Digital Production Librarian

Description

Coordinates digital reformatting operations for the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center and Howard University Libraries that preserve and improve access to library, manuscript, and archival collections in all formats and that conform to digital library standards and best practices.   Contributes to the development and implementation of the Library and MSRC’s digitization programs.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities

• Coordinates the daily operations of the Digital Production Center, including digitization, color management, and quality control activities.
• Designs, documents, and oversees efficient digital production workflows supporting the creation of digital objects that conform to digital library standards
• Contributes to the development of policies, guidelines, and best practices; maintains documentation on digitization best practices and digital preservation policies and implements same.
• Actively participates in the development of a digital preservation strategy for the MSRC and the Library.
• Investigates and recommends digitization hardware and software; monitors and maintains specialized hardware and software to capture, manipulate, and save images.
• Takes part in additional departmental activities such as metadata creation and migration, digital project consulting, and outreach.
• Evaluates requirements of digitization projects and makes recommendations for appropriate methods of capture.
• Trains and manages digitization staff; trains and supervises student employees.
• Communicates with vendors on issues related to hardware, software, and digitization of special formats such as audio and video; works with digitization vendors to establish project requirements and ensure quality of digital objects.
• Participates in committees and work groups of the Library, MSRC, and the University at regional and national organizations as appropriate.
• Demonstrates and facilitates effective communication throughout the Library, MSRC, and across the University.

Qualifications

Required:

• Master in Library Science (MLS) degree from a program accredited by the American Library Association or foreign equivalent by time of appointment or a graduate degree in the Social Sciences with experience in digitization.
• Background or experience in digitization in a production oriented digital studio environment; or experience in the imaging of two-and/ or three- dimensional objects for cultural heritage institutions.
• Knowledge of a wide range of digital library standards, particularly best practices for digitization.
• Experience using and supporting numerous types of digital imaging equipment including flatbed scanners and digital cameras.
• Project management skills.
• Experience handling archives/ special collections/ institutional records.

Preferred

• Ability to color-calibrate monitors; experience using objective and subjective quality control assessments and performing color correction and image manipulation using standard digital imaging software.
• Familiarity with a variety of metadata standards, including MODS, METS, MIX, and VRA Core 4.0.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively. Ability to work closely with colleagues from all Library and MSRC departments and with students, faculty, staff and University administrators.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills. Ability to communicate with technical and non-technical individuals.
• Commitment to further the University’s mission of diversity and inclusion.