About the American Song Archives

The American Song Archives manages the Bob Dylan Center® and the Woody Guthrie Center® in Tulsa, Oklahoma. These centers house the archives of Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, Cynthia Gooding, the personal libraries of Izzy Young and Harry Smith, as well as numerous other smaller collections.

The Bob Dylan Center® serves to educate, motivate and inspire visitors to engage their own capacity as creators. While the center is anchored by a permanent exhibit on the life and work of Bob Dylan, it also offers additional exhibits, public programs, performances, lectures and publications, through which it aims to foster a conversation about the role of creativity in our lives.

The Woody Guthrie Center® is dedicated to spreading Woody Guthrie’s message of diversity, equality and justice to a new generation who can create their own ripples of change. The center, which opened in 2013, honors Guthrie’s life and legacy by educating visitors, teachers, students and scholars about his relevance today and his important role in American history through on-site programming, classroom materials, youth music programs, artist-in-residence programs, school outreach, internships, fellowship opportunities and the Woody Guthrie Archives.

Position Purpose

Reporting to the Director of Archives and Exhibitions, and working closely with the Archives and Exhibitions staff, the Archives and Exhibitions Assistant assists with day-to-day functions of the archives, exhibitions, collections management, and researcher experience. We are seeking to hire a motivated, hardworking employee with good communication skills and strong attention to detail.

Salary: $15–18 per hour, approximately 15 - 25 hours a week

Responsibilities

The Archives and Exhibitions Assistant assists the Archives and Exhibitions Teams with the following:

• Researcher visits and reference questions
• Inventorying, cataloging, and processing of archival and library collections
• Scanning and onsite digitization
• Digital archives and metadata management
• Exhibition install, deinstall, mounting, etc.
• Routine gallery and collection care
• Organization of exhibition materials
• Paperwork for collections and exhibitions (e.g., condition reports, loans, shipping and receiving)
• Other duties as assigned

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Graduate students in library science, archives, and museum studies are encouraged to apply. Some previous library, archive, or museum experience preferred.

Physical requirements

• Frequently sitting perform and performing desk-based computer tasks, including repetitive keyboard and data entry and handwriting; frequent standing and sitting while processing materials
• Occasionally climb and reach on ladders and step stools
• Ability to lift and carry or transport materials up to 40 pounds; ability to push book carts or flatbed trucks up to 100 pounds
• Occasionally work with materials that may have been exposed to dust, mildew, or mold

Please Note

Due to the necessary public health precautions put in place as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, to work in person and attend in-person meetings, all team members must follow American Song Archives, LLC COVID safety precautions, which currently includes being fully vaccinated. The vaccine requirement is subject to reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act exceptions.

Knowledge, Skills, and Work Standards

• Excellent written, verbal, listening, and interpersonal communication skills
• Attention to detail and accuracy high level of productivity, ability to complete projects on time
• Ability to collaborate with other team members on archives- and exhibits-related projects
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, OneDrive, SharePoint) and Google Drive platforms
• Ability to learn and implement new systems and techniques as required

Hours and Location

• This is an in-person position based in Tulsa, Oklahoma
• A typical work week is Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Assistant position will be scheduled within these hours
• The work week will occasionally vary with advance notice depending on scheduled programming and other events; may require evening or weekend hours for special events or tours