Digital Initiatives Librarian

Description

The Digital Initiatives Librarian will provide the leadership and technical skills to develop further WPI's digital library. In collaboration with librarians, faculty, and administrators, the person in this position will improve access to currently fragmented digital collections such as digitized Theses, Dissertations, Project Reports, and Special Collections. The Digital Initiatives Librarian will develop and implement a forward-looking plan for WPI to archive digitized and born-digital materials collected by the library, including coordination of details such as researcher IDs, access to datasets, and management of metadata schemes. Responsibilities will include conceptual development, planning, and execution of current and future digital library projects in support of WPI's teaching and research mission.

Position duties:

• Explores, adapts, and implements emerging digital technologies, such as repositories, in support of the library's current and emerging digital collections.
• Leads digital initiatives in collaboration with librarians, faculty, administration, and members of the Information Technology department.
• Provides technical expertise in the investigation and application of methods used to build and further develop digital collections utilizing established and emerging mechanisms, systems, and metadata standards.
• Provides leadership in the evaluation, selection and ongoing maintenance of digital collection systems by:
  • Developing inventories current and potential digital collections opportunities at WPI.
  • Establishing seamless access to WPI's digitized collections for end users.
  • Working with faculty to prioritize digital initiatives as they relate to WPI's teaching, research, and scholarship.
  • Maintaining faculty profile pages including documentation of copyrights for posting manuscript or published materials.
  • Investigating and developing solutions to provide access to, policies for, and long-term management of heterogeneous collections including text, images, video, audio, and data.
  • Creating and producing statistical reports on digital library collections and their use.
  • Selecting and negotiating with vendors to provide appropriate tools in the most cost-effective and timely manner.
• Identifies grant opportunities and works collaboratively to create proposals in support of digital collections.
• Participates in regional and/or national professional activities to advance the development of digital library resources.
• May serve as co-advisor with WPI faculty for digital collections related student projects
• Other duties as required. 

Requirements: 

Qualifications:

• American Library Association Accredited Master's degree in Library and Information Science (MLS) or equivalent Information Management credentials
• 3-5 years managing digital collections (or equivalent)
• Professional experience working with integrated library systems (i.e. Voyager) and digital collections and/or repositories (i.e. Digitool, Digital Commons, or ContentDM).
• Knowledge and experience with current metadata schemes and evolving standards, such as MARC, EAD, TEI, VRA Core, Dublin Core, METS, and MODS.
• Demonstrated excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Knowledge of current trends in digital library development, digitization standards and preservation, and rights management issues relating to digital materials.
• Ability to work independently and effectively across organization lines and in collaboration with a variety of individuals and groups.
• Ability to learn and teach new technologies quickly, as well to effectively interact with others who possess a range of technological backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree or degree in Computer Science or related field
• Experience with digital collections in a research library.
• Understanding of digital library technologies with skills at advanced level.
• Demonstrated record of ongoing professional development and contribution.I project centers throughout North America and Central America, Africa, Australia, Asia, and Europe.