Collection Manager: Native American Languages

Collection Manager
Native American Languages
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
University of Oklahoma

The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History seeks an experienced and energetic professional to serve as the Collection Manager in Native American Languages. This permanent staff position will report to the Curator of Native American Languages and be responsible for the daily operations and management of the museum’s collection of Native American languages, including audio and video recordings, documents, and ephemera. Duties and responsibilities include care of the collections, data and records management, documentation of outgoing and incoming loans, processing and preparation of new and existing collections, assisting visitors, assisting with the supervision of assistants, interns, and
volunteers, assisting with exhibitions and grant-writing through collection-related activities, and participation in public service programs and educational activities as appropriate.

Minimum qualifications:

Master's degree (preferred) in linguistics, anthropology, ethnomusicology, museum studies, or a related field and 12 months of collections-related experience, including familiarity with the operation of analog and digital audio/video equipment and software, or B.S./B.A. degree in one of the fields listed above and 24 months of experience. Requirements may be met by equivalent combination of education and related experience.

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are required, as well as the ability to both work independently and in a team environment, and the ability to interact in a positive and sensitive manner with Native American Tribes and their citizens.

Salary Range: $28,000 plus full benefits.

For more information about the department and the museum, visit our website at: http://www.snomnh.ou.edu. Applications will be processed until a candidate is selected. Applicants must submit a cover letter, a curriculum vitae or resume, and a statement of interest. Applications also must include three (3) letters of recommendation (these may be sent separately). Hiring is contingent on a background check.

Applications must be submitted using the on-line application process. To apply, go to https://jobs.ou.edu and search for requisition (job) number 03633 (Curator/Archivist I). Materials submitted in application for position(s) become the property of the University of Oklahoma. Deadlines are subject to change without notice. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages diversity in the workplace.

Museum Anthropology (etc.) Update

Activity on the Museum Anthropology blog and at Museum Anthropology Review has been slow of late because I have been traveling to (and getting organized in) Oklahoma, where I am pursuing six weeks of curatorial work and research at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History in Norman, OK. In the midst of this I have been trying to finalize issue 30(2) of Museum Anthropology for submission to the press.

Things will slowly return to normal over the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, I realized that I did not note here the publication of a fine review by Kristina Wirtz of the book Santería Enthroned: Art, Ritual, and Innovation in an Afro-Cuban Religion. Find her review here.

Yearbook of Cultural Property Law (Reviewed)

Posted today to Museum Anthropology Review is an examination of the new annual called Yearbook of Cultural Property Law. The series is published by Left Coast Press under the editorship of Sherry Hutt and the sponsorship of the Lawyer's Committee on Cultural Heritage Preservation. Michael F. Brown has authored our review of the innuagural volume (2006). Find it here.

Student Museum Project Blogging

As has been illustrated by various active blogs, such as The Attic, graduate students in museum studies and museum studies-related disciplines have been very active in experimenting with the use of weblogs for scholarly and professional communication. In this vein, Selina Morales, a graduate student with whom I work here at Indiana University has recently built a blog to chronicle an exhibition and research project that she is currently pursuing. Titled Botánica Jardines, the project is documenting and interpreting the life and work of a Puerto Rican espiritista healer. Find Selina's blog here.

Curator of Collections and Interpretation

Curator of Collections and Interpretation
York W. Bailey Museum and Archives
St. Helena Island (Beaufort County), South Carolina, USA

Closing Date: Open Until Filled

The historic Penn Center, Inc. on St. Helena Island (Beaufort County), SC is the site of the former Penn School, founded in 1862 by Northern abolitionists and missionaries as one of the first schools for freed slaves. In 1971, Penn Center opened the York W. Bailey Museum to interpret and preserve the history of African American Sea Island culture. The archival collection is one of the foremost collections of African American history in the country. The 50-acre campus of 20 historic buildings on the Penn Center site was designated a National Historic Landmark district in 1974, one of only three in South Carolina.

Penn Center, Inc. is seeking applicants for the position of a full-time Curator of Collections and Interpretation for the York W. Bailey Museum and Archives. The Curator reports to the Director of History and Culture and is responsible for all aspects of the supervision, management and operation of the museum. He/she will also be responsible for the development of permanent and temporary exhibitions, curriculum development, program evaluations, museum acquisitions, conservation and preservation activities, and public programs and events. The Curator will also share responsibility with the Director of History and Culture for developing and managing all grants, fundraising activities and professional partnerships that support the Penn Center’s mission. Overall, the Curator will provide the vision and leadership necessary to promote long-range strategic planning for the future sustainability of the museum.

Minimum qualifications:
This individual should have expertise in African American or Sea Island history. He/she should have experience in museum education program development; have familiarity with current museum educational technology and practices; possess strong organizational skills; have experience in grant writing and fundraising; and have excellent oral and written communication skills.

Three to five years experience working with museums, historic sites, preservation organizations, or related experience is preferred. Masters degree or equivalent in museum studies, education, historic preservation, history, architectural history, liberal arts, or related field required.

Send resume, cover letter and three references. Email to info@penncenter.com or mail to the attention of Bernie L. Wright, Executive Director, Penn Center, Inc., P.O. Box 126, St. Helena Island, SC 29920. Posting will be open until filled. Website: www.penncenter.com.

Contact information: (843) 838-2474.

Please reference museum-employment.com when applying for this job. This job posted by MERC from May 30 through August 29.