Published: September 22, 2026 by Patrick Hutchinson

Fellowship Description

The SC&A Collections Assistant will be responsible for the physical arrangement and online description of assigned SC&A collections, starting with the Chinese Historical & Cultural Project (CHCP) Records. The collection consists of 28 boxes of materials pertaining to the history of CHCP, a Santa Clara County nonprofit that “promotes, educates, and preserves Chinese and Chinese American history and culture through community outreach activities.” The SC&A Collections Assistant will process the collection according to DACS (Describing Archives Content Standard) and create an EAD (Encoded Archival Description) finding aid on ArchivesSpace to be made publicly accessible on the OAC (Online Archive of California). The Collections Assistant will also assist with Reading Room coverage in facilitating on- and off-site researchers with questions pertaining to our holdings in special collections and university archives. Time and opportunities permitting, the Collections Assistant may also assist with processing other collections, curating exhibitions, retrieving and shelving SC&A materials, and other duties as assigned.

Learning Outcomes

1. The student will learn how to process a significant collection according to the standards of the archival profession.
2. The student will learn how ArchivesSpace is used for accessioning, processing, and creating EAD finding aids according to the standards of the archival profession.
3. The student will learn the importance of assisting researchers and facilitating their requests. Whereas processing teaches the depth of various collections, reference teaches the breadth of a typical repository’s general collection.
4. The student will learn how processing and reference are connected along with other facets of the profession in the underlying objective of researcher accessibility.

Required/Preferred Qualifications

Must be a matriculated SJSU student currently enrolled, with at least two semesters left in the MLIS program.

Resident of California

Must have completed INFO 200

Familiarity with computers, Google Tools, and Microsoft Office programs.        

Excellent communication skills.

Ability to lift full Hollinger boxes and retrieve and reshelve materials.

Ability to follow direction and adapt to change.

Preferred interest in special collections librarianship or the archival profession.

Familiarity with the SJSU Library’s online catalog (OneSearch) is desirable.

NOTE:  The mentor will begin with a thorough orientation to Special Collections & Archives as a physical entity and the importance of following protocols in our shared secure area. They will introduce the student to the CHCP Records and guide them through an introductory survey, then cover the SC&A processing manual. Also early on, the mentor will get the student acclimated in the Reading Room and to the rest of our team of student assistants, then take them through training on how to conduct a reference interview, how to find our materials, and how to ensure that researchers are following our protocols. As Director, the mentor makes a point of being present in the Reading Room at least a couple of times each day, so that students know that they are available for questions and take what we do in the Reading Room seriously. They will also do this as direct supervisor of the Collections Assistant, meeting each day they work.

We pride ourselves on being a teaching archive, and this is an exciting opportunity to give an aspirant MLIS student the tools and experience needed to work in the archival profession.