Henry Watson Music Library Cataloguing Archivist (freelance), Manchester Music Archive
April 9, 2026
Connecting Manchester’s Music Archive is a network founded by The National Archives’ Networks for Change programme. It consists of the Royal Northern College of Music, the Hall Concerts Society, the Henry Watson Music Library and the Manchester Digital Music Archives. CMMA is primarily a digital space where Greater Manchester’s music archives can share information about their collections, showcasing where connected archives are highlighted, with the aim of making it easier for anyone to explore Manchester’s music stories. Its primary focus is sharing the histories of musicians who have either studied or performed in Greater Manchester, and the evidence they have left behind of their work and experiences in Greater Manchester’s archives.
CMMA recently won £50,000 from The National Archives’ Cataloguing Grants Scheme in order to create a catalogue for the local heritage subsection of the Henry Watson Music Library Special Collection. There is no existing catalogue for this invaluable material, and therefore a file-level ISAD(G) catalogue is required in order to facilitate research and interest.
Therefore, a freelance archivist is required to conduct this work. A programme of outreach will be delivered by the Henry Watson Music Library and CMMA as the project progresses, via further freelance support from a Community Programme Manager.
Fees and timeline
* Total fee £39,000 including expenses and VAT
* Based on an estimate of £325 per day over 120 days
* Work to start May 2026
* Project to end January 2028
Output of role
* File-level catalogue in accordance with ISAD(G) standard of the Henry Watson Music Library Special Collection (local history sub-collection)
* Item-level catalogue for some priority areas if time permits
Location of role
* Central Library, Manchester. Initial work to be undertaken in the archive strong room and later work to be undertaken in the ground floor search room.
* Any secondary locations are based in Manchester city centre/online.
Required skills
* Experienced archivist with proven expertise in creating archive catalogues for complex collections
* Implementation of necessary ISAD(G) requirements
* Confidence working independently with minimal supervision, excellent time management
* Comfortable working at height for short periods (cherry picker training will be given for work in the strong room)
* Proven success in working on temporary projects
* Experience working on a collaborative project featuring multiple heritage/information management services
* Will bring own laptop for creating spreadsheets (.xls, .xlsx)
* Has own private email account for freelance work
Beneficial but not required skills
* General knowledge of musical terminology
* General knowledge of Manchester’s music‑making history
* ARA‑certified post‑graduate qualification / completed archives apprenticeship / ARA Professional Registration
Job Responsibilities
Independent working to create an ISAD‑G and MPLP compliant catalogue of the local history subsection of the HWML Special Collection, in line with wider project timeline and activities. Interviews will be informally held online on 27th April.
Application Process
If you would like to be considered for this role please provide:
* An up-to-date CV including links to catalogues you have previously created
* Two references relating to your freelance work (these may be contacted prior to appointment)
* A cover letter (maximum 1500 words), detailing rationale and methodology for approaching and creating a catalogue for this material, referencing previous experience where appropriate
For more information about the project role, please contact Heather Roberts, RNCM Archive and Museum Manager heather.roberts@rncm.ac.uk to arrange a conversation.
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