University Archivist

Reporting directly to the Dean of Library Services and working collaboratively with the Director of Special Collections and Archives who provides operational supervision, the University Archivist serves as the primary representative, advocate, and steward of the University Archives, the official repository for records documenting Cal Poly University. Guided by a commitment to inclusive, community-engaged collection development, as well as the California State University (CSU) system Records Retention and Disposition Schedule policy, the University Archivist is responsible for identifying, appraising, selecting, and acquiring university records which campus communities deem important to preserve, and recognizes the opportunity to situate the archives as a site of cultural and social memory. The University Archivist participates in activities related to arrangement, preservation description, and public access, interprets archival records for publication and public programs, and promotes their active use. The University Archivist also provides specialized research services and primary source instruction sessions that contribute to Cal Poly’s DEI initiatives, Learn by Doing curriculum, Student Success, and the Librarian-Scholar model.

Librarians have full faculty status and are expected to meet faculty requirements for tenure and promotion. The typical workload allows for 20% of time to be allocated to research, scholarship and creative activities. Faculty are required to conduct an active ongoing program of scholarship or creative works that advances knowledge in the library and information field or other fields of one’s specialty. Faculty also participate in shared governance and actively engage in committees, task forces, and professional organizations to shape the future of the library in accordance with the goals of the library, Cal Poly, and CSU. Please refer to the Robert E. Kennedy Library Vision and Values and DEI Plan for more information.

Cal Poly strongly values diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the classroom, in scholarship, in the service experience, and in library collections, resources, and programs. The University Archivist position is part of a university-wide cluster hire designed to increase curricular coverage in areas related to DEI, as well as to promote inclusive and equity-minded teaching strategies across the university. The successful University Archivist candidate will be expected to contribute to the university’s goals in these areas, and build collections that prioritize representation and diversity, document university DEI principles and initiatives, and support the development and implementation of critical, inclusive, and reparative archival practices. As a candidate selected through this DEI cluster hire, the University Archivist will be given start-up funds to support their work in DEI and a dedicated mentor will be given upon appointment. Once hired, the successful candidate will collaborate with the Dean of Library Services and others to develop a plan for utilizing these funds for professional development activities.

Required qualifications

  • ALA-accredited Master’s Degree in Library and Information Sciences at the time of hire; or comparable experience with a relevant advanced degree.
  • A minimum of three (3) years of relevant work experience with a focus on maintaining or building archives.
  • Knowledge and experience with historical and contemporary ethical issues in developing, using, and managing archival collections. Demonstrated knowledge or experience in fostering community belonging and of foregrounding the sociopolitical contexts of archives.
  • Knowledge of or experience in working with historically marginalized populations and communities. Ability to curate archival materials with an ethics of care and with sensitivity for harm minimization and mitigation. Knowledge of historical and contemporary issues in working with such communities.
  • Experience in appraisal, selection, and processing, including the arrangement, preservation, and description of archival records and related manuscript collections following national archival standards and practices.
  • Ability to build and sustain relationships with a variety of individuals and groups, including faculty, students, administrators, donors, alumni, and other stakeholders. Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work successfully with a broad range of people from diverse backgrounds.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of or experience in using archives as a site of critical pedagogy, especially in relation to topics of race, gender, class, and other historically underrepresented and/or marginalized communities. Ability to provide specialized reference and instruction in archival use.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of or experience in critical archival studies, especially related to ethical dimensions of archival representation and usage.
  • Knowledge of legal and ethical issues related to acquiring, stewarding, and using archives and their digital surrogates, including University and CSU-wide policies pertaining to University Archives and records management, and policies related to privacy, confidentiality, and compliance with copyright law. Ability to advise the campus community on records retention, disposition, and transfer in alignment with policies and best practices.

