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Please submit a short writing sample at the time of your application.
Please submit the attached application to gbarnhart@montana.edu
 

 

Position Summary 

Student employees play an essential and important role in the Archives and Special Collections department, which in turn fulfills an important role in the library as steward of unique collections. ASC serves researchers from not only MSU and Montana, but around the world, and using ASC is an important part of undergraduate and graduate studies in the humanities.

Duties include moving and shelving books and manuscript materials; the creation of inventories and folder listing, re-housing materials in archival boxes and folders; scanning historical documents; public service duties; and other tasks as assigned. All members of the department are expected to follow procedures appropriate for handling unique and rare materials. Student Assistants may also be asked to assist with departmental events and projects as appropriate and as fits their schedules and particular attributes or skills. The ability to work collaboratively is essential, since this role involves working with a variety of full-time library staff members and other part-time students.

Required Attributes 

  • Proactive customer service attitude; 
  • Professional and friendly attitude & demeanor; 
  • An enthusiasm for accuracy and efficiency;
  • Ability to work both independently under minimal supervision as well as collaboratively with other departmental students, staff, and faculty; 
  • Dependable: On time for scheduled shifts, good attendance record, giving adequate notice for absences or variations in schedule, notifying supervisor in a timely manner for unexpected absences, working collegially with all department members to fill and/or provide substitutions for user service shifts.

Preferred Skills 

  • A strong interest in the subject foci of the department;
  • Strong writing skills. 

Specific Job Duties 

ASC student assistants may perform both routine/daily and project-based work under the supervision of ASC Library Technician, and by request of ASC faculty.

Routine/Daily duties: 

  • Moving and shelving books and manuscript materials;
  • Creation of inventories and folder listings;
  • Re-housing materials in archival boxes and folders;
  • Scanning historical documents;
  • Serving materials to researchers and providing reading room supervision.

Project-Based Work: 

  • Data entry and cleanup;
  • Moving collections consisting of boxes weighing up to 40 pounds;
  • Inventorying archival supplies;
  • Checking web pages for consistency and accuracy;
  • Contributing to the description of both analog and digital collections.

Student Assistants may also be asked to assist with departmental events and projects as appropriate and as fits their schedules and particular attributes or skills.

Supervision: 

ASC student assistants work under the supervision of ASC Library Technician, who in turn consults with the Head of Archives and Special Collections on priorities, projects, and assignments.

Secondarily, Student Assistant is mentored by Senior Student Assistants who provide for first-tier support and mentorship.

Standard Hours for this Position

Regular shifts are available when the university is in session. Hours are flexible but must include at least a portion of the department’s public service hours, which are listed at https://calendar.lib.montana.edu/. Intersession and summer semester shifts are available as fits the student’s schedule.