Public Policy Archivist - Ohio State University
Location: USA - OH - Columbus
The Ohio State University Libraries invites applications and nominations for the position of Public Policy Archivist to join a dynamic, responsive, and high-impact archival program, which strongly supports teaching and research at the university. The Public Policy Archivist leads engagement and teaching efforts with archival collections in public policy to advance discovery and learning. The Public Policy Archivist is responsible for promoting archival holdings through outreach, instruction, collection development, research and reference services, and cultivating partnerships that connect the Libraries’ expertise, resources, and services with the varying needs of a diverse constituency. The Public Policy Archivist will work collaboratively with the Librarian for History, Public Affairs, and Philosophy to provide liaison support to the faculty and students of the John Glenn College of Public Affairs. The Public Policy Archivist is a crucial partner in the development and provision of teaching and research programs in public policy, governmental affairs, and related subjects. Working with the university’s Office of Government Affairs, the Public Policy Archivist will advise members of the Ohio delegation to the U.S. Congress on access and preservation of their records.
The Archives at the Libraries is home to the Ohio Congressional Archives (OCA), founded with the acquisition of the papers of Senator John Glenn. Faculty, students, and an international community regularly utilize the OCA collections to create new knowledge and for education and scholarship.
Responsibilities:
- Actively engages and communicates effectively with faculty, students, and staff, developing strong working relationships and serving as an authoritative resource for those seeking teaching and research support with archival collections dealing with the United States Congress and public policy at the state and national level.
- Provides research and teaching support to faculty and students of the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, in collaboration with the Librarian for History, Public Affairs, and Philosophy.
- Supports and engages in fundraising, grant writing, marketing, and outreach that strengthen the Archives’ programs, in partnership with the Libraries’ Development Officer, the university’s Office of Advancement, and the Glenn College.
- Works closely with the university’s Office of Government Affairs in Columbus and Washington, DC to advise members of the U.S. Congress and other elected officials on access and preservation of their records in multiple formats.
- Seeks opportunities to collaborate with other academic departments to create meaningful and impactful strategies that incorporate archival holdings related to public policy into the university’s teaching and research programs.
- Serves as subject expert to external scholars and advances connections to museums, archives, and public history institutions.
- Advances collaborative relationships with Special Collections Description and Access, Digital Initiatives, and Preservation and Reformatting to increase discovery, access, and innovative uses of the OCA holdings.
- Actively develops local, regional, national, and international partnerships and collaborations to advance the strategic directions of the Libraries.
- Participates proactively on library-wide committees, task forces, and teams to integrate archival holdings into the Libraries’ wider strategic initiatives.
- Collaborates with other curators and subject librarians to develop interdisciplinary solutions to integrating distinctive intellectual content and services into the university’s wider academic environment.
- Contributes actively to scholarship in the archival field and other fields related to public policy through active professional engagement and research, presenting at professional and scholarly conferences, and publishing in appropriate venues.
- Is knowledgeable about and able to speak to a range of archival issues, including electronic records, digital initiatives, and the pedagogical importance of archival collections in undergraduate and graduate education.
- Is knowledgeable about and able to speak to handling and providing appropriate guidance and access to sensitive, restricted, or classified material.
- Participates in the Libraries’ exhibition program by curating gallery exhibitions focusing on public policy
Required qualifications:
- An ALA-accredited master’s degree, a graduate degree with specialization in archives or a comparable graduate degree in one of the above fields from a non-U.S. university, reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
- Demonstrated knowledge in the fields of archival studies, governmental archives, or public policy.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Ability to activate archival materials for a diverse range of audiences, including students, faculty/researchers, and the general public, through oral presentations, publications, and exhibitions.
- Demonstrated knowledge of concepts for arranging, describing, and providing access to born digital collections.
- Ability to work in archival storage conditions where the stacks are 30 feet high and temperatures are approximately 62 degrees F; must be able to lift 40 lbs. and push a cart weighing up to 80 lbs.
Preferred qualifications:
- 1-3 years’ experience working in an archival environment.
- Evidence of ongoing/progressive scholarship in a field related to the position’s responsibilities.
- Graduate degree in a field associated with American government, history, or public policy.
- Demonstrated experience with the scholarly research process.
- Experience with electronic records in an archival environment.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively and creatively in a collaborative and complex environment.
- Evidence of both professional initiative and flexibility.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively and collegially with diverse user constituencies.
- Experience in developing and delivering innovative instruction and research support services.
Rank/Salary:
The position is a full-time, permanent, 12-month tenure-track faculty appointment and reports to the University Archivist and Head of Archives. Salary and faculty rank are dependent on qualifications and experience.
Benefits:
The university offers competitive benefits in the form of 22 days’ vacation, 15 days’ sick leave, 10 holidays, hospitalization, major medical, surgical-medical, dental, vision, long-term disability insurance, and life insurance at 2.5 times one’s annual salary. State and alternative retirement choices are also available. For a summary of benefits, see: https://hr.osu.edu/new-employees/benefits-overview.
Application instructions:
Application: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Preference will be given to applications received by March 31, 2019. Please send cover letter, CV, references, and salary requirements to Brittany Steingass at [email protected]. Please include “Public Policy Archivist” in the subject field. For more information please visit: http://www.jobsatosu.com/postings/93103.
The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, disability status, or protected veteran status. The Ohio State University is a member of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Diversity Alliance.