Job Description
The Peabody Essex Museum’s Phillips Library seeks a part-time Reference Assistant to aid the functions of the reference department. The library is an active place, and the incumbent will interact with in-person visitors, distant patrons, and internal museum staff. Duties will include monitoring the reading room (assist patron orientation and research, communicate and enforce library policies, etc.), answer reference questions, retrieve and re-shelve materials, digitize materials for patrons and library digital collections, create metadata, and assist with social media campaigns. The Reference Assistant is expected to participate collaboratively in library-wide and museum-wide projects and initiatives.
Additional Info & Requirements
Some library experience is highly desired. Special collections/rare books experience is a plus. Ability to work closely and collaboratively with diverse colleagues and patrons, as well as to work independently. Attention to detail, organizational skills, ability to multitask and balance priorities, and demonstrated communication skills. A proven capacity for productive research and knowledge of the applications and use of computers and technologies, particularly proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Suite. Experience with institutional social media creation is a plus.
Bachelor’s degree. Work towards an ALA-accredited degree in library/information science is a plus, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. The abilities to use computing tools and to lift, carry, and position books and other materials weighing up to 15 lbs. Library materials may be stored on shelves up to 12 feet high and much of the work will take place at a desk at PEM’s Collection Center in Rowley, Massachusetts, with occasional responsibilities at the museum campus in Salem. Reliable transportation is required. In future, this position may include a Saturday shift. Applications received by November 14th, 2022 will be considered first.
PEM is committed to diversity among its employees and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.
The Community
PEM’s Phillips Library is among the oldest libraries in the country. Rich primary and secondary sources — including vast quantities of manuscripts, books, photographs, maps, broadsides, and ephemera — make it a productive location for research and discovery. The library’s mission is to preserve and share its extraordinary collections. Its scope is global and encyclopedic, reflecting more than 220 years of collecting activity. The library is based at PEM’s Collection Center in Rowley, a state-of-the-art facility with secure and climate-controlled storage.