Archives Assistant I Grade B

    Clerical and Technical generic job description

    Family: Library
    Job Code: 955

    Representative duties:

    • Organizes and arranges archival and manuscript material in alphabetical, chronological or other appropriate orders
    • Performs routine procedures to arrange for preservation of the materials
    • Labels manuscripts folders and containers
    • Compiles listings of materials in collections as appropriate
    • Compiles, inputs and formats data on collection material and collection activities in manual and automated files
    • Compiles statistics
    • Arranges, sorts, files and stamps catalog cards
    • Prepares materials for microfilming. Inspects film for quality and completeness
    • Performs clerical functions incidental to library activities

    The job duties listed above are representative and characteristic of the duties required and the level of the work performed in the job title. The duties will vary from incumbent to incumbent in the job title.

    Required knowledge:

    • General knowledge, high school level; detailed but narrow knowledge in one or several work-related areas; general acquaintance with broader field of knowledge
    • Limited acquaintance with University organizational policies and procedures

    Required skills:

    • Extensive routine and non-routine use of a major library catalogue or reference database
    • Classifies material for filing, use of straightforward or complex filing system
    • Understands non-routine notes, written instructions, and general policy statements
    • Writes simple, internal memoranda, fills out complex forms
    • Occasional use of complex machines such as word processors or personal computers

    Office and administrative skills:

    • Keyboards letters, memos, and other moderately complex material
    • Enters and retrieves data from given sources on a personal computer
    • Advises, screens and refers callers and visitors

    Experience, education and formal training:

    • Two years of related work experience and a high school level education, or an equivalent combination of experience and education

    Complexity and organization:

    • Limited variety of job tasks requiring coordinating steps/procedures

    Interpersonal relations:

    • Ongoing involvement outside immediate unit
    • Offers or obtains basic information or provides assistance on general matters
    • Understands and conveys more complex messages and instructions, and takes action accordingly

    Supervisory guidelines:

    • Work is closely reviewed for adequacy and accuracy daily
    • Supervisor and incumbent plan, assign and schedule work jointly
    • Instruction provided only in new situations, methods and procedures that are not clearly related to existing tasks and duties

    Independent judgment:

    • Established procedures/policies govern many work situations
    • Occasional exercise of independent judgment or initiative
    • Problems solved by using established procedures

    Leadership responsibility:

    • Occasionally provides work guidance or orientation for non- routine procedures/policies

    Impact and consequence of error:

    • Work affects both outside the work unit and outside the University
    • Errors are somewhat difficult to recognize and correct and can cause considerable harm or financial loss to individuals, departments, and the University or to other individuals and groups

    Working conditions:

    • Very little possibility of safety risks
    • Occasional conflicting demands, time pressure, deadlines or emergencies
    • Regular sustained concentration
    • Some physical effort or dexterity

    Example 1

    General purpose:

    Participate on a project to evaluate, sort, and pack many years’ accumulation of records in the Provosts’ offices, in close consultation with Yale University Archives staff members.

    Essential duties:

    • Identify materials kept in storage, consulting with Archives and Provost’s Office staff to determine which materials should be transferred to the Archives and which should be shredded, pack records into boxes, and enter folder-level information about the records into a word processor

    Experience and training:

    • Two years of related work experience and a high school level education; or an equivalent combination of experience and education
    • Required to sign a confidentiality agreement

    Skills and abilities:

    • Must be willing to work in an environment that contains dust and/or mold and have the ability to lift 50 lbs
    • Minimal Keyboarding Skills (25-39 wpm)
    • Word processing skills
    • Training will be provided, as will work gear (primarily work gloves and dust masks)

    Example 2

    General purpose:

    Under the general supervision of the Manuscript Unit Head, performs archival processing support, as directed, under the supervision of staff archivists.

    Essential duties:

    • Sort, organize and arrange manuscripts and archival material, in alphabetical, chronological, or other appropriate order, as directed, in accordance with local practice and documented procedures
    • Identify problems associated with identification and proper handling of historical and literary manuscripts, and flags them for review by the project archivist
    • Prepare collections for preservation microfilming
    • Perform simple searching and verification of authorized forms of personal names in the Yale and LC authority files
    • Review and verify folder contents against container lists
    • Input and format data for finding aids in machine-readable files, using a standard finding aid template
    • Re-house material into archival containers and perform other routine procedures to arrange for the preservation of materials (e.g., preservation photocopying of fragile materials)
    • Print box and folder labels from the electronic finding aid and labels boxes and folders
    • Retrieve material from the stacks; shelves and assists in stack maintenance for in-process and newly processed collections
    • Create and update records in in-house databases to support processing and conservation tracking
    • Locate and remove cards from the Manuscripts Card Catalog for in-process collections; matches cards to items described
    • Compile daily work statistics
    • Perform clerical duties incidental to library activities, as assigned

    Experience and training:

    • Two years of related work experience and a high school level education; or an equivalent combination of experience and education
    • Preferred: Working knowledge of at least one modern western European language (preferably French or German), and an ability to work with other modern western European languages. Experience working with special collections/rare material. Experience working with special collections/rare material. Experience using Orbis, RLIN, OCLC or other comparable bibliographic control systems. Experience in some conservation/preservation related functions for library or archival materials. Experience with MS Word, Excel, Access or similar PC-based word processing, spreadsheet and database management programs

    Skills and abilities:

    • Minimal keyboarding skills
    • Demonstrated experience using computers, especially word processing, and other office equipment
    • Ability to read and understand English-language primary source documents, including hand-written texts sufficiently to organize collections. Ability to organize and prioritize own work
    • Ability to lift heavy material, push loaded book trucks, and climb ladders. Manual dexterity
    • Effective communication skills
    • References must indicate reliable attendance and punctuality, accuracy in detail, consistency and dependability in performing work assignments and following detailed procedures, to work independently and effectively with others in a production oriented, team environment