Research Assistant - ARCMTL - FOCAS

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ARCMTL-FOCAS Community Archives Research Assistant

DESCRIPTION OF HOST ORGANIZATION:

ARCMTL is a non-profit organization which preserves artifacts from Montreal’s independent arts milieu in various disciplines and in both official languages. Developed largely by and for artists working independently in the visual arts, literature, music, experimental film and performance, it runs a publicly accessible community-led archives in the Mile Ex district of Montreal.

Its collections are comprised of more than fifty archival fonds relating to independent artists, publications and institutions, alongside significant series of independent publications (including artists’ books, zines, literary chapbooks, radical publications) as well as publications about independent arts practices (such as printed and poster art, mail art, zines, artist-run centres, artists’ books, performance art, video art and experimental film, sound art etc.). The collections also include a significant amount of audio and audio-visual documentation of independent arts, literature and music in Montreal. There is also a reference library of publications about the history of Montreal itself and a large collection of independently released music on analog and digital formats.

ARCMTL has hosted a weekly music show on local CKUT Radio McGill since 2013 specifically to play unique or rare recordings from its collections. Ephemeral documentation of Montreal in the form of found photos, home movies and varied advertising and other ephemera rounds out its collections.

ARCMTL also collaborates with many different partners on a regular basis to produce public programming around its collections and routinely lends out materials for exhibits in major museums, institutions or for use in documentary film projects.

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 internship’s main objective will be to support the digitization, description and cataloguing of audio-visual, audio, and graphic items from the ARCMTL archives and special collections, with an emphasis on audio and audio-visual documentations. Over the course of the internship, the candidate will be expected to assist in the analog-to-digital transfer of audio, video, and graphic materials; assisting in their description and cataloguing on the online ARCMTL catalogue/ digital asset management system.

The Research Assistant will aid ARCMTL directly in serving its community by facilitating the sharing of digitized archival material and documentation with the public. This will involve participating in the population of a new ARCMTL online catalogue launched in 2026.

As needed, the project plan will be adapted and supplemental training and mentorship will be provided. Metrics for the measurement of the candidate’s performance will include quality and completeness of metadata, level of comfort and competence with the software and equipment, degree of care in handling archival materials, and demonstrated comprehension of procedures and practices.

Main tasks will include:

• Using digitization equipment including scanners, fixed cameras and legacy media audio/video players to create quality digital copies of content stored on fragile analog media supports

• Making improvements to the physical storage of delicate materials, carrying out basic preservation tasks

• Conducting research to inform descriptive metadata, applying the Canadian standard Rules for Archival Description to a range of media types

• Ingesting digitized assets and organizing metadata in the growing ARCMTL online catalogue / DAM system

• Assist in the processing and description of new fonds acquired by the archive

• Conduct research into and contributing to the development of methods and best practices for the use of future staff and volunteers

• Taking part in archival committee meetings and meetings with partners regarding archival projects

• Support the hosting of public programming activities by ARCMTL as well as the documentation of activities such as round-table discussions and presentations

• Support the writing of grants by ARCMTL to secure funding for current and future projects

Learning opportunities:

The student will receive an introduction to the organization’s archival practices, procedures and policies and will be able to observe the general operation of the archive centre and its research clientele. The candidate will be able to deepen their knowledge of alternate and community archives and put the archival theory they have been learning in their classes to use in practice. Training will be conducted with regards to the organization’s digital transfer and metadata creation and entry schemes and the fonds classification scheme.

The candidate will learn:

- to deliver work that consistently meets quality standards and specifications with regards to both physical and digitized materials

- to learn current catalogue management software and workflows related to cataloguing and describing archival materials

- to continuously monitor the success of a project or task and identify ways to improve: the student will be responsible for meeting goals and reporting any obstacles that arise

- to carry out tasks from start to finish with well-defined objectives and outcomes

- to adapt to changing requirements and new information

- to balance time spent on multiple aspects of different projects

- to work both independently and as part of a team

- to learn from mistakes and share those lessons with other staff members

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work 8 hours / week for both Fall and Winter semesters

• Attend orientation between August 27, 2025, and September 5, 2025

• 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 internship

• Write 1 brief research paper (500-1,000 words) on experiences with ARCMTL to be published on the FOCAS website

LOCATION:

6600 St. Urbain, local 306, Montréal, QC H2S 3G6.
https://arcmtl.org/

In-person: The student is expected to work at the host organization’s office location.
 

Accessibility: There are some stairs to access the building at the main entrance. The building is equipped with an elevator to access the 3rd floor.

DATES:
Between 08/31/26 and 04/30/27. Schedule to be determined between the student and ARCMTL. 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) attending a reading and workshop series that aims to prepare and support them in the position.

REMUNERATION:

$30/hour

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.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

• Basic knowledge of archival settings

• Language skills must include advanced written and oral English

• Basic level of French would be ideal but is not mandatory for this position

• Familiarity with the independent arts milieu in Montreal, such as arts programming in artist-run centres, arts, music and literary festivals and venues would be of benefit.​

HOW TO APPLY:

To successfully submit your application, the following documents are required:

A cover letter (1 page maximum):

• An explanation of why the student is interested in an internship at ARCMTL and what the student hopes to gain from such an internship

• A description of the skills that the student would bring to such an internship, including specific archival skills (description, cataloging, digital preservation, etc.), language skills, and cultural competencies

Curriculum vitae

Please Note:

If you have any questions about this posting and/or if you require accommodations during the application process, please email Gracen Brilmyer, Assistant Professor, SIS: [email protected] and Axelle Demus, Postdoctoral Fellow Community Archives & Accessibility, SIS: [email protected]. After you submit your application, we will transmit the selected applications to ARCMTL, which will ultimately be responsible for the selection of the candidate. We will get back to you if you are selected for an interview. Students who do not receive offers will be notified on a rolling basis as decisions are made.

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].