Department: Libraries and Imaging Services

Classification: Exempt, full-time, benefits
Scope of Position: The Dallas Museum of Art seeks a professional archivist to develop, maintain, and provide access to the Dallas Museum of Art archives. The Digital Archivist is charged with preserving the institutional memory of the Dallas Museum of Art through management of the archives and oral history program and must demonstrate a strong commitment to the archives profession. The selected candidate will work with staff from all museum departments to ensure that records of enduring value – in any format – are centrally located and appropriately cataloged for discovery and use by museum staff and the general public.

Essential Functions:

• Manage, process and supervise the processing of archival collections which include documents, photographs, video and sound recordings, architectural records, and computer media.
• Acquire, organize, describe, manage and preserve permanent institutional records and special collections in an institutional setting according to accepted archival standards.
• Revise policies and procedures as needed to accommodate distribution of archival contents via the museum’s web site.
• Provide reference assistance and orientations to museum staff, qualified researchers, and the general public.
• Collect accurate records that record key events in Dallas Museum of Art history.
• Catalog permanent records originating in all formats.
• Select materials for digitization from the paper archives, and make available appropriate information to the public through the museum’s website.
• Ensure long-term use of digital archival collections by employing data standards and best practices for cataloging which also enable file sharing through multiple delivery systems.
• Collaborate with Information Technology staff to develop and maintain procedures for long-term access to electronic records and media.
• Manage and complete long-term and short-term projects, including digitization of archival materials.
• Prepare annual progress reports for approval by Director of Libraries and Imaging Services.
• Supervise one full-time media cataloger/archives assistant.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• M.L.S. from an ALA-accredited program, M.A. in archival studies, or equivalent degree with at least 12 hours of graduate level coursework in archival methods and a practicum or internship
• Two years required, five years a plus, of professional experience arranging, describing, and preserving and cataloging archival materials and preparing finding aids
• One year minimum of supervisory experience
• Demonstrate familiarity with current trends in archival theory and management through literature review and conference involvement
• Demonstrate working knowledge of the Museum Archives Guidelines published by the Society of American Archivists
• Knowledge of best practices for digital preservation including capture, data migration and metadata creation
• Experience with preservation standards for digital media
• Experience managing and completing digitization projects
• Experience utilizing digital asset management systems
• Experience managing and providing long-term access to electronic records and born digital content
• Experience conducting historical research and providing reference services from a wide variety of archival materials
• Knowledge of copyright guidelines for unpublished materials
• Experience creating and managing a successful grant application
• Prior experience working in a museum a plus
• Certified Archivist a plus

To apply, submit your statement of interest, resume, and three professional references.
The Dallas Museum of Art is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified minority candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

About the Dallas Museum of Art
The Dallas Museum of Art, established in 1903, has an encyclopedic collection of more than 23,000 works spanning 5,000 years of history and representing all media with renowned strengths in the arts of the ancient Americas, Africa, Indonesia and South Asia; European and American painting, sculpture and decorative arts; and American and international contemporary art.

The Dallas Museum of Art is the anchor of the Dallas Arts District and serves more than one-half million visitors a year, offering more than 5,000 education and public programs annually, designed to engage people of all ages with the power and excitement of art.

The Dallas Museum of Art is supported in part by the generosity of Museum members and donors and by the citizens of Dallas through the City of Dallas/Office of Cultural Affairs and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

VIA SAA's Museum Archives list

- The position of Digital
Archivist was created and funded by an endowment in conjunction with a
museum-wide initiative called The Arts Network. A paper about The Arts
Network was presented at the 2007 Museums and the Web conference by our
IT Director and Web Developer, see http://www.archimuse.com/mw2007/abstracts/prg_325000879.html
The paper outlines the basic idea behind the initiative in case you are
interested in that. This is all to say that we successfully funded
this position based on including it within the broader initiative,
however, the selected candidate will definitely be involved in
traditional archives duties as well. I'll be happy to answer any
questions.

Thanks,
Jacqui Allen

Dallas Museum of Art -- Digital Archivist
Applications are currently being reviewed and will be accepted until a
suitable candidate is chosen, however applications submitted by May 1,
2008 will receive priority consideration. Submit statement of interest,
resume and references via the electronic application system by
following this link:

http://tbe.taleo.net/NA7/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=DMA&cws=1&rid=50
Statements of interest and questions about the position may be addressed to:

Jacqueline Allen
The Mildred R. and Frederick M. Mayer
Director of Libraries and Imaging Services
Dallas Museum of Art
1717 N. Harwood
Dallas, TX 75201
jallen@DallasMuseumofArt.org

For a description of the DMA Archives see:
www.DallasMuseumofArt.org, select Discover, Library and Archives