SHI - Archivist

Job Summary

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) is a regional Alaska Native non-profit organization founded in 1980 by Sealaska Corporation. SHI’s mission is to perpetuate and enhance the culture of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian peoples. SHI collects and preserves materials that document the history, culture, heritage, and language of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people of Southeast Alaska and other Alaska Natives, and makes these materials available to the public for educational and research purposes. Our goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding.  

SHI’s Archives and Collections constitute 3,100 linear feet of archival and historical manuscripts and papers, photographs, and audio and visual recordings, and a library of 2,500 books (historical and contemporary). The archives include historical documents, manuscripts, and papers of individuals of importance to both the indigenous people of the region and in Alaska history, as well as over 60,000 digital and historic photographs. SHI currently houses more than 5,000 historical and contemporary audio and audiovisual recordings documenting the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian language, culture, and history. The Archives and Collections Director’s primary role is to steward the acquisition, documentation, conservation and use of the archives and collections, facilitating access for educational, research, exhibit, and scholarly uses.

Duties/Responsibilities

Archival Collections Management 

• Responsible for managing the SHI archival collections (manuscripts, photographs, and audio and video recordings) and making these records available and retrievable for public research. Including conducting extensive in-person and remote reference services, working with visiting scholars, hosting information sessions, managing permissions requests, and engaging the public with outreach events, social media posts, instructional videos, Archival Resource Guides, and other educational projects. Support the research needs of the Arts Campus.
• Assist with archival research needs of SHI staff for various grant and other institutional projects. Including conducting surveys of archival materials, making hi-resolution reproductions, as well as archiving resulting grant project deliverables.
• Manage and track reference statistics, permissions requests (internal and external), loan and accession files, grant deliverables, digital storage, and archival requests from outside institutions.
• Review and update existing policies and procedures. Create new policies and procedures such as the emergency preparedness policy and digital collections management policy.
• Applies technical knowledge of the principles and practices of archival arrangement, description, and preservation of multi-format collections including both print and digital resources as well as the preparation and publishing of finding aids and guides using archival and museum content management systems. Including addressing a significant backlog of unprocessed archival collections.
• Survey the collection and prioritizes collections for preservation treatment, reformatting, rehousing, and other improvements. 
• Develop and manage digital archival preservation projects and metadata documentation of indigenous language recordings working with Native speakers. 
• Develop and manage grants for the physical and digital preservation of collections and other specialized areas to support the work of the SHI Archives and Library. 
• Conduct archival research for information sessions, scholarly publications, educational materials, and SHI projects and classes.
• Represent SHI at professional summits, conferences, and workshops.

Library Management

• Manage a small research library of scholarly publications and rare books, makes recommendations for new acquisitions, and maintains electronic catalog records for the archival and book collections in OCLC WorldCat (including MARC records), Workflows (SirsiDynix), and the state library catalog. 
• Conduct library outreach events to engage internal and external researchers and the public.
  Exhibits 
• Assist in research, design, installation and de-installation for large annual exhibits and small temporary displays.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Skills

• Knowledge of the principles, concepts, techniques, and guidelines of professional archival work 
• Knowledge of the principles of archives management 
• Knowledge of information technologies and techniques of digital preservation 
• Knowledge of Northwest Coast cultures and culturally relevant archival practices 
• Knowledge of library systems and technology appropriate for professional management of a small library 
• Ability to write reports, grant proposals and correspondence related to the work; maintain records. 
• Ability to communicate effectively with others, both verbally and in writing. 
• Good interpersonal skills and a team player 
• Cross-cultural communication skills 
• Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously 

Supervisory Responsibility

This position will supervise an average of 2 – 4 interns throughout the year.

Work Environment

This position’s duties are performed at SHI offices. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to verbally communicate. This position is very active and requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, and climbing. The employee must frequently lift and/or move objects up to 20 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move objects up to 50 pounds.

About this Role

This is a full-time benefited position. SHI employees are expected to work during SHI’s regular business hours of 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday. Additionally, employees may work up to or over 45 hours per week or additional time as needed to meet workload demands or special events such as Celebration. Part-time staff are expected to work 20 hours per week.

Required Education and Experience

• MLS or MLIS with a concentration in Archives or Master’s degree in a related field
• Work experience may be substituted for some of the educational requirements 
• Two years of professional archives experience.
• Three or more years of professional archival experience preferred.
• Knowledge of Northwest Coast cultures and culturally relevant archival practices preferred.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.