Job Posting: Independence Seaport Museum

The Independence Seaport Museum seeks a part-time, temporary (grant-funded through December 2006) Library and Archives Department Assistant.

Located on Philadelphia's historic Penn's Landing, Independence Seaport Museum provides a dynamic, interactive learning experience, and is home to OLYMPIA, Admiral Dewey's flagship at the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898, and BECUNA, a WWII submarine, a boatbuilding workshop, changing exhibition galleries and a special collections library. The library houses an extensive collection of materials pertaining to the history of the Delaware Valley Region in a variety of formats, including manuscripts, photographs, architectural drawings, maps and ephemera.

Please see www.phillyseaport.org for more information about ISM, and about the library's collections and services.

The ideal candidate will have practical experience in special library reference service and archives collection management, and will have the opportunity to make an important contribution to the Department's objective to increase access to its holdings.

DUTIES: Schedule research appointments, and assist and monitor users with library and archives collections in the reading room. Answer reference questions by mail. Assist library director with administrative tasks and collections care, such as inventories, data entry, photocopying and scanning, shelving, filing, and other duties as assigned. Conduct original research for exhibit support, and in order to produce finding aids. Assist with processing of archival collections, including arrangement and description, rehousing, and basic conservation.

SALARY AND HOURS: Three days a week on a consistent schedule during the library’s public service hours: Tuesday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. $12 an hour.

REQUIRED: The assistant will be the public's primary contact with the library, and therefore expected to present a professional, service-oriented demeanor, with a pleasant phone manner and authoritative presence in the reading room. Other requirements include excellent writing skills; attention to detail; dependability; ability to work both independently and with the public; understanding of primary sources; care in handling unique materials.

PREFERRED: Previous employment in a library or research setting strongly preferred. Undergraduate degree in humanities; knowledge of American/maritime history/technology; training in archival practice; facility with Microsoft Office and OCLC.

TO APPLY: Send resume and cover letter to Megan Fraser, Library Director; Independence Seaport Museum; 211 S. Columbus Blvd. at Walnut Street; Philadelphia, PA 19106; fax: (215) 925-6713; or e-mail library@phillyseaport.org

Resumes without cover letters will not be considered,