P/T - Archival Processing and Acquisitions Internship - Brooklyn Historical Society (Brooklyn)

Brooklyn Historical Society seeks an Archival Processing and Acquisitions Intern to assist with the processing of the records of Brooklyn’s Corporation Counsel. The collection consists of over 90 linear feet of legal documents and related materials, and documents the activities of Brooklyn’s Corporation Counsel, as well as the day-to-day legal issues that the citizens of Brooklyn faced in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The intern will also assist with the creation of complete accession records for recent acquisitions.  This is an opportunity to engage in the early stages of archival management with incoming collections: to correspond with donors and consider intellectual property issues in a research environment prior to processing and access. 
Candidates must have taken at least one course in archival concepts, or be enrolled in an archival course during their first semester of the internship to be eligible for the position. 
The intern be supervised by Julie May, Head of Collection Management and John Zarrillo, Processing Archivist. BHS will provide professional and technical guidance, resources, and training to the Intern. This is a summer internship with the possibility of extension.  A minimum of 2 days/week is required beginning June 1, 2014.
Job Responsibilities:
Assist with the management of incoming collections from acquisition through processing including:
•        Perform basic rehousing and minimal description or inventorying.
•        Modify templated deeds of gifts, taking into consideration the specifics of individual collections and donor specifications.
•        Complete the physical and electronic accession record with necessary documentation, collection inventory, and location designation.
•        Contribute to a series-level finding aid; create additional access points and content guides.
• Apply basic preservation techniques to archival records, including enclosing fragile material and foldering oversized material.
•        Assist with basic collection management, including numbering of folders and boxes.
•        Arrange and describe a related collection, and author a finding aid in Archivist Toolkit.
Required Qualifications:
• Significant coursework towards the completion of a Masters in Library and Information Science with a specialization in archival studies and completion of an archival description courses. 
• Demonstrated understanding of archival collections and principles of arrangement and description. 

• Effective oral and written communication skills; ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Strong organization and time-management skills; attention to accuracy and detail is essential
• Familiarity with EAD and DACS; and with the use and application of standardized vocabularies. 
• Ability to bend, reach, and lift boxes or volumes weighing up to 40 lbs.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Previous experience working with CMS and ILS systems; preferably Archivists’ Toolkit.  
• Previous archival processing and description experience, including an understanding of pragmatic and efficient processing procedures.
• Experience in developing local taxonomies.
• Previous experience or knowledge about intellectual property issues in primary and secondary resource collections.
• Knowledge or interest in Brooklyn history.
Compensation:
This is an unpaid internship that can be used for course credit, and includes a BHS staff ID, which grants free entrance to museums around New York.
To Apply
Those enrolled in an ALA-accredited library program should post a cover letter and resume to library@brooklynhistory.org. The subject line of the email should read: [last name] Processing and Acquisitions Internship.  Interviews will commence immediately and notification sent before May 31, 2014.  No phone calls please.
The Brooklyn Historical Society is dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by federal or state law.