Department/Organization
219101 - University Libraries
Rank
Clinical Assistant Professor
Position Summary
THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA LIBRARIES Congressional Processing Archivist The University of Alabama Libraries seeks a dynamic, forward-thinking individual for the position of Congressional Processing Archivist to process the papers of Senator Richard C. Shelby. This is a clinical faculty appointment reporting to the Head of Special Collections and working collaboratively with librarians, archivists, and digital initiatives staff in Special Collections.
Detailed Position Information
THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA LIBRARIES
Congressional Processing Archivist
This is a grant-funded position with an initial one-year contract and the opportunity for one additional annual appointment. University Libraries seeks to hire one Congressional Processing Archivist.
RESPONSIBILITIES: The University of Alabama Libraries seeks a dynamic, forward-thinking individual for the position of Congressional Processing Archivist to process the papers of Senator Richard C. Shelby. This is a clinical faculty appointment reporting to the Head of Special Collections and working collaboratively with librarians, archivists, and digital initiatives staff in Special Collections.
Senator Shelby is Alabama’s longest-serving senator. He achieved national prominence as chair of four committees: Appropriations, Banking, Intelligence, and Rules. He also visited each of Alabama’s 67 counties every year.
The congressional processing archivists will process and describe the papers of Senator Shelby, supervise several student workers, and collaborate with other staff in Special Collections. This position will play a role in establishing physical and intellectual control over and improving the discovery of archival materials for researchers in accordance with processing guidelines outlined by the grant program. The position requires knowledge of current archival description and structure standards, knowledge of and experience with metadata standards, and excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills. The position also requires familiarity with preservation best practices for various physical and digital formats found in the collection.
Specific duties include, but are not limited to: accessioning and arranging materials in a wide variety of formats, including manuscript and photographic materials in addition to audiovisual formats and electronic records; creating, maintaining, evaluating, and enhancing metadata records and finding aids; providing content and statistics for project reports; managing authority control and subject description in the University Libraries archival data management system (ArchivesSpace) and the Caiasoft accession and inventory system. An arrangement and description plan has been established in consultation with the United States Senate Historical Office, and processing work will follow this planned arrangement. Responsibilities of the position evolve as the library environment continues to change.
This is an excellent opportunity for early career librarians or recent graduates to document the career of a nationally recognized six-term U.S. senator, gain expert knowledge of archival operations and practices in an R1 university Special Collections unit, and work with colleagues who are dedicated to providing access to a wide array of rare and unique materials related to Southern U.S., African American, and Latin American history.
SALARY/BENEFITS: 12 month clinical faculty appointment at rank of assistant professor contingent upon grant funding. This position will include a one-year contract with the opportunity for one additional annual appointment. Salary is $70,000. Strong benefits, including professional development support and tuition fee waiver.
TO APPLY: Applications are accepted online only at https://careers.ua.edu. Click Faculty Jobs, then University Libraries. Please include your application, curriculum vitae, and names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three references, including one current supervisor.
Consideration of applications will begin immediately and will continue until position is filled. Applications received by August 1, 2025, are assured of receiving full consideration.
For questions regarding the search, contact Michael Arthur, Senior Associate Dean, at maarthur@ua.edu.
Minimum Qualifications
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Master’s degree in library or information science from an ALA-accredited program or a Master’s degree in a related field.
• Knowledge of current archival description and structure standards.
• Understanding of archival accessioning and processing workflows.
• Knowledge of metadata standards and experience applying them.
• Knowledge of basic preservation strategies for archival collections.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to solve problems independently or collaboratively, using sound judgment in decision-making.
• Responsibilities of this position change as the University Libraries continue to evolve.
Preferred Qualifications
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: • Minimum of one year’s experience working in a library or archives setting. • Demonstrated project management, including coordinating with vendors, and supervisory experience. • Knowledge of Alabama history and politics. • Familiarity with ArchivesSpace archival management software • Experience producing project reports and statistics
Instructions and Required Materials for Application
SALARY/BENEFITS: 12 month clinical faculty appointment at rank of assistant professor contingent upon grant funding. This position will include a one-year contract with the opportunity for one additional annual appointment. Salary is $70,000. Strong benefits, including professional development support and tuition fee waiver. TO APPLY: Applications are accepted online only at https://careers.ua.edu. Click Faculty Jobs, then University Libraries. Please include your application, curriculum vitae, and names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three references, including one current supervisor. Consideration of applications will begin immediately and will continue until position is filled. Applications received by August 1, 2025, are assured of receiving full consideration. For questions regarding the search, contact Michael Arthur, Senior Associate Dean, at maarthur@ua.edu.
About the Division/College/School
The University of Alabama Libraries, a system of seven separate discipline-related libraries, is proud to support the research enterprise at the University of Alabama via a comprehensive and integrated network of resources, services, and technologies designed to meet the academic and research needs of students, faculty, and staff. We take pride in serving as a hub for innovation, knowledge creation and dissemination, research assistance, and collaborative learning. As a U.S. Government Documents Regional Depository since 1860, University Libraries also serves the public and our local community.
The University of Alabama Libraries maintains memberships in the Association of Research Libraries, the Center for Research Libraries, the Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA), the Coalition of Networked Information, centerNET, LYRASIS, HathiTrust, the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, LOCKSS, the Network of Alabama Academic Libraries, and the Alabama Digital Preservation Network.
University Libraries provides strong mentorship for faculty and staff, with ongoing collaborative opportunities, and administrative support for innovative services and ideas. We promote and administer a robust professional development environment that supports faculty research and conference travel, and we are invested in academic freedom with teaching and research. We are heavily invested in performing the same high value research that our stakeholders produce, and that assists in our data-driven strategic planning for the future. Our staff routinely update and maintain cutting edge programs of service in support of our stakeholders. Our faculty librarians have developed a record-breaking instruction program, including a series of research data services and workshops, that consistently perform at the top of the SEC.
About the University
The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, named one of Travel + Leisure’s 25 Best College Towns and Cities in the U.S. As one of the nation’s premier universities, UA offers bachelor’s, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 200 fields of study. With more than 1,400 acres of tree-lined academic core campus and over 300 state-of-the art facilities, UA has been ranked among the most beautiful and most impressive college campuses in the South, in the state of Alabama and in the nation.
In Fall 2023, the Capstone set a new enrollment record with more than 39,000 students, including more than 8,200 in the freshman class. The current enrollment includes students from every county in Alabama, every state in the nation and 92 countries around the world. More than 1,100 National Merit Scholars are currently enrolled, making UA one of the largest enrolling institutions of the scholars in the country.
UA was recently recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. students for the seventh time in nine years, as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA is one of only 12 universities in the nation to receive both honors.
For reasons like this, the University made Forbes list of America’s Top Colleges for 2023 and Time magazine’s list of Top 50 Best Colleges for Future Leaders. It also made Princeton Review’s list of Top Value Colleges.
UA is also designated among the top doctoral research universities in the United States in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. One of the fastest growing major research institutions in the nation, UA saw a 21% increase in sponsored awards in the 2023 fiscal year.
Since 2015, UA has invested over $1.1 billion in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55 million gross square feet of space, over 150 new research-intensive faculty, signature research areas (e.g., “The Alabama Research Institutes”), and a growing number of partnerships with industry and with state and federal agencies.
The University employs nearly 2,100 faculty and over 4,500 staff, with 52 UA researchers included in the National Academy of Inventors. An additional 40 current faculty have received the NSF CAREER Award, the nation’s most prestigious recognition of top performing young scientists in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.
Background Investigation and EEO Statement
Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.
The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants to and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. Follow the link below to find out more. "EEO is the Law" https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf
