University of Victoria Libraries Transgender Archives
Grant-funded position, 1.0 FTE, limited term
Start date: January 2025
End date: December 2026
About Us
The Transgender Archives at the University of Victoria Libraries in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada is committed to the preservation of the history of pioneering activists, community leaders, and researchers who have contributed to the betterment of Trans and other gender-diverse people. Our records span over 160 metres or 530 linear feet, go back over 120 years, and are in 15 languages from 23 countries on six continents. Our collections comprise the largest Trans+ archives in the world. We are accessible to everyone, free of charge.
Position Description
The position of the Outreach and Ethics Coordinator is a two-year, full-time, limited-term, grant-funded position. Reporting to the Director of Special Collections and University Archivist and working closely with the Chair in Transgender Studies at the University of Victoria, the Outreach and Ethics Coordinator will help UVic Libraries to ensure that the publishing and sharing of digitized materials from our Transgender collections will be conducted with the input and guidance of the communities that are represented and that these unique historic materials are shared in a way that ensures care to the individuals whose stories are represented by the digitized materials.
In consultation with the Chair in Transgender Studies, the Coordinator will conduct community outreach with individuals who were involved with organizations represented in the recordings and consult with Trans+ Elders and members of the Trans+ community at the Moving Trans History Forward conference (held at the University of Victoria) on ethical considerations related to these materials. Information gathered during these sessions will be documented and used to inform decisions, in collaboration with the project’s Metadata Librarian and the project team, about how these digital objects will be described and shared for preservation and future access.
Tasks will include:
- Reviewing digitized audio video materials from the Rikki Swin collection to document the main people, events, and themes;
- Performing outreach to identified individuals who were involved in major events to document the context of the recordings, and the perspectives of participants;
- Identifying and documenting any concerns and issues related to sharing these materials;
- Conducting extensive research in contemporaneous materials held in the Transgender Archives and other archives to augment digitized materials with historical context and information as related to the people and events represented;
- Working closely with the project’s Metadata Librarian to help develop descriptive metadata based on documentation collected during review and outreach activities and to determine the appropriate level of access for materials with sensitive content.
The position will commence in late January 2025, with the exact start date to be negotiated. The position will conclude in December 2026. We anticipate that this position will be filled with an annual salary of $75,600 CDN. It is expected that the successful candidate will live in Victoria, but we are open to discussion about remote work arrangements.
Required Qualifications
The successful candidate will have:
- A master’s degree or PhD in the field of Gender Studies, History, Archival Studies, Library Studies, or another related field;
- Demonstrated experience with outreach and engagement;
- Demonstrated familiarity with ethical issues related to Trans+ and otherwise gender diverse communities;
- Demonstrated experience conducting qualitative and mixed-methods research;
- Excellent diplomacy, sensitivity, tact and interpersonal skills;
- Excellent spoken and written English;
- Excellent project management skills;
- Must be eligible to work in Canada.
Preferred Qualifications
- Lived experience as a Trans or otherwise gender-diverse person
- Research focus in Trans+ issues, history, or scholarship
- Experience working with library and/or archival metadata standards
- Experience using qualitative analysis tools (e.g. NVIVO, Taguette)
- Experience using video and audio capture and editing tools
UVic is committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion in our living, learning and work environments. In pursuit of our values, we seek members who will work respectfully and constructively with differences and across levels of power. We actively encourage applications from members of groups experiencing barriers to equity.
Read our full equity statement here: www.uvic.ca/equitystatement.
Application Process
All interested and qualified candidates should email a letter of application, a CV, and the names of three references by 4:30 PM PST Friday, November 15, 2024, to Lara Wilson, Director of Special Collections and University Archivist, University of Victoria Libraries, at ljwilson@uvic.ca.
While we appreciate all applications for the position, please note only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Interviews will be held in person or by Zoom in late November and early December.