Arizona Political Collections Archivist
Arizona State University
Office
Tempe, Arizona
Full Time
Description
The Community-Driven Archives department is reimagining and transforming 21st century academic libraries and archives by centering the lives and voices of historically marginalized communities and by implementing innovative solutions that address inequities and erasure. The award-winning initiative advances ASU’s research and public service mission by creating a collaborative culture that models reparative action and broadens access to and preservation of knowledge.
Arizona State University has the largest collection of public papers of the most well-known Arizona political figures, as well as related papers from publicly visible civil society actors in the state's history. With the opening in 2028 of the John McCain National Library, we see an opportunity to integrate all those materials on a highly visible stage as a resource for study and research into not only Arizona's past but its present issues. The Arizona Political Collections Archivist will lead these efforts within the Library and represent these collections to the public. Within the Community-Driven Archives (CDA) team this archivist will lead provision of collection services for researchers and engage with ASU communities and regional partners to promote the use of the Arizona political papers held by ASU. Collections involved include papers of Senators Carl Hayden, Barry Goldwater, John McCain, and Kyrsten Sinema, as well as other congressional representatives (notably Arizona's first Latino congressional representative, Ed Pastor), and both the Arizona AFL-CIO and other labor unions and organizations.
Essential Functions
- Arranges and describes collections in accordance with archival best practices and standards.
- Collaborates with external government partners or institutions
- Prepares materials for reformatting, digitization, preservation, and access.
- Employs a strategic and team-based approach to outreach and engagement.
- Provides leadership in the management of the collections and works closely with patrons and researchers engaged with government information, political science, social justice and legal issues, local history, and other related disciplinary subjects.
The ASU Library is a center of learning, exploration and discovery. With eight locations, the library plays a vital role in expanding knowledge, cultivating community and inspiring innovation at ASU and in our communities. Students and faculty can access millions of information resources, world-class collections, outstanding study spaces, advanced data centers, and creative maker services. As supporters of student success, the library is a critical partner in realizing the New American University’s mission of access, excellence and impact. ASU Library empowers people to unlock their potential, express themselves and learn to thrive. For more information or to find library locations, visit lib.asu.edu.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
●ALA-accredited Master’s degree in Library and Information Science by the hire date
●Experience arranging, describing, and preserving archival collections
●Experience with outreach and engagement
Preferred Qualifications:
●Experience with current nationally accepted library and archival descriptive and metadata standards.
●Work experience in a manuscript repository or archives located at an academic or research library.
●Experience in accessioning, arranging, and describing textual, analog, and born-digital materials, especially congressional collections and/or political papers.
●Evidence of effective project planning, management, and completion; demonstrated ability tomeet deadlines and ensure regular workflows.
●Experience using ArchivesSpace or other collection management systems.
●Deep knowledge of political science, public policy, and/or Arizona history.
●Knowledge of preservation and conservation standards for archival materials.
●Demonstrated effective interpersonal and communication skills and ability to maintainpositive and productive work relationships with coworkers.
●Supervisory experience, including hiring, training, supervising, and evaluating staff or student workers.
Informational Webinar: On August 14, 2025, ASU Library will host a webinar discussing the open positions, working at ASU Library and ASU, and living in the Phoenix area. This is open to anyone interested in learning more about these positions and the ASU Library. Attendance is not required to apply for any open positions, and the attendee list will be hidden to ensure confidentiality. The webinar will be recorded, and closed captioning will be provided. Visit https://lib.asu.edu/employment for more details.
Salary and Rank: This is a Continuing Appointment track Academic Professional position; Assistant/Associate Archivist and salary dependent upon experience. Early career professionals are encouraged to apply. Application
Application Instructions
Application Procedures: This is a paperless search; only electronic materials will be accepted. To apply, please submit electronically to the following: A cover letter, comprehensive vita or resume, and names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of 3 recent professional references. No paper applications, faxes or emails will be accepted.
The applicant’s last name should appear in each uploaded file name. Questions about the position should be directed to the search committee chair at: Nancy.Godoy@asu.edu. Application deadline is September 3, 2025. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool. Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled. Other Information: Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States. For more information regarding ASU, visit our website: www.asu.edu. For more information about the Phoenix metropolitan area, please visit www.visitarizona.com.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
A background check is required for employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.
See https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html and https://www.asu.edu/titleIX/.
In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources. ASU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456.
Arizona Political Collections Archivist
Office
Tempe, Arizona
Full Time
July 15, 2025