Deadline to apply: June 16, 2023

Category: Full time, permanent. Four-week annual vacation (in addition to the Holiday season) and comprehensive benefits package.

Salary: $42,000 to $47,000 depending on experience and qualifications

The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada (AJC), located in Montreal, Qc, seeks to recruit a dynamic and innovative Reference Archivist.

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

  • University-level education in archival/information studies or a related field with a demonstrated interest in archival theory and practice; with preference for candidates with a master’s degree in information studies with a specialization in archival studies.
  • One year of experience in an archival organization. Recent graduates are encouraged to apply.
  • Basic knowledge of archival theory and practice;
  • Basic knowledge of collection management tools and of the Rules of Archival Description (RAD);
  • Demonstrated ability and experience in the use of digital tools and platforms. Experience with WordPress, html and xml is an asset;
  • Ability to communicate information to small and large groups;
  • Knowledge of copyright laws and other legislation that concerns the access, the reproduction and the use of archival records;
  • Oral and written fluency in French and English required;
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team on collaborative initiatives;
  • Ability to develop objectives and to implement procedures.

DUTIES

The primary responsibilities of the position are to manage reference requests, welcome researchers, and perform other relevant tasks:

  • Receiving reference requests from the public and from the Jesuits of Canada provincial administration;
  • Keeping an inventory of reference requests;
  • Ensuring communication by email or telephone with researchers;
  • Conducting preliminary research in archival fonds and collections in order to guide researchers;
  • Welcoming researchers on site;
  • Creating research guides;
  • Managing the back-end of the AJC’s website and managing the AJC’s social media accounts;
  • Providing support to the collections management team by creating and developing tools and methods to retrieve information;
  • Contributing to the development of outreach projects, including the development of physical and virtual exhibits;
  • Contributing to collaborative initiatives with other memory institutions and research projects;
  • Supporting the Director in the elaboration of objectives and organizational strategic priorities, including administrative activities and the development of budgets;
  • Contributing to the preservation of analog and digital records by participating in the maintenance and the development of archival preservation methods;
  • Engaging in professional and scholarly activities;
  • Additional duties as assigned based on individual competencies and interests.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

The position requires the ability to communicate in French and English, both orally and in written form. The working environment is in French. Operational activities are delivered in French, in English, and/or both, depending upon the researcher, the initiative, and the intended audience.

The archival collection contains material in French and English. The selected candidate will interact with researchers in French and English.

TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

The AJC are engaged in a process of truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. The selected candidate will need to demonstrate an understanding of the main challenges regarding archival concepts and practices. The candidate must be familiar with the principles stated in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action, as well as demonstrate a knowledge of national and international strategic orientations and principles concerning Indigenous peoples and associated archival records.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

The deadline for applications is June 16, 2023. Interviews will be conducted during the next two weeks.

Applications, which must include a letter of interest and a curriculum vitae in one Word or PDF file, should be sent to CANAJCdirection@jesuites.org.

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position. Only those selected for the short list will be contacted for an interview. Candidates selected for an interview might be asked to provide the names and addresses of three referees.

Personal information received from prospective candidates will be used only for this recruitment process.

Reference Archivist Job Posting (PDF)

The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada recently donated an Ojibwe-French handwritten dictionary to the Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre.

As AJC Director François Dansereau explains in an article for the Jesuit newsletter Companions, this gift symbolizes the commitment of the Jesuits of Canada to truth and reconciliation and represents the engagement of The Archive in this commitment.

Read the full article here: The Gift that Tells a Story: The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada and Reconciliation – Canada Province

Location: Montréal, Qc.

Compensation: Hourly wage: $20.00

Description and Duties

The main tasks will be digitizing the photographs and keeping an inventory of the digitization processes. The intern will also, simultaneously, enter the available data and metadata into our already existing item-level inventory for the photographs of the Spanish Residential School fonds (0700-0023). The intern will handle the photographs by attributing each of them with a unique number, based on our already existing file naming structure. They will also put individual photographs into proper acid-free envelopes and boxes. Careful handling of the photographs is very important and will be part of the intern’s learning process and experience acquired through close supervision.

