Oral Historian - Learning Center
5 days ago
Jersey City
Job DescriptionJCFPL JOB TITLE: Oral Historian DEPARTMENT: The Learning Center LOCATION: Priscilla Gardner Main Library (Various Locations throughout Jersey City) REPORTS TO: Learning Center Director CIVIL SERVICE JOB TITLE: Program Monitor (Bilingual in Spanish and English) SALARY RANGE: $65,000 – $85,000 FULL-TIME/PART-TIME: Full-time WORKWEEK: Monday–Thursday: 9:00am–5:00pm or 12:00pm–8:00pm, depending on project and Learning Center needs; Friday: 9:00am–5:00pm. (35 hours/week). May be required to work evenings or weekends for interviews, community events, or deadlines. APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 1, 2025 BENEFIT SUMMARY: This summary outlines the general benefits available to library employees, designed to support their health, financial security, and work-life balance. Benefits available to Full-Time Employees: Medical coverage 60 days from the first day of employment, Prescription coverage is the first of the month following 60 days of employment at no cost to the employee and additional cost per each dependent added. Dental coverage is provided at no cost 60 days after the first day of employment. Vision coverage is provided at no cost and reimbursed at $250.00 per year. Additional Full-Time benefits include Life & AD&D insurance, 403b, Participation in pension plan (dependent on age at the time of hire date). Part-Time Employee benefits include participation in pension plan and sick/vacation leave. A more detailed summary can be found on our Employment Opportunities page located at JCFPL is the largest municipal library in the State of New Jersey, with ten locations and growing, and a collection comprising over 2.5 million print and digital items. Our staff of nearly 120 dedicated individuals serves the residents, students, and workers of Jersey City: the largest city in Hudson County, N.J., and the second-largest city in New Jersey. The staff of JCFPL reflects the cultural and linguistic diversity of Jersey City, which is consistently ranked as the most diverse community in the United States. Collectively, our staff speaks over 16 languages, including English, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Tagalog, Gujarati, Marathi, Igbo, Portuguese, and others. JCFPL is committed to building on our strong foundation and expanding our ability to meet the needs of Jersey City’s growing and increasingly diverse community. About the Position: The Oral Historian serves as a key member of JCFPL’s Learning Center, leading the design, coordination, and implementation of oral history projects that preserve and share the diverse voices of Jersey City. This full-time, bilingual role conducts culturally sensitive interviews in English and Spanish, with a focus on including historically underrepresented communities, and ensures all projects meet grant, archival, and ethical standards. Responsibilities include collaborating closely with JCFPL's New Jersey Room and community partners, recruiting and training participants, managing high-quality audio/video capture and metadata, and overseeing digital preservation and public access to recorded histories. The position also involves supervising interns and volunteers, preparing reports and outreach materials, representing JCFPL at events and conferences, and teaching related classes, all in service of creating an accessible, enduring record of Jersey City’s stories. JOB DUTIES • Plans, coordinates, and implements oral history projects in alignment with JCFPL Learning Center priorities and grant-funded objectives, with a focus on preserving the voices and stories of Jersey City residents, • Consistently and professionally coordinates with JCFPL’s New Jersey Room team on all aspects related to oral history initiatives, • Conducts outreach to identify, recruit, and schedule community participants, with emphasis on inclusion of historically underrepresented voices, • Designs and administers culturally sensitive, linguistically inclusive interview protocols and consent processes in English and Spanish, while seeking out translation services in other languages, when necessary, • Conducts field interviews with participants in a variety of settings—homes, community centers, library branches—ensuring high-quality audio/video capture and accurate documentation, • Reviews contracts, grant requirements, and relevant regulations to ensure all oral history activities comply with contractual agreements, ethical standards, and federal guidelines, • Conducts onsite observation and monitoring of partner-supported oral history initiatives to verify that activities align with approved project proposals, • Seeks out opportunities for academic publication and conference presentation related to JCFPL’s oral history initiative, • Reviews and analyzes project records, transcripts, and metadata to evaluate accuracy, completeness, and compliance with archival standards, • Compiles and interprets data for reports containing factual information, conclusions, and recommendations to the Learning Center Director, the New Jersey Room team, granting agencies, and other stakeholders, • Coordinates with JCFPL’s Marketing and Communications Department, as well as independently contracted Marketing and Communications professionals, to promote oral history events, recruit interviewees, and share final projects with the public, • Works in cooperation with other agencies, cultural institutions, and community-based organizations to expand the reach and impact of oral history projects, • Manages digital assets, ensuring they are preserved, cataloged, and made accessible through JCFPL’s designated digital repository, • Trains and supervises