MY NEXT CAREER

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Personnel Vacancy Notice

Project Archivist

Louis Armstrong House Museum

Queens College, CUNY

Scope of work: The Project Archivist is responsible for the arrangement, preservation, description, and use of the materials in the Jack Bradley Collection, a monumental collection of sound recordings, photographs, personal papers, artifacts, film, and other materials. The Project Archivist is also responsible for the retrospective conversion of existing catalog records.

Duties:

1. Arrange, preserve, and catalog materials in the Jack Bradley Collection.

2. Advise the Director on supplies and equipment needed for the project.

3. Interview, train, hire, and supervise support staff (student interns, volunteers, etc.)

4. Perform retrospective conversion of catalog records for other collections from Microsoft Access to PastPerfect. Catalog materials in backlog.

5. Other duties as assigned.

Reporting structure:

1. The Project Archivist reports to the Director, Louis Armstrong House Museum.

2. The Project Archivist supervises student interns, volunteers, and other support staff.

Minimum requirements:

1. MLS from an ALA-accredited institution or Masters in Jazz History or equivalent professional experience.

2. Ability to lift 50 pounds.

3. Excellent references.

Highly desired:

1. Expert knowledge in the history of jazz, especially the life and career of Louis Armstrong.

2. Graduate degree in music, African-American Studies, American culture, or related discipline.

Hours: 35 hours per week, to be scheduled Monday-Saturday.

Annual Salary: $40,950. Full benefits.

Term of Employment: This is an IMLS grant funded position for which employment is anticipated to run from October 1, 2009 until September 30, 2011. If additional funds become available, employment may continue past the expiration of the grant.

To apply: Mail cover letter, curriculum vitae, and names and telephone numbers of three references to Search Committee, Louis Armstrong House Museum, 34-56 107th Street, Corona, Queens, New York, 11368 or submit electronically to info@louisarmstronghouse.org with the subject header “Project Archivist.” The position is open until filled.

The Louis Armstrong House Museum and GrantsPlus are Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-verify employers.

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Dear Mr. Cogswell,

Would you be willing to entertain my application?  I don’t have a degree in Jazz History, and I don’t make a habit of lifting fifty-pound objects, but I could train for that and have been listening to Louis since 1959 or so.  Surely that would count for something.  And if you grant me an interview, I’ll get a bran’ new suit and wear my stickpin (it’s a Tecla pearl).  I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Michael Steinman (at the above blog-address)

P.S.  Of course, all of the above is only if Ricky Riccardi turns it down.