Author Archives: Houston Archivist

Job Posting: Archivist and Special Collections Librarian, McGovern Historical Center

The TMC Library, McGovern Historical Center seeks a creative, well-organized, and self-motivated Archivist and Special Collections Librarian with demonstrated knowledge in bibliographic cataloging and archival processing. Reporting to the Head of the McGovern Historical Center, the position will manage the McGovern Rare Book Collection on the History of Medicine Catalog Enhancement Project. The project will improve scholarly access to the collection by enhancing existing bibliographic records and implementing the Library of Congress classification system. The position will develop more efficient cataloging techniques that link rare book collections and archival materials across all library discovery platforms. The Archivist and Special Collections Librarian will design future projects to continue rare book collection improvements. In addition to project responsibilities, the position will be an active member of the department providing reference services, performing outreach activities, and working closely with patrons, donors, library staff, and institutional groups.  The project is funded through 2030. (The position will not continue beyond 2030).

Duties:
  • Improve rare book collection discoverability by enhancing bibliographic records with a Library of Congress classification system.
  • Develop new techniques and procedures that can be expanded across all rare book collections, creating a cataloging manual and training staff to implement beyond project period.
  • Preserve and maintain the rare book collections, implementing proper handling and storage.
  • Pursue professional development and training related to special collections, rare books and archives.
  • Maintain and promote the MS 115 John P. McGovern papers and other related collections.
  • Use best archival practices based on the recommendations of the Society of American Archivists.
  • Organize, arrange and describe collections according to generally accepted professional standards.
  • Promote the John P. McGovern collections through digital projects, exhibits, and writing.
  • Perform educational outreach activities, such as tours, lectures, events, and classes.
  • Maintain department procedures and documentation, updating department manuals regularly.
  • Answer reference questions and assist clients with their research via in-person, phone, email, and virtual modalities.
  • Contribute to an environment that encourages teamwork, interdependence, and customer service.
  • Complete all activities towards the fulfillment of the Library mission and strategic objectives.
  • Participate in regional and professional archival organizations or other organizations related to special collections.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience:
  • Minimum education requirement is a Master’s Degree in library/information science from an ALA-Accredited program with some classes in archival science and cataloging/metadata; or an equivalent master’s degree in a related field.
  • Some experience in a special collections setting is preferred.
  • The applicant should have a willingness to learn new skills and the ability to work with minimal supervision, to supervise staff and volunteers, to work closely with patrons and donors, and to achieve mutually agreed upon goals.
  • Demonstrated written and verbal communication skills.
  • Awareness of best archival practices is essential, such as preservation, metadata, and digitization.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office suite.
  • Familiarity with descriptive cataloging of rare and unique materials using controlled vocabularies and classification systems.
  • Familiarity with library cataloging systems, such as Alma.
  • Familiarity with archive management systems, such as ArchivesSpace or Access to Memory (AtoM).
  • Reading knowledge of at least one language other than English, preferably German, Latin, or French.

Benefits and Salary:
The TMC Library offers a complete benefits package which includes medical, dental, life and short/long-term disability insurance. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, the Library provides paid holidays, vacation accrual, and a retirement plan. 

The salary for this position begins at $58,000 annually, plus professional development support.

Working Conditions:

  1. Usual Environment – Typical office environment with telephones and background noises.  Some work in a warehouse environment. Occasional local travel may be required. May need to work irregular hours to meet deadlines or special assignments.
  2. Physical Demands – Limited exposure to physical risk. Moderate physical activity needed to fulfill job duties. Requires handling of average-weight objects up to 40 pounds and some standing and walking. Work may demand operating, ascending/descending, and working atop stairs. Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment.

The TMC Library is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action institution, providing access to employment without regard to age, race, color, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, veteran’s status, political affiliation, or disability.

To apply for our open positions, please send a cover letter and resume or curriculum vitae to:

Elizabeth Herrera, HR Manager
elizabeth.herrera@library.tmc.edu

Announcement: Old Weird Houston Raffle!

