Overview

The Auraria Library is a tri-institutional academic research library serving Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, University of Colorado Denver, and the local community. Special & Digital Collections works with collections of unique and special materials including newspapers, manuscripts, audiovisual objects, photographs, rare books, and ephemera, many of which pertain to the history of Auraria and Denver. 

The Project Assistant is responsible for assisting Special & Digital Collections faculty and staff in digitizing and preserving a range of historical newspapers related to the Chicano movement and Hispanic history in Colorado. Special & Digital Collections received grant funding from UC Denver’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to make these important reflections of our community’s history more accessible. The student will be responsible for scanning newspapers and periodicals, processing digital files, and creating metadata so that the materials will be available in Auraria Library’s digital repository. The student will also assist with physical preservation efforts through flattening creases and re-housing the newspapers in archival boxes. Through this project, the student will learn about archival preservation and accessibility practices. 

Located in downtown Denver, Colorado, the Auraria Campus is home to three institutions of higher education – University of Colorado Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and Community College of Denver – MSU, CCD, and UC Denver are Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI), and UC Denver has finalized Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) status. The Auraria Library serves the campus’ over 35,000 students, the majority of whom are from the first-generation in their family to enroll in higher education. The majority of our students are Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color, and we also serve large populations of veterans, transfer students, adult learners, and other populations that have been historically underserved. Auraria Library is committed to diversity within its community and welcomes applications from candidates across all dimensions and identities. The library seeks candidates who embrace a multicultural, diverse, and inclusive workplace, and who strive to incorporate those values in their work and interactions. Please see our library values and diversity initiatives. 

Reports To

Special & Digital Collections Archivist Librarian 

Job Duties

Digitization

  • Handles fragile newspapers with care and avoids damage during the digitization process
  • Scans newspapers utilizing flatbed scanner and/or overhead scanner to create files for both preservation and accessibility purposes
  • Processes digital files using minimal photo and file editing with Adobe Photoshop and Acrobat to ensure quality scans
  • Uses spreadsheets to create metadata that provides context for and increases the findability of the materials
  • Ingests digital files and metadata into the Special & Digital Collections digital repository using Ubiquity Press

Physical Preservation and Additional Duties

  • Assists Special & Digital Collections faculty and staff in flattening creases in newspapers using humidification chambers
  • Houses newspapers in archival newspaper boxes to ensure a safe and stable environment
  • Additional duties as related to grant project

Schedule: Up to 15 hours a week between 9am and 5pm Monday-Friday

Compensation: $18.29 per hour.

Application Deadline: Open until filled. Screening to begin immediately.

Start Date: This position is grant funded and will span the length of the grant project from October 2024 – June 2025

Minimum Qualifications

  • Interest in the Chicano movement, Hispanic experiences in Colorado, local history, special collections, and/or digital archives 
  • Student Employees must be enrolled in at least one (undergraduate level) credit hour at a higher education institution to be considered for hire.
  • Must apply for a work-study award once offered and accepted position.
  • Work-Study Students: Undergraduate work-study students MUST be enrolled for at least 6 credit hours throughout a semester, including summer semesters.
  • Graduate Work-Study Students: MUST be enrolled in at least 3 credit hours throughout a semester, including summer semesters (except in the case of students completing their thesis and/or dissertation credit during a single summer semester).
  • Students may still be eligible for hire if they are not awarded a work study award if the department’s budget permits. 

Learn more about how to apply for work-study here!

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with digital media, metadata, graphic arts, archives, libraries, or related field
  • Background or fluency in both English and Spanish
  • Experience with scanning equipment
  • Experience with file and photo editing software, such as Adobe Acrobat and Photoshop

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

  • Demonstrated ability to organize and complete projects
  • Ability to work independently and in team settings
  • Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
  • Proficiency in common digitization equipment (flatbed scanners, overhead scanners, etc.)
  • Knowledge of fragile materials-handling (newspapers, magazines, periodicals)

Application Instructions & Availability

To apply, email a copy of your Fall 2024 course schedule, availability, resume, and an optional brief statement of interest to alhrstnd@ucdenver.edu. Please specify the position you are applying for in the subject line. 

*If you are a CU student, please apply through Handshake at https://joinhandshake.com/.*

*If you are an MSU Denver student, please apply through the MSU Denver job website at https://msudenver-csm.symplicity.com/?signin_tab=0.*