Archival Assistant

The Kentucky Geological Survey is seeking a detail-oriented and motivated individual to work on a 16-month, grant-funded project starting in February/March of 2025. This project’s goals include organizing and cataloging publications and documents belonging to the Kentucky Geological Survey, expanding metadata for existing entries, and posting digital versions of materials to the web. The physical collections in question are housed in the Mining and Mineral Resources building on UK’s campus. The position is eligible for healthcare benefits.

What you’ll do:

• Catalog documents, primarily publications and associated charts/maps/tables
• Enter item-level metadata into our Publications Database
• Perform condition assessments of materials
• Learn established KGS naming conventions for publications and maps
• Use specific criteria to determine scanning, storage and preservation needs
• Record metadata and descriptions of physical and digital representations of items
• Work closely with KGS staff to ensure data conformity in collection management systems
• Manipulate PDF files and add materials/errata where required and/or deemed necessary
• Post completed scans to OER Commons, Internet Archive, KGS Publications Database and UKnowledge, where applicable
• Help with data use tracking and review

You’ll be a great fit if:

• You have high attention to detail and can spot minute differences between documents
• You have an interest in geology, Kentucky history, archives and/or earth sciences
• You care about findability and preservation of research data
• Your written and verbal communication skills are clear (including handwriting)
• You enjoy working on a small team
• You are skilled at organizing things by topic, type, and/or identifying relationships between items/collections
• You have (or desire) training with archival preservation and storage techniques

Where you’ll work:

• The KGS Publication Resources Center is on UK’s central campus, in the Mining and Mineral Resources Building.

Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

• Attention to detail
• Organizational skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal relationship skills
• Teamwork
• Legible handwriting
• Accurate spelling/transcription of titles, researchers’ names, etc.

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities?

No

Preferred Education/Experience

Experience with data management, Excel or similar spreadsheet tools; entering item-level metadata; experience organizing and cataloging collections of physical items; interest or experience in preservation and archival storage a plus.

Deadline to Apply

01/22/2025

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