interns, volunteers, and project assistants in oral history best practices, including interviewing techniques, transcription, and metadata creation, • Maintains organized records, project documentation, and archives in compliance with both JCFPL standards and archival best practices, • Prepares manuals, handbooks, and guides covering oral history project policies, procedures, and workflows, • Serves as liaison between participants, project partners, JCFPL staff, and the Learning Center to facilitate smooth project execution, • Represents the Learning Center and JCFPL at meetings, conferences, community events, and academic publications to share project goals and outcomes, • Understands and applies contractual agreements, grant requirements, and federal guidelines to funded programs, • Conducts site visits and field interviews to confirm program activities meet stated goals, • Accurately compiles, interprets, and reports data related to oral history and community engagement activitiesOral History Expertise, • Demonstrates advanced interviewing skills that foster trust, respect, and authenticity in participant storytelling, • Applies best practices in audio/video recording, transcription, translation, and metadata creation, • Understands ethical considerations in oral history, including informed consent, intellectual property rights, and participant dignityBilingual Communication & Cultural Competence, • Reads, writes, speaks, and understands Spanish and English sufficiently to conduct interviews, create materials, and prepare reports in both languages, • Displays deep cultural sensitivity when engaging with individuals from diverse backgroundsCommunity Engagement, • Builds and maintains strong relationships with community partners, cultural groups, and individual participants, • Creates a welcoming environment that encourages participation from underrepresented communities, • Represents JCFPL with professionalism in all community interactions.Technology & Archival Systems, • Uses audio/video recording equipment and editing software to produce high-quality interview materials, • Utilizes library and archival information systems to manage, store, and make accessible oral history collections, • Adheres to digital preservation standards and metadata protocolsOrganization & Reporting, • Maintains clear, accurate records of all project activities, • Prepares timely, detailed reports for funders, supervisors, and stakeholders, • Coordinates schedules, workflows, and resource allocation for multiple ongoing oral history projectsSupport, • Assists the Learning Center Director in achieving oral history program deliverables, including issues related to participants, interviews, and partner organizations, • Supports the work of the New Jersey Room as it relates to oral history initiatives, • Anticipates and addresses logistical challenges related to fieldwork, recording locations, and archival workflows, • Possesses knowledge of best practices in oral history project design, implementation, and community outreach, • Coordinates resources to ensure the successful execution of interviews, transcription, translation, and preservationCommunication/Collaboration, • Communicates clearly, accurately, and promptly with colleagues, community partners, and project participants, • Selects appropriate communication methods for the audience, whether in-person, written, or virtual, • Works effectively on cross-departmental and interagency teams to advance project goals, especially with JCFPL’s New Jersey Room, • Navigates cultural and linguistic differences with professionalism, respect, and flexibilityCustomer Service, • Creates a respectful, empathetic, and responsive experience for oral history participants and partners, • Prioritizes participant comfort, accessibility, and informed consent in all project stages, • Responds promptly to questions, concerns, and feedback from interviewees and community partners, • Models professional, courteous conduct when representing JCFPL in the communityProfessional Development, • Pursues ongoing training in oral history methodology, archival technology, and cultural competency, • Seeks out innovative approaches to interviewing, storytelling, and digital preservation, implementing them where appropriate, • Contributes to a culture of lifelong learning within the Learning Center and the broader JCFPL team, • Four (4) years of professional experience in inspecting or reviewing activities or programs for compliance with established standards, guidelines, regulations, or contractual agreements, or in the review, analysis, and evaluation of activities or programs to ascertain their adequacy, efficiency, deficiencies, and effectiveness in achieving their objectives., • OR, • Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.Additional experience in oral history, journalism, cultural documentation, anthropology, library science, or a related field is highly desirable. ADDITIONAL RELEVANT SKILLS • Experience conducting oral histories, ethnographic interviews, or documentary projects, • Proficiency in audio/video editing and transcription software, • Familiarity with archival metadata standards, • Strong public speaking and presentation skills This vacancy is associated with a New Jersey Civil Service job title. The New Jersey Civil Service Commission requires all incumbents to possess and be prepared to verify the minimum experience and skills required for the associated Civil Service job title. This position is subject to residency requirements as set forth in the New Jersey First Act and not available for work visa sponsorship. Powered by JazzHR pj9QiZ9wha
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