Old Weird Houston is only a week away and we are excited to share that we will be having a raffle! Donate $5 or more and get an AHA! Zine plus a FREE raffle entry! Raffle prizes include: a $100 Phoenicia Gift Card, an Astros backpack, a MFAH art book, weird cat cards, Cruiser Coffee, Archival Starter Kit!! Raffle entries will run from 12-3PM and drawings begin 3PM. Cash needed to participate! Additional pictures of the prizes are below!

Professional Development: SSA Virtual Webinar – Centering Sustainability: A New Model for Digital Stewardship 4/1

EVENT DETAILS: 

Title: Centering Sustainability: A New Model for Digital Stewardship

Presenter: Keith Pendergrass, Digital Archivist at Baker Library Special Collections and Archives, Harvard Business School, and co-author of “Toward Environmentally Sustainable Digital Preservation.”

Date: Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Time: 10:00am CST

Duration Length: 60 minutes

Description: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure is the backbone of all our digital stewardship initiatives. However, negative impacts across the lifecycles of these technology components harm the natural environment, humans, and other species. As we continue to lean into digital developments in archival and library science, thus making greater and more intensive use of ICT infrastructure, our collective contribution to these harms grows. Additionally, the negative impacts of ICT infrastructure are not evenly distributed, disproportionately affecting marginalized, rural, and low-income communities around the world. This presentation will explore how archivists and digital stewards can learn from environmental and ecological justice principles to expand how we define the communities that we serve. By doing so, we can create a new, more sustainable model for digital stewardship that maintains value for our communities through the materials we steward while reducing the harm that our stewardship activities cause.

This program is coordinated by the Society of Southwest Archivists Ad Hoc Committee on Sustainability and sponsored by the Professional Development Committee.

Registrtation: Registration can be done here. If you are an SSA member be sure to log in to get the members’ rate.

Note: Zoom link will be provided via email one day before the event. For questions or if you encounter any registration difficulties, please contact pdc@southwestarchivists.org.

 

Event: UH Center for Public History- Fleshing the Archive a talk by Dr. Maria Cotera 2/25 at 2pm

Join UH’s Center for Public History for Fleshing the Archive: An Intimate Genealogy of Chicana Knowledge Praxis a talk by Dr. Maria Cotera (UT, Austin) on preserving Chicana feminist knowledge of the 1970s and memory work.

Where: Student Center South, Space City Room- 4555 University Drive, Houston, Texas 77204

You can register for the event here

 

 

Announcement: Old Weird Houston 2026 Musical Headliner

It is officially one month until AHA! gets weird at #OldWeirdHouston! We’re excited to share that Houston’s own Rock Romano will be our headlining musical act! Rock Romano is a multi-hyphenate artist, guitarist, bassist, record producer, and audio engineer. As owner of Red Shack Recording Studio in the Heights, Rock has helped cultivate the Houston music scene for nearly 40 years.

Join us at The Orange Show for Visionary Art Headquarters, 2334 Gulf Terminal, on Saturday, March 21, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The afternoon will feature engaging lectures, live music, food, and a steady flow of history-hungry visitors from across the city.

There is still time to sign up to be a volunteer, vendor, or sponsor! Fill out our participation form to let us know how you want to help. See you there!

 

Announcement: SAA Workshop- Project Management: Fundamental and Advanced

The Texas Historical Records Advisory Board (THRAB) invites applications for free registration to attend the two-day, in-person workshop Project Management: Fundamental and Advanced from the Society of American Archivists (SAA) on April 13-14. This workshop will be held at the Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building in Austin from 9:00a.m. – 5:00p.m. each day. THRAB will provide free registration for the course only. Travel, meals, parking, and lodging are the responsibility of the participants. Please note this workshop was previously announced with March dates and has been rescheduled. Anyone who has already applied will be kept on the list. No need to reapply.

Form to apply: https://forms.office.com/r/9NfbkaRryg

Deadline to apply: March 13, 2026

Professional Opportunity: 2026 BitCurator Forum

The BitCurator Consortium (BCC) invites proposals for the 2026 BitCurator Forum to be held virtually on June 17th, 2026.