Preferred qualifications

  • Experience working with institutional or organizational records, archives, and digital assets, including knowledge of records management practices.
  • Experience building and sustaining relationships with records creators and/or custodians.
  • Experience providing specialized reference services.
  • Experience providing instructional services with primary sources.
  • Experience using content management systems such as ArchivesSpace and library management systems such as Alma.
  • Experience managing archives in an academic library.
  • Experience executing a records retention schedule.
  • Project management experience.
  • Experience processing archival materials in a university or other institution of higher learning setting.
  • Familiarity with preservation and conservation standards and practices and their challenges for a variety of physical and digital formats
  • Academic degree in a related field and/or advanced coursework at the post-graduate level.
  • American Certified Archivist (ACA) certification.
  • Bilingual or knowledge of at least one language other than English. Preferably Spanish.

How to apply

To view the complete position description and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.calpoly.edu/en-us/job/544886/university-archivist

 

About Kennedy Library

Kennedy Library manages campus-wide information resources and services with an annual budget of $8+ million and approximately 40 employees. The library is comprised of four major departments: Academic Services; Special Collections and Archives; Administrative Services; and Collections, Systems and Digital Strategies. Librarians hold faculty status and are represented by the California Faculty Association (CFA) and staff are represented by the California State University Employees Union (CSUEU). The library continuously adapts its services, tools, programs, and spaces to evolving academic programs, research interests, and university community needs. The library is a magnet for students and faculty alike with annual visits exceeding 1.5 million, providing access to information resources, classrooms, specialized computing, an expansive 24-hour space, and an array of group and individual study spaces. Significantly, the library is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion as demonstrated by its DEI Action Plan. The library is partnering with the Office of University Diversity and Inclusion (OUDI) and actively participates in university and system wide strategic initiatives such as the CSU Black Student Excellence initiative and the Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Initiative.

About Cal Poly

Founded in 1901, Cal Poly is one of only six comprehensive polytechnic universities in the nation, with approximately 22,000 undergraduates, 120 postbaccalaureate, and 700 graduate students. U.S. News and World Report has ranked Cal Poly #1 among public master’s universities in the western United States for 30 consecutive years. A primarily undergraduate university, Cal Poly offers academically-focused students 66 baccalaureate degrees and 36 master’s degrees. Currently operating on the quarter calendar system, Cal Poly takes pride in its “Learn-by-Doing” approach to teaching and learning, which has characterized Cal Poly since its founding. One of the 23 campuses of the California State University system, Cal Poly has a statewide mandate as a polytechnic university. Cal Poly is one of the largest land-holding universities in the nation and uses all of its land holdings in active support of its educational programs. Cal Poly is located in historic San Luis Obispo, a city of 49,000, 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean and midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on California’s scenic Central Coast. With excellent public education resources, recreational facilities, and an expanding dedication to the arts, the area is known for its scenic landscapes, outdoor activities, and extraordinarily temperate climate.

At Cal Poly, we believe that cultivating an environment that embraces and promotes diversity is fundamental to the success of our students, our employees and our community. Bringing people together from different backgrounds, experiences and value systems fosters the innovative and creative thinking that exemplifies Cal Poly’s values of free inquiry, cultural and intellectual diversity, mutual respect, civic engagement, and social and environmental responsibility.

Cal Poly’s commitment to diversity informs our efforts in recruitment, hiring and retention. Cal Poly is an equal opportunity employer.

About SLO

Cal Poly’s location in San Luis Obispo makes it one of the best places to visit.  It’s a quintessential coastal California town with some 43,000 residents.  Located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles and just minutes from beaches, state parks, landmarks and premium wine regions, it’s a popular vacation spot.  Sunset magazine has called it the most Californian place in all of California.

The city of San Luis Obispo offers a historic, restored downtown full of restaurants, theatres, art galleries and shops centered around San Luis Obispo Creek, Mission San Luis Obispo and mission Plaza.   San Luis Obispo’s Thursday night Farmer’s Market on Higuera Street has become a model for cities around the state.  It’s a mix of fresh produce and flowers, baked goods, restaurant fare and free music all within strolling distance.

San Luis Obispo is just minutes from some of California’s best beaches and original beach cities: Avila Beach (10 miles). Pismo Beach (12 miles), Morro bay (17 miles), Montana de Oro State Park (18 miles), Cayucos (18 Miles), the Pismo Dunes (28 miles) and world- famous Hearst Castle (45 miles).