The Charles E. Young Research Library Department of Special Collections created the Center for Primary Research and Training to integrate special collections materials more fully into the teaching and research mission of the university. The center provides a substantive educational experience for graduate students by training them in archival methods, while simultaneously making accessible lesser-known collections through the creation of finding aids, or guides. It was launched with a generous lead gift from the Ahmanson Foundation.
Recognizing that many faculty in the social sciences, humanities, and visual arts want to give their students experience with primary sources and that many graduate students are looking for original subjects for theses and dissertations, the center pairs students with unprocessed or under-processed collections in their areas of interest. Students have access to materials that others have not yet fully investigated, and their training in archival organization and description results in making those collections more accessible to other researchers. They are compensated at a rate competitive with similar on-campus employment options such as teaching and research assistantships.
Apply for Winter Quarter 2009
The CFPRT is currently hiring one graduate student to complete archival processing projects within one or more of the collections in UCLA Library Special Collections. Please indicate in your cover letter and application which collection or collections from the information sheet interest you and why. Application deadline for processing archival project positions is December 4, 2009.