directly related experience); Proven library experience and/or customer service experience; Excellent communication, organizational skills, and attention to detail; Experience juggling multiple tasks and working towards deadlines; Sensitivity to the proper care and security of collection materials, including confidentiality of patron and institutional records; Commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment; Successful completion of a pre-employment physical and lift test; Successful completion of required reference and background checks.

Preferred: Demonstrated experience working in archives and/or special collections; Experience supporting researchers or knowledge of the research process; Enrolled in an ALA-accredited graduate degree program in library science or related field.