The 2026 conference theme, Hitting Reset, reflects the challenges and changes of the past several years and the importance of pausing to reflect on our practices before moving forward. This theme invites us to reassess how we work, what we prioritize, and how we adapt in a rapidly evolving professional landscape. Hitting Reset also encourages us to respond intentionally to new opportunities, expanding responsibilities, and changing environments. Within the context of digital archives tools and practices, how are you “hitting reset” in areas including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Human-centered practices
  •  Budgeting and resource allocation
  • Organizational responsibilities and obligations
  • Digital forensics and data recovery or rescue
  • Sustainability of digital preservation practices in an AI-driven world

We welcome proposals that explore reflection, reinvention, and practical approaches to moving forward with intention.

This year’s call is for 5 or 10 minute “lightning talks.” Lightning talks are a great format for case studies, digital archives “success stories” or “tales of woe,” research updates, practices and procedures, and short demos or how-tos. Options include:

  • One presenter for 5 minutes
  • Up to two presenters for 10 minutes

The Forum Committee welcomes participation from organizations and individuals working outside of academic and special collections libraries and archives, members from BIPOC communities, students, and new professionals. For more information, see the Call for Proposals page on our website.

Submission deadline: Sunday, March 8th, 2026

The BitCurator Forum is open to all. You do not need to be a BCC member or BitCurator user to submit a proposal and/or attend the event.

Event: Athena Press Tour and Lunch 2/28 at 11 AM

We are pleased to invite you to attend a special tour of Rice University to explore the Woodson Research Center’s new “Athena Press” on Saturday, February 28th at 11 AM, followed by a post-tour lunch. Join us for hands-on experiences with typesetting, printmaking, and bookbinding; you’ll see some prints and books that have been made on the press, and how they were inspired by items in the Woodson Research Center’s rare book collections. You’ll have the opportunity to try your hand at pulling your own print from a movable-type lock-up on Rice’s tabletop letterpress setups. See attachment for more info on the Athena Press and check out @athena.press.htx on Instagram! 

This tour is RSVPonly, capacity 15; please bring a valid ID for entry into the library.

Location: Fondren Library  6100 South Main Street, Houston, TX 77005 – Gather at visitor entrance

ParkingFounder’s Court $1 each 10 min., $13 daily maximum for each exit (please see attachment for more parking ingo and walking path to the library’s visitor entrance)

LunchIstanbul Grill & Deli 5613 Morningside Dr, Houston, TX 77005

Event: 2026 NACCS Tejas Foco Annual Conference

The NACCS (The National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies) Tejas Foco is a regional conference that attends to community and academic interests around issues that affect Chicanx in the state of Texas. It is an interdisciplinary conference that brings together community leaders, Kl 2 teachers, undergraduate and graduate students, and college faculty and staff. The participants who attend the NACCS Tejas Foco not only reflect the racial/ethnic diversity of Texas, but they also represent multiple rural and urban points from across the state. The NACCS Tejas Foco provides college and K-12 administrators, faculty, and students to connect with outstanding faculty and community leaders from across the state.

 

You can find more information and register here.

Announcement: Old Weird Houston 3/21 from 12:00-5:00 pm

We are excited to invite you to participate in the 3rd iteration of Old, Weird, Houston, a one-of-a-kind local history fair celebrating the people, places, stories, and archives that make Houston so Houston.

The event will take place at The Orange Show Headquarters, 2334 Gulf Terminal, on Saturday, March 21, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The afternoon will feature engaging lectures, live music, food, and a steady flow of history-hungry visitors from across the city.

We are currently accepting tabling participants from museums, archives, historical organizations, collectors, researchers, artists, and anyone working to preserve and share Houston’s past. We also need volunteers for our welcome booth, oral history station, and more. Please fill out our participation form if you are able to table and/or volunteer at the event

Table Information:

  • Members of the Archivists of the Houston Area (AHA!) may reserve a table free of charge
  • Non members: $50 for one 8 ft table

All proceeds directly support scholarships for the Archivists of the Houston Area and ongoing preservation efforts at the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art.

If you are interested in participating or would like additional details, we would love to hear from you. Space is limited, and tables are reserved on a first come basis.Thank you for helping us keep Houston’s history vibrant and alive!

 

Krista M. Hollis

Chair, AHA! Programming Committee