Contract Archivist
The Wiener-Rogers Law Library at the William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (the “Law Library”) seeks to hire an archivist on a short-term contract.
The Law Library houses archival documents, ephemera, and oral histories related to the history of Black jurists in Nevada. Most of the materials in this archival collection come from the Las Vegas Chapter of the National Bar Association (the “LVNBA”). The National Bar Association, founded in 1925, is the oldest and largest organization of African-American attorneys in the country. The LVNBA was founded in 1981 and its members have been important actors in the civil rights movement in Nevada and in Nevada jurisprudence more generally.
The LVNBA has graciously donated its physical archives to the Law Library. Those materials consist of, among many other types of materials, programs, records of donations and scholarships endowed by the LVNBA, certificates of recognition received by the organization and its members, membership lists, agendas and minutes of meetings, press releases, correspondence, newsletters, media coverage, and governing documents. These materials are not available elsewhere and, as a whole, reflect the contributions of the LVNBA and its members to Nevada jurisprudence.
Almost all of the foregoing materials have been digitized and saved in Box (around 350 files in all). Individual LVNBA members have donated their archival materials to the Law Library as well. The Law Library has also undertaken an oral history project, recording and transcribing oral history conversations with leading Black jurists in the State.
The Law Library seeks to hire an archivist to review the LVNBA archive and our oral histories and propose a plan for creating an accessible physical and digital archive.
That plan would include:
Guidance on
o Organizing the materials
o Preserving the physical archive
o Naming conventions
o Creating means of access to the physical and digital collections
o Increasing the discoverability of the collections
o Publicizing and promoting the physical and digital archive
o Preserving and sharing the oral histories
o Creating exhibits – digital and physical – that promote the use of the archives and specifically of the oral histories
The development of templates and examples of organizational approaches, finding and resource guides, and promotional materials
Suggestions for policies for archival maintenance and growth
This is a short-term position; most of the work can be conducted remotely, but we expect that the archivist would visit the law school for two to three days to learn more about the archives and stakeholders.
We expect that the work could be completed – with the final product being a written proposal covering the items described above – within 120-160 hours (including both remote and in-person work). Once the contract archivist is hired, we would expect the project to be completed within three to four months.
Compensation
The Contract Archivist will be paid a lump sum, which will include travel expenses. Compensation will be determined based on the experience and qualifications of the successful applicant and the geographic location of the applicant. We expect that the lump sum will be in the $5000 to $7000 range.
Qualifications and Application Process
The Contract Archivist should have substantial experience dealing with and processing archives and planning, developing, and implementing projects – in both digital and physical formats – that share and make accessible archival collections. A master’s degree in library or information science or similar graduate degree is required. Work can begin immediately upon hire with a somewhat flexible schedule provided the work is completed in a reasonable amount of time.
To apply, please send (i) a cover letter describing your interest in the position, qualifications and experience, and availability; and (ii) resume to Carla Bywaters, Research Librarian/Assistant Professor at carla.bywaters@unlv.edu. Please address any questions you might have to Jeanne Price, Professor of Law and Director of the Law Library, at jeanne.price@unlv.edu.
The William S. Boyd School of Law
The William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, a public, state-supported law school, is the only law school in Nevada. The Law School offers day and evening J.D. programs to more than 400 students, as well as an LL.M in Gaming Law and Regulation. The law school is recognized nationally for its lawyering process program, the Saltman Center for Dispute Resolution, and its clinical programs.
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Founded in 1957, UNLV is a doctoral-degree-granting institution of approximately 30,000 students and more than 3,600 faculty and staff. To date, UNLV has conferred more than 152,000 degrees, producing more than 130,000 alumni around the world.
UNLV is classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as an R1 research university with very high research activity. The university is committed to recruiting and retaining top students and faculty, educating the region's diversifying population and workforce, driving economic activity through increased research and community partnerships, and creating an academic health center for Southern Nevada that includes the launch of a new UNLV School of Medicine. UNLV is located on a 332- acre main campus and two satellite campuses in Southern Nevada.
At UNLV, we have come together and created one of the most affirmative and dynamic academic environments in the country. UNLV sits in the top spot in U.S. News & World Report’s annual listing of the nation’s most diverse universities for undergraduates. The university has ranked in the top ten since the rankings debuted more than a decade ago. We continue to show our commitment to serving our wonderfully diverse population and building the future for Las Vegas and Nevada. For more information, visit us on line at: http://www.unlv.edu
EEO/AA Statement
The University of Nevada - Las Vegas (UNLV) is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes). Discrimination on the basis of a protected class, including unlawful harassment, which is a form of discrimination, is illegal under federal and state law. Where unlawful discrimination is found to have occurred, UNLV will act to stop the unlawful discrimination, to prevent its recurrence, to remedy its effects, and to discipline those responsible. Women, minorities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.
TITLE IX STATEMENT
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, does not discriminate on the basis of sex in any education program or activity that it operates. Non-discrimination on the basis of sex is mandated by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. §§ 1681 et seq.) and the corresponding implementation regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106). The University’s commitment to nondiscrimination in its education programs and activities extends to applicants for admission and employment. Inquiries concerning the application of these provisions may be referred to: Michelle Sposito, J.D., Title IX Coordinator, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Box 451062, Las Vegas, NV 89154-1062, Frank and Estella Beam Hall (BEH) Room 553, Telephone: (702) 895-4055; Email: titleixcoordinator@unlv.edu, or to The Assistant Secretary of the United States Department of Education, U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-1100; Telephone: 1-800-421-3481 FAX: 202-453-6012; TDD: 1-800-877-8339; Email: OCR@ed.gov; or to both. Information pertaining to the University’s grievance procedures and grievance process, including how to report or file a complaint of sex discrimination, how to report or file a formal complaint of sexual harassment, and how the University will respond can be found online at the Office of Equal Employment & Title IX webpage.
