Music Manuscripts & Archives Cataloguer

Full Time, Fixed Term for 18 months

A vacancy has arisen for a music manuscripts and archives cataloguer in the Music Collections team at St. Pancras. The post holder will join a small team of curators responsible for printed and manuscript music materials at the British Library and will principally be cataloguing two archival collections relating to 20th century women musicians: the pianist Harriet Cohen (1895-1967) and composer Elizabeth Poston (1905-1987). The role has been created as part of the Library’s Hidden Collections initiative, which aims to document, make available and raise the profile of British Library collections which cannot currently be discovered via the Library’s online catalogues. Tasks will include sorting, appraising and describing materials to professional national and international cataloguing standards, as well as assessing conservation needs, identifying potential data protection issues and finding long-term preservation solutions for storage of the material. The role will involve working with the BL's important music collections, with the opportunity to contribute to the music outreach and events programme through blog posts, social media and other activities.

The post holder will have a professional archive qualification or substantial equivalent experience in a library or archive environment, with extensive knowledge of music and musicians. As well as experience of cataloguing and an understanding of the preservation needs of modern archives, the post holder will also have an ability to work independently as well as part of team, with an attention to detail and good written and oral communication skills.

As one of the world’s great libraries, our duty is to preserve the nation’s intellectual memory for the future and make it available to all for research, inspiration and enjoyment. At present we have well over 170 million items, in most known languages, with three million new items added every year. We have manuscripts, maps, newspapers, magazines, prints and drawings, music scores, and patents. We make our collections and programmes available to all. We operate the world’s largest document delivery service providing millions of items a year to customers all over the world. What matters to us is that we preserve the national memory and enable knowledge to be created both now and in the future by anyone, anywhere.

In return we offer a competitive salary and a number of excellent benefits. Our pension scheme is one of the most valuable benefits we offer, as our staff can become members of the Alpha Pension Scheme where the Library contributes a minimum of 26.6% (this may be higher dependant on grade. Another significant benefit the Library provides is the provision of a flexible working hours scheme which could allow you to work your hours flexibly over the week and to take up to 5 days flexi leave in a 3 month period. This is on top of 25 days holiday from entry and public and privilege holidays.

For further information and to apply, please visit www.bl.uk/careers quoting vacancy ref: 04439

Closing date: 05 March 2023

Interview date: 23 March 2023

We are unable to provide sponsorship under the UK Skilled Worker visa for this role, as it does not meet the eligibility criteria required for this immigration route