Collections Assistant
- Program stream:
- Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations
- Job title:
- Collections Assistant
- Organization name:
- Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre
- Job location:
- New Denver , British Columbia
- Length of assignment:
- 2017-05-08 to 2017-08-08 (12 weeks)
- Hourly wage:
- $13.00
306 Josephine Street, New Denver, BC V0G 1S0
250.358.7288
Newdenver.ca/nikkei
Period of Employment: May 8 – August 25, 2017 (16 weeks)
Hours: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm Monday to Friday
Salary: $13.00 per hour
The Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre (NIMC) opened its doors in 1994 as an initiative of the New Denver Kyowakai Society to commemorate and honor the stories of over 22,000 Japanese Canadians who were stripped of their civil rights, labelled "enemy aliens" and uprooted from their coastal homes during the Second World War. Located in New Denver, BC, on the site of a former internment camp, the original buildings, period artefacts, interpretive displays, and Heiwa Teien garden designed by the renowned Roy (Tomomichi) Sumi, chronicle this extraordinary episode in Canadian history.
The purpose of the NIMC is to collect, preserve, conserve, research, exhibit, and interpret objects which represent the life and condition of the Nikkei living in the New Denver and West Kootenay internment camps between 1942-1957. Owned and operated by the Village of New Denver, the NIMC was designated as a National Historic Site in 2010.
2017 will see the continuation of an important collections digitization project which began in 2012-2013 through a partnership between the municipality, the New Denver Kyowakai Society and the Nikkei National Museum. Since then, the successful digitization of over 2000 collection items has been realized. This year’s digitization project will include condition assessments, cataloguing, digitizing and processing of artifacts. In addition, the scanning of archival materials including letters, directories, official documents and hand drawn materials and mapping the exhibits with continue.
The Collection Assistant will take part in this portion of the project which will provide the necessary condition assessments to help inform the next steps in care and conservation of the museum holdings as a whole. Meanwhile digitizing and cataloguing the items will fulfill our museum mandate to improve long-term preservation and to allow for the collection to be publicly accessible through the shared Nikkei National Museum online database.
Job Description:
Skills Required:
Student in the field of history, art history, anthropology, museum studies, curatorial studies or library and archival studies
Must be between the ages of 16 and 30 and intend to return to your studies in the fall
Knowledge of and practical experience with computers, internet, and online resources
Ability to safely lift and carry 20lbs of archival boxes
Photography and photo editing skills an asset
Fluent in English, Japanese language would be an asset
Good oral and written communication skills
Knowledge of Canadian History/Japanese Canadian History an asset
Candidates will be chosen on the basis of their skill level and ability, therefore we welcome all applicants regardless of race, gender or disability.
Applications:
Please forward applications with resume by email to:
Bruce Woodbury, Chief Administrative Officer, Village of New Denver
office@newdenver.ca
Applications accepted until April 1, 2017
POSITION IS DEPDENDENT ON GRANT FUNDING
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Orientation & Training
a) General Introduction – The student will receive an introduction to the NIMC, its history, programs and staff. They will be introduced to general operations of a municipally operated National Historic Site with a small staff and volunteer base. They will also be oriented to policies and procedures, safety and evacuation procedures, work hour timesheet systems.
b) Project Orientation – The Collections Assistant will review the Museum Procedures manual and will receive training in general care and handling. They will be introduced to the museum database, the museum storage systems and pest control procedures. The student will also receive training in scanning, digitization, photography, photo editing, cataloguing and database entry.
c) Throughout the summer, there will be opportunities to participate in community outreach activities for the NIMC, and other aspects of NIMC operations, under the direction of Village staff.
Supervision and Mentoring Plan
The Collections Assistant will be supervised by Village of New Denver staff at the NIMC, who will conduct the orientation and hands-on training of the student, review policies and procedures, review daily tasks and goals, and provide mentoring and assistance to students. The students will receive formal progress assessments and take part in monthly performance reviews and career counselling sessions (i.e. 2 x 1 hour meetings). The mentoring plan will also provide an opportunity for students to provide feedback, suggestions and ideas.
Health and Safety
The student will receive an orientation on health and safety practices and emergency procedures by Village of New Denver staff.
Recruiting
The position will be advertised widely through various cultural, community and post-secondary publications including local newsletters, newspapers, and bulletin boards, the local secondary school and post –secondary student job boards.
Applications from outside the region are encouraged. Some assistance may be available.
Characteristics of City/Region
The Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre is located in the beautiful village of New Denver, BC. On the shore of pristine Slocan Lake, nestled in the foothills of the mountainous West Kootenay region, the community was founded as a mining town in 1892 and was briefly known as Eldorado City before being renamed after Denver, Colorado. It was incorporated as a village in 1929 and is currently home to a population of 500 residents. It has a moderate climate, clean air, clean water, and excellent offerings in the way of outdoor recreation. Valhalla Provincial Park is located nearby and there are many hiking and mountain biking opportunities on local trails. In addition to the Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre, the town has other attractions including local galleries, museums, restaurants, gardens, campgrounds and shops. Several commercial and wild hot springs are can be enjoyed nearby in Nakusp and Ainsworth. The historic towns of Kaslo and Sandon are also located within a short drive.
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