ABOUT THE JOB

The University of Minnesota Libraries invites applications for the position of Archivist for the Social Welfare History Archives (SWHA), an internationally recognized repository on the history of social work and cognate or related subjects and professions. SWHA has over 330 collections dating from the late 19^th century to the present documenting human services, social issues, and the social work profession, particularly in the United States. The collections include records from professional organizations and advocacy groups, personal papers, and print materials. Subject strengths within this include adoption, child welfare, domestic violence, health and wellness, human rights, immigration, race, and more. As one archival unit among four that comprise the Migration and Social Services Collections, all within the Archives & Special Collections Department of the University of Minnesota Libraries, SWHA is one of our busiest archives, and supports global to local users.

This archivist will join a team of colleagues within the Archives & Special Collections department to advance teaching, learning, and research at the University of Minnesota Libraries. The successful candidate will be responsible for the care and development of the Social Welfare History Archives, including its users, its donors, and its collections.

We welcome experienced archivists, those who are new to the field, and those with another advanced degree and relevant experience to apply. Historical knowledge of social work or social services in the United States is helpful but not required. We encourage applications from individuals with diverse educational and work experience, and we invite you to envision the way your unique background and perspective brings value to our organization.

The successful candidates will clearly articulate the connection between this position and their individual work, education, and lived experience, and they will bring a strong interest in growing and developing professionally as Social Welfare History Archives archivist. They will serve as a key member of the Migration and Social Services Collections, a grouping of four collaborative archival units, reporting to the Head of Migration and Social Services Collections. The archivist will work closely with these colleagues and many others, including collection donors and record creators, student workers, students and faculty at the University of Minnesota and other schools, and global users.

ENVIRONMENT

The department of Archives and Special Collections is a dynamic group of 16 distinct collecting areas devoted to preservation and access for rare books and archival materials, housed in the beautiful Elmer L. Andersen Library.

The University of Minnesota Libraries is recognized amongst its peers for the breadth and depth of its contemporary and special collections. Providing both deep subject expertise as well as functional specialists, the Libraries actively participates in the broader mission of the University of Minnesota. 

The University of Minnesota, set in the heart of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, is one of the nation’s top research universities. It has a student population of 52,000 and advances over 200 graduate and professional programs. 

The Twin Cities is a vibrant community, with the metro area offering a wealth of restaurants, sports teams, cultural institutions, museums, parks, live music venues, storefronts, and theaters. The Social Welfare History Archives is centrally located on the west bank of the Twin Cities Campus, with access to nearby restaurants, open areas, museums, and an international airport. Downtown Saint Paul and Minneapolis can be easily accessed by light rail or other public transportation. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Archivist will apply their skills and passion for archives to continue SWHA’s excellent tradition of archival management and services and provide forward-thinking archival practice responsive to community and evolving social concerns and research needs. They will do so by providing core functions of the archives, as well as exploring occasional opportunities and projects. Focus areas for the position are collection management; outreach and community engagement; distance and in-person research support; teaching; and professional service and scholarship. Some project supervision is necessary throughout these roles, as is student supervision.

Core responsibilities are:

• Research Services (30%): Connect scholars at all levels with the sources and expertise they need to be effective and responsible researchers.
• Collection Management (25%): Build upon and manage collections on social work, social issues, social reform, and social services which form the SWHA collections of distinction.
• Engagement & Outreach (15%): Develop strong relationships with records creators, financial donors, and faculty, staff, and students at the University of Minnesota. Engage archival researchers, learners of all levels, and colleagues in the materials available in the SWHA.
• Teaching & Learning (15%): Through course-integrated teaching and other opportunities, expand and enhance opportunities for scholars to succeed and develop critical inquiry skills.
• Professional scholarship and activity (10%)
• Service to institution (5%)

The position is full-time, 12-month, continuous-track, academic professional position with probationary appointments at the Assistant or Associate Librarian level. It is on the librarian continuous appointment track, and as such the successful candidates will be expected to be active professionally and to contribute to developments in the field. Continuous appointment track librarians are evaluated and promoted on the basis of their fulfillment of the position expectations, their service to the Libraries, University and/or community, and their professional development and contribution. The successful candidate will receive annual professional development funds. Professional development leaves are also available in order to support these expectations.

This position offers some flexibility of work options, with the majority of time required as onsite in the Elmer L. Andersen Library, Twin Cities campus location. Generally, Monday – Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm, with occasional weekend or evening hours will be required.

Review of applications will start 04/30/2026.

We value many individual and unique skills that would strengthen the Social Welfare History Archives, and our collective work at the University Libraries.

Required:

• American Library Association accredited Master’s degree in Library/Information Science OR equivalent combination of advanced degree and relevant experience. Associate Librarians must demonstrate a substantial command of the area of responsibility.
• Work, educational (e.g., practicum, coursework), or community archives/libraries experience.  
• Demonstrable commitment to work that is grounded in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility concepts and practice.
• Ability to work collaboratively and build and sustain positive relationships with diverse colleagues and library users.  
• Ability to take initiative in an environment of multiple priorities and functions, and successfully develop, manage and deliver projects.
• Ability to communicate effectively in a variety of settings and modalities. 
• Ability to work occasional weekend or evening hours.

Preferred:                                       

• Work, educational (e.g., practicum, coursework), or community archives/library experience in or with human and social services, social work, or related practice or academic areas.
• Demonstrated teaching skills and development of relationship with colleges and faculty partners, based on an understanding of archival literacy and primary source instruction in various modalities with the ability to reach a variety of audiences.
• Archival management in the digital environment (e.g., virtual research support and delivery of digital sources; artificial intelligence application; or born digital records processing, access, and preservation).