Archival Volunteer

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Opportunity Overview

The Archives & Research Center (ARC) is the hub of The Trustees’ curatorial, stewardship, and organizational history. Located in Sharon, Massachusetts, the ARC provides outside researchers, Trustees staff, and volunteers access to thousands of historical documents, objects, and artifacts related to The Trustees’ properties. The ARC, an energy-efficient, climate-controlled building, opened in 2008 and houses 1,500 linear feet of archival materials which document The Trustees’ founding role in the land trust movement, the stories of The Trustees’ properties across the Commonwealth, and the lives of American families from the 1600s to the present. The Trustees’ collections represent domestic furnishings, outdoor sculptures, fine and decorative arts from pre-contact to the 20 th century. They include more than 60 private collections featuring exceptional pieces from indigenous Massachusetts peoples to mid-century Modern.

Currently, The Trustees is looking for an enthusiastic person to assist with a variety of projects including organizing files, moving objects and/or boxes, and sorting items. Most of the work will involve the collections relating to artist Polly Thayer Starr and the 75-acre property she gifted to The Trustees in 1999, Weir River Farm. Located in Hingham, Weir River Farm was in the Thayer family for over a century and is one of the few remaining pastoral landscapes and scenic agricultural vistas on Boston’s South Shore. The property was Polly Thayer Starr’s summer home and a source of inspiration for her art. The work of this volunteer will help support expanded research, and cultural outreach activities, such as a gallery exhibition of Polly Thayer Starr’s work at Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, Ma, as well as an outdoor installation at Weir River Farm.

Responsibilities

• Work onsite at the Archives & Research Center
• Assist with a variety of tasks such as but not limited to, organizing files, moving objects and/or boxes, sorting items, creating box inventories using a computer
• Log volunteer hours weekly

Qualifications

• Attention to detail
• Ability to follow directions
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to lift approximately 35 pounds
• Ability to climb stairs
• Interest in history
• Knowledge of Microsoft Word (required)
• Knowledge of Microsoft Excel (preferred, not required)
• Ability to work comfortably on a laptop (preferred)

Time Commitment

Minimum of 2 hours per week for at least 3 months; flexible hours within our 9am - 5pm workdays - Tuesday through Thursday, reporting to Digital Archivist.

For more information Contact Eileen Small, Volunteer Resources Coordinator, 781-784-0567 x5501, esmall@thetrustees.org

To explore other volunteer opportunities visit our volunteer page at http://volunteer.thetrustees.org/

More about The Trustees

Founded by landscape architect Charles Eliot in 1891, The Trustees has, for more than 125 years, been a catalyst for important ideas, endeavors, and progress in Massachusetts. As a steward of distinctive and dynamic places of both historic and cultural value, The Trustees is the nation’s first preservation and conservation organization, and its landscapes and landmarks continue to inspire discussion, innovation, and action today as they did in the past. We are a nonprofit, supported by members, friends and donors and our 116 sites are destinations for residents, members, and visitors alike, welcoming millions of guests annually. www.thetrustees.org.

The Trustees is committed to a policy of non-discrimination and equal employment opportunity for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, age, military service, application for military service, veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law. The Trustees makes reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.