The Library & Museum of the American Philosophical Society seeks to hire an Engagement Coordinator for The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation-funded Native American Scholars Initiative (NASI) and Center for Native American and Indigenous Research (CNAIR). This position will assist in implementing the Native American Scholars Initiative by developing and executing innovative programs at the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research as well as providing mentorship for fellows and interns; work with Native American communities and community-based scholars to provide access to the Library & Museum’s Indigenous-related collections from reference request onward; as well as cultivate new and steward existing partnerships.

Working closely with, and under the leadership and supervision of, the Curator of Indigenous Materials, the Engagement Coordinator will be responsible for:

  • Planning and implementation of NASI’s annual 8-week undergraduate summer (June-August) internship program;
  • Planning and hosting of NASI’s annual Digital Knowledge Sharing Workshop (July);
  • Providing professional mentorship and support throughout the year to NASI’s long-term Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellows, CNAIR’s Indigenous Community Research Fellows, and other Indigenous researchers utilizing APS materials;
  • Assisting with reference requests to help ensure a high quality of experience for researchers seeking to interact with the collections both remotely and on site;
  • Assisting with marketing, engagement, and recruitment with the aim of growing and diversifying the APS’s NASI fellowship opportunities;       
  • Working with the Head of Scholarly Programs to build capacity of NASI Alumni community;
  • Developing and cultivating contacts with researchers interested in ongoing engagement with CNAIR, especially Indigenous community-based individuals and organizations;
  • Working with the Head of Scholarly Programming to develop public programming for CNAIR that reflects a broad range of projects and uses of collections in many communities, disciplines, and regions;
  • Contributing to the composition of improvements to guides to collections, such as the Indigenous Subject Guide and finding aids, in light of feedback from researchers, patterns of collections use, and through collections research;
  • Promote and represent NASI and other CNAIR-related programs and fellowships through attendance of relevant academic and/or professional conferences.

About the APS

The American Philosophical Society (APS), the oldest learned society in the United States, was founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin for the purposes of “promoting useful knowledge.” In the 21st century, it serves to advance knowledge and promote scholarship in the humanities and social, mathematical, life, and physical sciences. Members of the Society are elected from among the most eminent scholars and civic and cultural leaders in North America and abroad. More than 100 living APS Members are Nobel laureates.

The APS’s Library & Museum collections make it among the premier institutions for documenting and exhibiting the history of the American Revolution and founding, the history of science from Newton to NASA, Native American languages and culture, and the development of American anthropology. The Library houses over 14 million manuscripts, 275,000 volumes and bound periodicals, 250,000 images, fine art, and other objects. Museum exhibitions interpret these extensive collections for the regional, national, and international visitors who come to Philadelphia’s historic district. In so doing, the exhibitions aim to nurture the spirit of inquiry, promote critical thinking, and engender enthusiasm for object-based learning by using primary source documents and authentic objects. The Library & Museum also hosts a robust fellowship program, offering over 25 short-term and 10 long-term fellowships each year to scholars using its collections.

For Further Information on Library & Museum Collections visit: http://amphilsoc.org/library  and  http://amphilsoc.pastperfectonline.com/

Qualifications

  • Minimum 3 years of professional experience in a Library, Archives, or Museum (LAM) setting, or in an academic or other relevant professional setting with attention to archival and special collections research;
  • Master’s degree or higher in Library & Information Science, Museum Studies, or in a relevant subject-area field (Native American and Indigenous Studies, Anthropology, History, Linguistics, or Literature);
  • Experience with teaching, mentoring, or providing support for early-career scholars (undergraduate and up), ideally in a LAM setting;
  • Evidence of involvement with community-based scholarship;
  • Experience in organizing public events such as talks and conferences;
  • Demonstrated experience working in archives and special collections as a LAM professional or as a researcher in archives and special collections settings; track record of scholarly publication, or conference presentations, and program management, preferred;
  • Strong familiarity with contemporary discussions of access, ethics, and protocols surrounding research with Indigenous-related archival collections;
  • Knowledge of library cataloguing and descriptive standards, preferred;
  • Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as programs require;
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills;
  • Demonstrated ability to be creative, flexible, adaptive to change, and to successfully collaborate and work effectively within and across organizational boundaries in a fast-paced, dynamic environment;
  • The ideal candidate will also have a familiarity with or demonstrated interest in the APS’s Library & Museum’s Native American and Indigenous collections.

APS requires all its staff to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Please submit a resume or CV with a cover letter detailing your interest in the position via Interfolio (https://apply.interfolio.com/95898). References will be requested for finalists. Please direct questions about this position to Brian Carpenter at bcarpenter@amphilsoc.org.

Deadline: November 2, 2021

The American Philosophical Society is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment on any basis including race, creed, color, age, sex, gender, religion, or national origin. The APS values diversity in its many forms and encourages diverse applicants to apply.

Authors
Adrianna Link: contributions / website / alink@amphilsoc.org