Job Description
Job Summary:The University Archivist oversees the Archives and Special Collections. The Archivist preserves, collects, and provides access to collections that document and support the history of Regis University and Loretto Heights College. Materials include special collections, personal papers, memorabilia, rare books and inactive administrative files. The purpose of this material is to preserve the institutional history, support the Jesuit culture, and promote the academic life of Regis University and Loretto Heights College. This is a promotion track, ranked faculty position.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
Essential:
Maintains the documents of Regis University and its predecessor institutions; of Loretto Heights College; and of Jesuitica, the Catholic presence in the Southwest. This work includes conserving the physical materials, accessioning new items, and researching their histories upon request for any institutional need. (15%)
Maintains the collections in Special Collections (currently 25 collections).This work includes conserving the physical materials, accessioning new items, and researching the subject of each collection to create a finding aid (currently a LibGuide) that documents the scope and content of each collection in Special Collections. Creates a MARC record for catalogers to enter each processed collection in the integrated library system. (15%)
Curates the Regis University Santo Collection, facilitating the preservation, development, promotion and use of the collection as a teaching collection. Administers small budget for collection maintenance and new acquisitions. (10%)
Oversees the long-term preservation of all physical formats. Digitizes materials to preserve fragile administrative records and to increase accessibility for all researchers. Coordinates the management of digital objects with other members of the Digital Initiatives & Preservation department. Experience in library preservation technologies, methodologies and best practices. (15%)
Develops programming to engage the university community, raising awareness of the collections through instruction, exhibits, and events. Curates permanent and temporary exhibits that reflect the collections within Special Collections. Constructs and delivers presentations of the Special Collections during classroom visits for Regis courses, or for outside visitors. Assists students in selecting materials for their research. (10%)
Provides reference assistance to researchers seeking information located within inactive institutional records or within the records, papers, publications, or memorabilia housed in Special Collections. (10%)
Evaluates potential new collections for inclusion to Special Collections.Works closely with University Advancement and the potential donor. Ensures the potential collection is relevant to the Regis University curriculum. (5%)
Serves as bibliographer and faculty liaison to teaching departments for collection development. Serves as bibliographer for the non-circulating publications in Special Collections. An emphasis is given on history of the West, especially Colorado; scholarship on James Joyce and Gerard Manly Hopkins; and on other academic publications that support the curriculum, or for archival research necessary to document collections within Special Collections. (5%)
Trains and supervises the Special Collections Assistant. (10%)
As a member of the library faculty, serves on library and university-wide committees. Participates in professional activities, including research, publication, and service to fulfill research and scholarship requirements for academic rank and promotion. (5%)
Minimum Requirements:
- Master of Library and Information Sciences from an ALA-accredited institution or equivalent professional education.
- Minimum three years of professional archival experience, preferably in an academic setting.
- Ability to research and learn the intellectual scope and content of all new collections acquired by the archives, or already housed within the Archives.
- Ability to organize, mount and describe exhibits of the holdings within the Archives and Special Collections.
- An understanding of climate, lighting, and insect control for professional archival conservation.
- Familiarity with trends in library technology related to digitization.
- Excellent organizational and communication skills.
- Strong verbal and written skills.
- A creative and imaginative approach to library services, exhibiting a vision for education in a distributed learning environment.
- A commitment to collegiality, a team building approach to management and strong values in service and innovation.
- A clear understanding of and strong commitment to, the Jesuit educational values of Regis University and an appreciation of the Catholic heritage of the institution.
The Community
Regis University, inspired by its Jesuit Catholic heritage, has been committed to academic excellence, personal development and community engagement since its founding in 1877. Regis provides values-based education at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission: A Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Its motto, “Men and Women in Service of Others,” describes the purpose of Jesuit education: to form men and women who use their knowledge in the unselfish service of others. Regis is composed of five colleges: the College of Contemporary Liberal Studies, Regis College, College of Computer & Information Sciences, College of Business & Economics, and Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions, which includes the schools of pharmacy, physical therapy and nursing.
Beyond its historic campus in Northwest Denver, there are Regis campuses in Thornton, the Denver Tech Center and in Colorado Springs. Regis currently serves about 10,000 students in online and campus environments and has been ranked as a top school in the Western Region for 20 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report.