Archives Assistant National Irish Visual Arts Library

The National College of Art and Design is Ireland’s leading provider of art and design education for art practitioners and for teachers of art. The campus houses two world-class libraries for the study of International and Irish art and design: The Edward Murphy Library and the National Irish Visual Arts Library (NIVAL).

The National Irish Visual Arts Library (NIVAL) is a public research resource dedicated to the documentation of 20th and 21st century Irish visual art and design. NIVAL collects, stores and makes accessible for research an unparalleled collection of documentation about Irish art in all media. The collection includes monographs, exhibition catalogues, journals, press material and ephemera, institutional records and artist’s archives.

NIVAL is available free of charge and without membership to anyone with an interest in current, historical or biographical information on visual art and design in Ireland. NIVAL is supported by the Arts Council through the Strategic Funding programme and by the Department of Culture, Heritage, the Gaeltacht and Regional and Rural Affairs under the Arts & Culture Capital Scheme.

The Archives Assistant will be part of a team of information professionals working collaboratively and on self-directed projects. The post holder may be asked to deliver the following tasks: archive appraisal, an inventory of items, rehousing materials in preservation-standard storage, selecting material for digitisation, archival description to catalogue and shape the collections for future access and curatorial intervention, and shared team tasks as allocated by the Assistant Manager. The position requires a passion and enthusiasm for archival practice, metadata and the application of digital technologies to archival resources. The post holder will have demonstrable experience of working with a team, completing cataloguing projects and of cataloguing a variety of types of records in the subject areas of art and design.

Salary:

Grade IV: €37,218-€53,301 per annum.

Appointment will be made on an appropriate scale and in accordance with the Department of Finance guidelines.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• To assist in undertaking arrangement, appraisal, description and cataloguing of archive collections to international standards and within agreed timescales
• To assist in undertaking a range of preservation activities including cleaning and re-boxing, and to identify items for basic conservation treatment and repair
• To assist with the smooth and efficient running of NIVAL as part of a team
• To develop knowledge in designated subject areas in order to enhance cataloguing and satisfy enquiries
• To assist the Assistant Manager in selecting collections for cataloguing
• To collaborate with the Digital Collections Officer to identify material for digital imaging and to promote the library collections
• To exercise care and vigilance in the handling and management of collection material
• To engage with NIVAL’s online resources, database records and digital collections
• To provide occasional support for readers services and talks for researchers on archival procedures
• To observe fire and safety regulations in the area at all times
• To undertake such other duties as may be assigned from time to time, including possible evening work

Selection Criteria

Selection criteria outline the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of the responsibilities of the post. Applications will be assessed on the basis of how well candidates satisfy these criteria.

Mandatory

• Academic qualification (NFQ Level 6 or higher) in a relevant discipline
• A minimum of 2 years’ previous experience of working in an archive, research library or similar institute
• Experience of cataloguing archival material to international standards following ISO and ISAD guidelines
• Experience of working with spreadsheets and database software, in particular archive-specific systems
• Familiarity with the application of metadata schema, in particular Dublin Core
• A measurable interest in 20th century and contemporary Irish art and design
• An ability to manage multiple demands and prioritise effectively
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills (written and oral)
• An ability to work independently, and as part of a team
• An ability to move moderate weights such as archive boxes

Desirable

• Relevant experience in the arts and culture, heritage or education sectors
• Experience of working with arts organisations and/or artists and artists’ estates
• Experience of undertaking enquiry work
• Awareness of intellectual property rights
• Familiarity with the process of digitising materials for archival purposes
• A demonstrable interest in working with researchers in a learning environment

Closing Date is 12th of November 2024