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Careers

This page is based on a Pathfinder created by Diandra Douglis (iSchool graduate student) in 2022 to help graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) School of Information begin their research into the field of careers in archives. Using the information in this pathfinder, a student should be able to gain a better understanding about what it means to be an archivist, and to have a career in the archival field.

 

Society of American Archivists https://www2.archivists.org

 

  • The Society of American Archivist is the largest professional organization in the United States devoted to promoting archivists and archives. On the main page of the site, click on the “About Archives” menu and select “What are Archives” from the Dropdown menu. This will give you information on what archives are, and what an archivist does.

 

What is an Archivist? National Archives. The U.S. National Archives and Records  https://www.archives.gov/about/info/whats-an-archivist.html 

 

  • The National Archives and Records Association is the governmental association in charge of managing the records for the United States government. Information about what an archivist is, and what one does, can be found by scrolling to the bottom of the main page, and clicking on the link “What is the National Archives?” under “About Us.” In the center of the following page is a box titled “New to the Archives”, click on the link “What’s an Archivist?” in this box.

 

Where can I find information about how to become an archivist?

Archival Studies Degrees. Library Science Degrees.  https://www.librarysciencedegrees.org/programs/archival-studies

  • Library Science Degrees consolidates information from organizations such as the American Libraries Association and the US Department of Labor to give accurate, and wide ranging information. There is no search bar on the main page. Find the page dedicated to archives, by scrolling down to where it says “Library Science Program Areas” on the right of the page, and choosing “Archival Studies”. As you scroll through, it will have information about schools with archive programs, primarily available online, and the types of coursework one will encounter in these programs. 
  • You can also find information about becoming an archivist from the Society of American Archivists’ website (listed above) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook (listed below).

Where can I find data and statistics about employment for archivists?

  • “Archivists, Curators, and Museum Workers.” Occupational Outlook Handbook.  https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/curators-museum-technicians-and-conservators.htm
  • The Occupational Outlook Handbook has lots of statistics relating to job growth and outlook, average salaries, and state specific data. This can all be explored through the tabs on the page for “Archivists, Curators, and Museum Workers.” Click on the tabs for “Job Outlook” and “Pay” to see data specifically for archivists.

Where can I find scholarly articles about archival science? 

Article on Undergraduate course in archival science

Whitmore, Jessica. Intro to Archival Science: Developing an Undergraduate Archival Elective Outside of a LIS Program. Journal of Archival Organization 15, no. 3-4 (2018): 1450158. doi: 10.1080/15332748.2019.1613313

Jessica Whitmore has written a very thought-provoking article for the Journal of Archival Organization on the usefulness of offering undergraduate courses in archival science. She does this using the specific case of a class at Mount St. Mary’s University as an example. An undergraduate student looking for classes that could introduce them to archival principles may find this article particularly useful, as she details the various objectives and goals of the class. A copy of the class’s syllabus, including the reading list, is also included, which could be useful for any student looking for additional readings connected to the archival profession. This article and any other from the same journal, can be accessed online by any UT Austin student, through the Library & Information Science Source database. In order to find it, search the database for either the title or author of the article.  

Audiovisual Resources

UT Austin iSchool IT Lab. “Career Development - Archives and Preservation.” Youtube.

May 17, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D57FwaQC9Gc

A five-minute video created by the UT Austin iSchool, with previous “Information Career Development Director” Beth Hallmark, this video discusses the fundamental building blocks to a career in archival science. Hallmark elaborates on the various media an archivist might work with, the many different types of archival careers, and the different duties of an archivist. She also discusses the more general skills that a person may need to be an effective archivist, as well as the educational and experience recommendations for a career in archives. While a graduate student specializing in archives will likely already know all of this, it is a good video for someone looking for a quick background to start themselves on the archival career track.  

Women and Leadership Archives. “Ask an Archivist.” Youtube. November 29, 2020.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beIlpjh-PcY

A question and answer session with Emily Reiher, an archivist with the Women and Leadership Archives in Chicago. There are a broad range of questions asked during this, spanning everything from Reiher’s own reasons for becoming an archivist, to how an archivist can preserve old documents. Reiher also describes her qualifications and what many of her daily duties look like, including how they have changed since becoming an archive director. A twelve-minute-long video, this is a great look into a personal account of an archivist’s career. 

“Archivists Career Video.” CareerOneStop. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and

Training Administration, February 25, 2022. 

https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile.aspx?keyword=Archivists&onetcode=25401100&location=UNITED%20STATES

Put together by the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, the Career One Stop video about Archivists gives a brief, but detailed, overview of the archival profession. A description of the job, daily duties, necessary skills and educational background are all touched on in this one minute and twenty-seven second video. While not an extensively detailed video, it is a very good, quick overview of everything someone unfamiliar with the archival profession might need to know. The Career One Stop website has additional information related to job statistics, wages, and more specific educational requirements for those interested in a job in archives. 

Job Hunting Sites

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