The role of Access and Digital Engagement Archivist at the University of York is a pivotal role within the Borthwick Institute for Archives team. You will have particular responsibility for access (including distance services, web development and social media); you will have or develop a specialism in medieval records, and teach medieval palaeography and diplomatic to postgraduate level. You will work across the full range of the Borthwick’s collections and activities. You will have a high degree of independence of action within the remit of the post, which is demanding and requires initiative, creative thought and imagination, as well as technical skill. You will initiate and manage projects externally and internally, with partners inside and outside the University.
Salary will be within the range £40,322- £49,553 a year on grade 7 of the University’s salary scales.
Role
Archivists at the Borthwick are required to work across the full range of professional responsibilities, but each archivist has, or develops, a specialism in a particular area. This post has particular responsibilities for access, digital engagement, and for the medieval records in the Borthwick's care. It is a demanding and wide-ranging role, and it is recognised that candidates will not be skilled in all the required areas from day one. You will be supported and helped to develop by a skilled team of archive assistants, conservators and archivists in the Borthwick and by Information professionals in the broader Directorate including IT specialists, librarians, buildings managers and communications staff.
You will work with our broad range of user communities - student, academic and general public - helping them to become proficient information users and learners; facilitating lifelong learning, discovery and engagement. You will be a key member of the Borthwick Institute Leadership Team, providing strategic direction and delivery of our outreach and engagement activities in order to broaden, enthuse and engage our audiences.
You will be expected to work closely with academic staff to devise, develop, support and manage research projects in Departments and specialist interdisciplinary centres. Currently the Borthwick is working with History to develop access to the archbishops’ registers 1304-1405 and you will be closely involved in this work. The Borthwick is also expanding its digital engagement offering with the introduction of podcasts; working in a commercial partnership to digitise and index in-demand resources; and work is underway to expand the digital library provision to allow greater ability to engage with a sizable (and growing) global audience.
Skills, Experience & Qualification needed
Access is the key to this role, whether that is access in person, through social media and other online tools, through conventional or digital publications, or through outreach projects involving lecturing and workshops in and beyond the University. Access at the Borthwick sits in the Directorate’s Customer Service Excellence framework, with the service user at the heart of concerns.
The Borthwick has a large quantity of significant medieval records. It is important that the post-holder is able play a part in facilitating and enhancing access to medieval records. Teaching medieval palaeography to postgraduate students is one key aspect of the role that the post holder must be, or become, competent to deliver in time for the next academic year. Beyond this, the role will work to engage, enthuse and connect a 24/7 global community of researchers with the full span of the Borthwick's archives, rare books and unique and distinctive collections.
Interviews: tbc
For further information and to apply online please visit the University of York website. Alternatively contact HR Services on dcis-hr@york.ac.uk