The Black Film Center and Archive (BFCA), a center within The Media School, was established in 1981 as the first archival repository dedicated to collecting, preserving, and making available historically and culturally significant films by and about Black people. The BFCA's primary objectives are to promote scholarship on black film and to serve as an open resource for scholars, researchers, students, and the general public; to encourage creative film activity by independent Black filmmakers; and to undertake and support research on the history, impact, theory, and aesthetics of black film traditions. This position will assist in the processing of the Paulin S. Vieyra's collection and reports to the BFCA archivist.
Department specific responsibilities
- Processes, organizes, and re-houses a multi-faceted collection of papers, manuscripts, audio, video, equipment, and ephemera.
- Creates a DACS and MARC compliant finding aid.
- Accessions collection materials into a long-term storage facility.
- Performs tasks to support the conservation and preservation of collection materials.
- Scans paper and photographic collection materials and prepares audiovisual materials for digitization.
- Communicates with project partners, including, but not limited to the digitization vendor for audiovisual collection materials and IU Libraries staff.
- Assists with the promotion of the project by writing content for Black Film Center and Archive and/or other publications as well as by participating in public presentations and other promotional activities.
- Assists with the creation of project reports and the tracking of project progress.
- Supervises graduate assistants.
General responsibilities
- Leads the management of physical archive collections. Creates and maintains classification systems and finding aids to facilitate access to the collections. Oversees photograph digitization projects including the creation of metadata for online database of photographs. Manages processing of large donations of personal papers and other donated documents. Performs preservation activities as needed for archival materials.
- Uploads archival documents and other historical materials into the library's digital repository. Analyzes the content of the materials and entering appropriate metadata for each article. Digitizes appropriate archival material and uploads into the library's digital repository. Analyzes the content of the material, determining the appropriate method of digitization and the appropriate metadata to describe the material. Works closely with the repository's steering committee to create new digital collections and expand the repository's content
- Evaluates the most damaged and deteriorated library materials and determines appropriate repair and enclosure treatments based on accepted conservation practices. Responsible for all necessary preservation activities, including the construction of phase boxes.
- Uses and configures digital repository, digital preservation, data management, content management, and discovery systems, including open-source solutions.
- Hires, trains, and supervises hourly or temporary workers. Makes process improvement suggestions.
Non-IU employee application
Current IU employee application