In parallel, in collaboration with the Processing Archivist, the intern will revise the main finding aid for the fonds by incorporating the subjects and the extent of the photographs included in that fonds. This finding aid will be made available in our web-based AtoM platform.

The intern will also need to write two reports that provide details on the digitization processes. One report (around half of the internship) will emphasize the issues raised regarding the digitization process. The second, and final report, will assess the different elements of the digitization project.

Qualifications

  • University level education in archival/information studies or a related field with a demonstrated interest in archival theory and practice; with preference for candidates with a master’s degree in information studies with a specialization in archival studies.
  • Demonstrated ability in the use of collections management tools and the Rules of Archival Description (RAD);
  • Interest in digital archives, including digitization practices and processes; 
  • Ability to communicate information to small and large groups;
  • Oral and written fluency in English, with a working knowledge of French, is required;
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team on collaborative initiatives;
  • Ability to develop objectives and to implement procedures.

TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

The AJC are engaged in a process of truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. It supports Indigenous resurgence. The selected candidate will need to demonstrate an understanding of the main challenges regarding archival concepts and practices. The candidate must be familiar with the principles stated in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action, the Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Taskforce of the Steering Committee on Canada’s Archives as well as demonstrating a knowledge of national and international strategic orientations and principles concerning Indigenous peoples and associated archival records.

Preference will be given to Indigenous candidates.

Candidates from the Government of Canada’s job equity groups are encouraged to apply / Les candidat.e.s visé.e.s par l’équité en matière d’emploi du Gouvernement du Canada sont invité.e.s à postuler.

Applications must be completed in the Young Canada Works portal: 

https://young-canada-works.canada.ca/Account/Login

In addition, a cover letter, and a curriculum vitae (in one Word of PDF file) should be sent to François Dansereau, Director of The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada:  CANAJCdirection@jesuites.org. 

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position. Only those selected for the short list will be contacted for an interview. Personal information received from prospective candidates will be used only for this recruitment process.

Deadline: June 16, 2023

Project Archivist – Young Canada Works Job Posting 2023-2024 (PDF)

Last month, two archivists from the AJC took part in the annual general meeting day of the Regroupement des archivistes religieux (RAR), held in Nicolet, QC.

Archivists working for different religious congregations across the province of Quebec gathered to share recent projects and initiatives that facilitate access to their collections. Patricia and Catherine had the opportunity to present the exhibit about the Jesuits of Canada in Ethiopia, and to highlight other projects in development at the AJC, including our catalog on AtoM, an upcoming exhibit on Omeka, and our new social media platforms.

0900-3020.2.77.1 A map of the Saint Lawrence river and adjacent communities, indicating with a pink arrow the presumed “fourth site” excavation zone, 1955.

During her time as a Young Canada Works intern at the Archive of the Jesuits (2021-2022), Kate Moore processed the Henri Béchard, s.j. fonds. This fonds illustrates the interest that Jesuits have for the historical narratives of their own religious order.

A blog article written by Kate is now published on the Société canadienne de l’histoire de l’Église catholique (SCHEC) blog. Happy reading!

The Archive of the Jesuits in Canada (AJC) welcomes a new Archivist to their ranks. Patricia Prost holds a Masters degree in History from Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM) and a Certificate in records management and archives from UQÀM. Patricia previously worked as Archivist and curatorial assistant, Archives and Documentary Art collections, at the McCord Steward Museum. She also worked as an Archivist at the École de technologie supérieure and as a Research Assistant in the History Department at UQÀM. Patricia contributed to several research projects, including an initiative on emotions and sensitivities at the McCord Museum. Patricia’s main responsibilities at the AJC will be the processing of archival fonds and collections, the management of the AtoM digital platform, and the development of special projects, including physical and virtual exhibits.

Welcome Patricia!