Library Associate, Manuscript Processor

70% - Manuscripts Processing:
This position primarily handles more complex and/or larger archival and manuscript collections. Collections may require specialized technical expertise including processing foreign language materials an ability to read older forms of English or working with special formats such as born-digital materials. Key responsibilities include:

• Surveys arranges and rehouses original primary source materials as assigned by supervisor. This work ranges from minimally processing collections through detailed and complex processing of archival and manuscript collections following national best practices and locally developed procedures specific to KSRLs levels of processing.
• Describes collections using national and local best practices including Describing Archives: A Contents Standard (DACS) and relevant metadata standards in the collections management tool ArchivesSpace to generate online publicly available finding aids.
• Conducts research online as well as within collection materials and other readily available resources to write biographical and historical notes and other contextual information for finding aids.
• Creates finding aids for undescribed or under-described legacy collections in an online environment.
• Consults with conservation and curatorial staff as appropriate.
• Suggests subject headings and identifies relevant agents to be associated with finding aids and catalog records.
• Creates agent records in ArchivesSpace following national and local metadata standards.

15% - Special Projects:
Assists with one or more special projects within the Department. Special projects may be long-term or short-term depending on departmental and library priorities at any given time. Also included here are activities that occur on an infrequent basis. This position currently works on the following projects:

• Creates finding aids for undescribed or under-described large legacy collections requiring extensive organization and research to process.
• Cleans up standard and complex legacy metadata/EAD finding aids to facilitate better access to manuscript collections housed at KSRL.
• Serves as a resource to other processors particularly when Archives & Manuscripts Coordinator is not available.
• Participates in departmental and cross-unit projects to clean-up and enhance the metadata of digitized collections.

10% - Project Management:
This work requires in-depth knowledge of local and national standards exceptional organizational skills and the ability to improve and/or re-engineer practices from previous projects to streamline workflows for optimal efficiency.

• Monitors and adjusts workflows for complex collection processing projects.
• Frequently resolves and/or proposes solutions to archival processing problems.
• Keeps supervisor and team members informed of progress for each project.
• Maintains internal documentation about processing and preservation decisions to collection materials.

5% - Teamwork and Professional Development:

• Attends and participates in Libraries Department and Unit meetings along with other team building in ongoing professional development related to the position and commits to positive solution-oriented problem solving.

Disclaimer
The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race color ethnicity religion sex national origin age ancestry disability status as a veteran sexual orientation marital status parental status gender identity gender expression and genetic information in the universitys programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and is the Title IX coordinator for all KU and KUMC campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Room 1082 Dole Human Development Center 1000 Sunnyside Avenue Lawrence KSTTY.

Work Schedule
M-F 8-5

Contact Information to Applicants
Tonia Morgan

1. Bachelors degree and three years of library or related experience OR high school diploma and five years of library or related experience.

1. Bachelors degree in library science public history museum science or related field.
2. At least one years experience working in an archival setting (this may include paid and unpaid internships).
3. Demonstrated knowledge of DACS EAD and other descriptive and metadata standards as evidenced by application materials and required by previous experience.
4. Experience with ArchivesSpace and/or other collections management or database systems.
5. Excellent written and verbal communications skills with an ability to organize and summarize pertinent information as evidenced by application materials and required by previous experience.
6. Reading knowledge of a Western European language as evidenced by application materials.
7. Experience in project management.
8. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills attention to detail and an ability to work successfully with detailed and complex procedures as evidenced by application materials and required by previous experience.
9. Demonstrated initiative an ability to organize work effectively and to be successful in a production-oriented work environment as evidenced by application materials and required by previous experience.

Position Overview
The Cataloging & Archival Processing Department of the University of Kansas Libraries is responsible for the cataloging and processing of all resources for the Libraries including print and electronic monographs print and electronic serials maps multimedia government documents and archival/manuscript addition the Department is heavily involved in the inventory of books and the updating of records associated with materials being moved to the Library Annex. The Department consists of 28 FTE staff members in a variety of classifications along with student assistants and has offices in both Watson and Kenneth Spencer Research Libraries.

Reporting to the Archives & Manuscripts Coordinator this full-time position is in the Processing Department at the Kenneth Spencer Research Library (KSRL). KSRL houses KUs distinctive collections which includes rare books and archival material acquired across four collecting areas: Kansas Collection Special Collections University Archives and the Wilcox Collection. Following national standards and local policies this position primarily physically processes complex manuscript collections born-digital records and photographic collections. This involves surveying and inventorying collection material managing processing plans and internal documentation and doing extensive research both within and outside the collections to generate multilevel descriptions in ArchivesSpace. This position will also assist with cleaning up and enhancing more challenging legacy metadata/EADs and contribute to training materials and processing manuals.

KUs excellence is a result of the rich tapestry of experiences perspectives and backgrounds of our faculty staff students and colleagues from across our nation and the globe. At KU we invest in continuous learning and growth by creating a climate where people engage in respectful dialogue and debate and support each others success. We foster a culture of care where each person is seen heard and valued. When people feel a true sense of belonging we believe they are better able to reach their full potential and achieve remarkable things.

Additional Candidate Instruction
In addition to the online application the following documents are required to be considered for this position:

1. A cover letter addressing how required and preferred qualifications are met.
2. Resume or curriculum vitae.
3. Contact information for three (3) professional references (including at least one previous or current supervisor).

Application review begins Monday 4/20/2026 and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants is identified.