We are seeking to appoint an Archivist to manage and develop access to the library’s outstanding Christian Brethren Archive. The post is 35 hours per week (full time) until 31 March 2025, with the possibility of an extension subject to securing external funding.
The Christian Brethren Archive is the largest collection in the world relating to a group of independent Christian congregations often referred to as the Plymouth Brethren, Christian Brethren, or simply Brethren. The Archive includes the personal papers of many leading figures in the Brethren movement, as well as institutional archives, such as missionary records of the Echoes of Service agency. There are also over 17,000 books, pamphlets and tracts, and 280 periodical titles. As well as being the world’s foremost source for the history of the Brethren movement, the archive has huge research potential across a wide range of disciplines, from British social history to the colonial and postcolonial studies.
You will be a graduate with a professional qualification in archives administration or similar. In addition, you will have excellent communication and team-working skills; have excellent IT and social media skills and a demonstrable understanding of how advanced digital technologies can unleash the potential of Special Collections for academic audiences; be committed to the exploitation of Special Collections for teaching, learning and research; and have experience of teaching and learning and of training staff and students in using special collections.
The University of Manchester Library is one of only five National Research Libraries and the third largest academic library in the UK. Our vast and rich collections help us to deliver a world-class library and information service for The University of Manchester. While our primary objective is to meet the learning, teaching and research needs of University members, we are also fully committed to widening access to our services to individual researchers, local schools and others in the regional community.