Collections Inventory Volunteer

The National Museum of the American Sailor Collections Volunteers will work in locating and reviewing items in Collection Storage and writing down what they find in an Excel spreadsheet. The goal of this project is to create a comprehensive listing of all items in Collections Storage, thereby making them accessible for cataloging, reference requests, social media, and exhibits.

Tasks:

The volunteer will attempt to locate an item based on the provided accession number, name of the item, and location listed on the provided Excel template. If the volunteer found the item, she will compare the item to the information listed in the Excel spreadsheet. If any of the information in the spreadsheet is different from the tag on the item, or the item does not have a tag, she will note the change on the spreadsheet. If she cannot find the item, she will mark it as “missing” on the spreadsheet.

For items that cannot be located, the volunteer will get through every box in Collections Storage and write down every item in the box. If the item is numbered with an accession or catalog number, they will write that down. If any donor information is present on the box/folder, they will write that down. They will also write the title/short description of the item. It does not need to be long, just enough detail to firmly identify the item in question.

Skills:

• Skills Required
• Attention to detail
• Use Microsoft products
• Ability to research
• Self-sufficient
• Physically be in the museum
• Finger dexterity
• “Nice to Have” Skills
• Fast typer
• Decent handwriting

Setting, Equipment, and Dress Code

• Work setting is inside Building 42, the home of the National Museum of the American Sailor. Work takes place in administrative areas.
• NMAS will provide all tools, equipment, and supplies.
• NMAS will provide any protective safety gear if needed, such as work gloves and masks.
• Dress code is comfortable business casual. Volunteer must wear closed-toe shoes.

While volunteering in this capacity, the volunteer may have to regularly bend down and re-stand and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include color vision and close vision.

Schedule

Ongoing; flexible schedule as long as another volunteer isn’t here using a computer; four-hour chunks of time is preferred.