Archivist, Chinese Canadian Collections

Date Posted: 04/24/2024

Req ID: 36960

Faculty/Division: Library

Department: Special Collections

Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Position Number: 00056386

Description:

About us: The University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) system is the largest academic library in Canada and is ranked sixth among peer institutions in North America. The system consists of 40 libraries located on three university campuses: St. George, Mississauga, and Scarborough. This array of college libraries, special collections, and specialized libraries and information centres supports the teaching and research requirements of over 300 graduate programs, including over 70 professional programs, and about 700 undergraduate degree programs. In addition to more than 12 million volumes in 341 languages, the library system currently provides access to millions of resources in various forms, including, for example, electronic, audio-visual, and geospatial materials. UTL also has over 31,000 linear metres of archival material. More than 150,000 new print volumes are acquired each year. The Libraries' data centre houses more than 600 servers with a storage capacity of 1.5 petabytes

Your opportunity: Under the direction of the Associate Chief Librarian for Special Collections, the Archivist, Chinese Canadian Collections, shall appraise, acquire, accession, arrange and describe records held in the University of Toronto Libraries that document the experiences of Chinese immigrants to Canada and the Chinese Canadian community. The incumbent will work collaboratively with colleagues in the Richard Charles Lee Canada Hong Kong Library, the Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library, the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, and the Media Commons Archives in Robarts Library. The incumbent will respond to reference inquiries from the University community and the general public, and undertake various administrative tasks as directed by the Associate Chief Librarian for Special Collections.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Implementing plans and process improvements for collections acquisition activities
• Assessing and determining the condition of archival materials
• Verifying that metadata has been entered according to established industry standards
• Creating and updating catalogue records
• Processing items in the physical and digital collections for researchers and users
• Performing reference search activities
• Performing original descriptive cataloguing of resources and/or archival materials

Essential Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Archival Studies, Library or Information, or acceptable combination of equivalent experience
• Minimum of four years experience working in a library/archives environment, preferably with special collections
• Knowledge of Chinese Canadian history
• Fluency in written and spoken Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin)
• Experience working with current and non-current archival and special collections
• Familiarity with archives in all formats as well as digital preservation and access tools
• Excellent knowledge of archival standards and best practices
• Demonstrated commitment to the values of inclusivity, diversity, anti-racism, equity and accessibility

Assets (Nonessential):

• Strong service orientation
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills
• Detail-oriented; works with attention to accuracy
• Proven initiative, flexibility and ability to learn new technologies and organizational systems
• Ability to lift 40 lb. boxes on a regular basis

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Adaptable
• Communicator
• Meticulous
• Organized
• Procedural
• Responsible

NOTE: This is a term position to May 2025.

Closing Date: 05/03/2024, 11:59PM ET

Employee Group: USW

Appointment Type : Budget - Term

Schedule: Full-Time

Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: USW Pay Band 12 -- $78,308 with an annual step progression to a maximum of $100,144. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol.

Job Category: Library Services

Recruiter: Courtney Lederer

Lived Experience Statement Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Diversity Statement The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission. As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.

Accessibility Statement The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission. The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities. If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact [email protected].

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