Graduate Student Research Assistant - AGQ - FOCAS

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Archives Gaies du Quebec (AGQ)-FOCAS Community Archives Research Assistant

DESCRIPTION OF HOST ORGANIZATION:

Archives Gaies du Québec (Quebec Gay Archives) (AGQ)’s mandate is to acquire, preserve, and disseminate handwritten, printed, visual, audio, or other materials which testify to the history of LGBTQ2S+ organizations and individuals. More specifically, the AGQ aims to: promote the diversity and inclusion of LGBTQ2S+ people; continuously update its collections on all aspects of gender and sexuality; promote research on sexual and gender minorities; and recognize their rich contributions to the history of Quebec and Canada.

The AGQ currently holds collections of printed materials (books, periodicals, posters, pamphlets, and press clippings), manuscripts (personal or institutional), photographs, videos, films, and a wide range of artworks and various objects.

The AGQ primarily offers reference services to researchers from Quebec and elsewhere, both remotely and in person. Through cultural mediation activities and exhibitions, the AGQ also serves the broader community by promoting access to LGBTQ2S+ documentary heritage.

ABOUT FOCAS:

Faculty Organizing for Community Archives Support (FOCAS) is a collaborative of faculty from 9 universities in the U.S. and Canada funded by the Mellon Foundation’s Public Knowledge program that formed to support paid internships at community archives. Through internship activities this program aims to preserve, make accessible, and steward the histories and stories of underrepresented communities throughout North America.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The AGQ’s collection comprises nearly 250 archival fonds and more than 1,900 small thematic files containing pamphlets, documents, texts, promotional materials, and other materials. Together, these holdings offer researchers a rich and varied range of subjects, themes, and stories to explore. However, due to limited resources, many fonds lack complete or written descriptions. As a result, researchers often lack a comprehensive view of the collection and may overlook materials that are relevant to their work.

Under the supervision of and in collaboration with AGQ personnel, the Research Assistant’s primary project will be to create descriptive records for selected processed archival fonds, following the Rules for Archival Description (RAD). These fonds will be identified prior to the Research Assistant’s arrival. In addition, to addressing a significant need for both the AGQ and its research community, the R.A. will gain the opportunity to conduct in‑depth and engaging research and to produce archival descriptions that align with professional standards.
 

In the second phase of the project, the R.A. will index the archival fonds and thematic files using the AGQ’s pre‑established controlled vocabulary. This indexing work will enhance the discoverability of the fonds for the general public by aligning them with relevant and frequently requested themes.

Main tasks will include:

• Researching the organization’s operations and collection management practices
• Overview of and orientation to the archival fonds selected for description
• Research within the fonds and, when possible, interviews with donors or individuals familiar with the fonds creators
• Drafting of descriptive notices
• Indexing of the fonds
• Indexing of the thematic files

To provide the Research Assistant with a broader understanding of archival work and AGQ’s overall operations, they may also be asked to support routine archival tasks such as cataloguing, arrangement, and inventorying new acquisitions, as well as to participate in team meetings.
 

Note: The project timeline may be adjusted jointly with the Research Assistant based on the progress of the work.
 

Learning opportunities: Within the framework of this project, the student will be expected to work with a significant degree of independence, thereby strengthening skills in autonomy, time management, and initiative. The tasks assigned will also allow the student to deepen their professional competencies in archival description and to develop interpersonal skills through interactions with donors and other individuals involved with the AGQ.
 

The student will additionally gain firsthand experience with the specificities of community‑based archives and the LGBTQ2S+ community context, including limited resources, non‑hierarchical organizational structures, close collaboration with donors and volunteers, and a culture of flexibility and resourcefulness.
 

Finally, through the creation of biographical descriptions associated with the fonds, the student will acquire an in‑depth understanding of LGBTQ2S+ history in Quebec. This knowledge will be informed both by the documents found within the fonds and by the complementary resources consulted—such as readings, articles, reference works, and oral interviews—throughout the descriptive process.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT'S RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work 8 hours / week for both Fall and Winter semesters
• Attend orientation between August 31, 2026 and September 4, 2026
• Attend Community Archives Reading Group/Workshop Series (5 hours/semester) where students will learn more about community archives processes and literature, gain more hands-on experience with processes, and have the opportunity to reflect on and ask questions that are emerging during the duration of their appointment
• Write 1 brief research paper (500-1,000 words) on experiences with AGQ to be published on the FOCAS website

ELIGIBILITY:

• Must be a Full-time, 2nd year Master of Information (MISt) student at McGill University
• Must be authorized to legally work in Canada on and off campus.

ARCHIVES QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

• Knowledge of and/or interest in archival and historical research
• Excellent writing skills in French or English
• Excellent reading comprehension skills in both French and English
• Strong interpersonal skills and ease working collaboratively
• Familiarity with the LGBTQ+ community is considered an asset
• Interest in the community sector and in LGBTQ2S+ history
• Curiosity, initiative, and resourcefulness

Note:

• The student may encounter historical records that contain language or visual content that could be considered dated, inappropriate, or offensive.

HOW TO APPLY:

• A cover letter (1 page maximum)
• an explanation of why the student is interested in an internship at the Archives Gaies du Québec (AGQ) and what the student hopes to gain from such an internship
• a description of the skills that the student would bring to the internship, including specific archival skills (description, cataloguing, digital preservation, etc.), language skills, and cultural competencies
• a brief explanation of why working with LGBTQ2S+ materials is meaningful to the student
• Curriculum vitae

Note: If selected for an interview, the candidate will be asked to prepare a short fonds or record description (in French or English, 500 words max). Description will include: Administrative History, Scope and Content, and a few relevant notes. The description will be based on a small set of documents provided by the AGQ and will be based on the AGQ’s existing description model. More information to follow.
 

LOCATION:

201A-1000 Atateken, Montréal (Québec) H1Y 2Z5
https://agq.qc.ca/

In-person: The student is expected to work at the host organization’s office location, with the possibility of remote work depending on the tasks.
 

Accessibility: The AGQ offices are located on the 2nd floor and are accessible by stairs only.

DATES:

Between 08/31/26 and 04/30/27. Schedule to be determined between the student and the AGQ. By accepting the position, the selected candidate commits to being in Montréal for an orientation day at the site the week of August 31st.

HOURS:

Approximately 8 hours per week for both Fall and Winter semesters (99 hours per semester, 198 hours total) will be spent in the archives.
In addition, as part of their paid hours, the student will spend 10 hours (5 hours per semester) participating in a mandatory reading and workshop series that aims to prepare and support them in the position.
 

REMUNERATION: $30/hour

Before applying, please note that to work at McGill University, you must be both authorized to work in Canada and willing to work in the province of Quebec at the campus where the position is based / located.

McGill University is an English-language university where most teaching and research activities are conducted in the English language, thereby requiring English communication both verbally and in writing.

Hourly Salary:

$30.00

Hours per Week:

8 (Part time)

Location:

Various

Supervisor:

Assistant Professor

Position Start Date:

2026-08-31

Position End Date:

2027-04-30

Deadline to Apply:

2026-05-15

This position is covered by the Association of McGill University Research Employees (AMURE) collective agreement.

McGill University hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We welcome applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated groups to self-identify. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, [email protected].