Arts-Area Digital Librarian

Description

Arts-Area Digital Librarian
Arts-Area Libraries
Yale University Library
Rank: Librarian I-III

Schedule:   Full-time (37.5 hours per week); Standard Work Week (M-F, 8:30-5:00)

Yale University offers exciting opportunities for achievement and growth in New Haven, Connecticut.  Conveniently located between Boston and New York, New Haven is the creative capital of Connecticut with cultural resources that include two major art museums, a critically-acclaimed repertory theater, state-of-the-art concert hall, and world-renowned schools of Architecture, Art, Drama, and Music.

The University and the Library

The Yale University Library, as one of the world's leading research libraries, collects, organizes, preserves, and provides access to and services for a rich and unique record of human thought and creativity. It fosters intellectual growth and supports the teaching and research missions of Yale University and scholarly communities worldwide. A distinctive strength is its rich spectrum of resources, including around 12.8 million volumes and information in all media, ranging from ancient papyri to early printed books to electronic databases. The Library is engaging in numerous projects to expand access to its physical and digital collections. Housed in eighteen buildings including the Sterling Memorial Library, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, and the Bass Library, it employs a dynamic and diverse staff of approximately five hundred who offer innovative and flexible services to library readers.  For additional information on the Yale University Library, please visit the Library's web site at www.library.yale.edu.


Departmental Focus
With a thorough knowledge of library software applications and academic resources available in the visual and performing arts, the successful candidate will help guide the design, implementation, and improvement of access to existing Arts-Area libraries digital collections and services. Working in close collaboration with Library and campus stakeholders, develop a clear, comprehensive, and compelling strategic vision of the technological infrastructure, and the bibliographic and metadata organization necessary for the Arts-Area Libraries to participate in University-wide digital information management strategies to ensure that current and prospective independent digital initiatives are maintained, upgraded, and successfully incorporated within the Library’s growing digital landscape.  Provides instructional and technical support to faculty and students in all aspects related to the use of the Library’s digital collections.

Departmental Responsibilities
1.      Actively practices and advocates effective communication in all aspects of digital initiatives within the Arts-Area Libraries and throughout the YUL system.  Establishes productive relationships with individuals and organizations both at Yale and at other institutions in order to advance Library objectives.
2.      Work closely with curators and key staff to assess feasibility, propose, and develop plans for digital projects.
3.      Work with Library IT and the Director of Digitization Initiatives to design and implement technical infrastructure and workflows.
4.      Evaluate and make recommendations on digitization procedures for a wide range of collection materials considering issues of original format, productivity and preservation, as well as YUL standards.
5.      Analyze faculty and student needs and develop programming in support of digital teaching. Analyze the feasibility of new services or modifications to existing Arts-Area Library services. Work independently or lead a project team to implement Arts-Area Library goals.
6.      Work with usability staff to design and implement patron surveys to analyze faculty and student use of arts-area digital collections within the scope of the Library’s digital landscape.
7.      Work with faculty to identify gaps in institutional collection content and facilitate the development of new digital content by coordinating requests for digitization or discovering sources of new material n the Library’s collections (print or digital).
8.      Plan and conduct presentations, demonstrations, or workshops for graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, or Library staff on any topic related to digital teaching using the Library’s collections.
9.     Within a shared information environment, document software use, procedures, and services.
10.  Contribute to best practices evaluation, development and documentation in digital library initiatives.  Remain alert to developments in digital library initiatives at peer institutions.
11.  Assume full or partial responsibility in project management for Arts-Area Libraries digital initiatives including assessment and evaluation of project scope, analysis, project proposals, quality assurance, workflows, staffing, budgeting, documentation and reporting.
12.  Contribute to preparation of project grant proposals for submission to the library administration and/or to external funding agencies.
13.  Provides strategic and tactical analysis concerning the Arts-Area Libraries’ technology and digital production requirements, infrastructure and goals based on a strong understanding of technological trends of audio, video, and image formats and the higher education environment.
14.  Evaluate, recommend and assist with digitization equipment and software selection as well as facility oversight including staff and patron workstations located in arts-area libraries.
15.  Train staff on use of appropriate digital content creation and editing tools and software programs such as Adobe Creative Suite, audio and video editing software, and infrastructure programs developed locally by Library IT staff.
16.  Assist with creating and/or maintaining selected Web sites using XHTML, ASP, PhP, or other scripting languages and web content management systems such as Drupal.
17.  Manage local and/or vendor digitization
18.  Serves on various Arts-Area Libraries, Yale University Library, and Yale University committees in support of the Library and University’s mission relevant to digital initiatives.
19.  Participates in professional activities outside of Yale and monitors developments and best practices elsewhere to help ensure the excellence of the Arts-Area Libraries’ technology activities.
20.  May be required to assist with disaster recovery efforts.
21.  May be assigned to work at West Campus location in West Haven, CT.

Required Education & Experience

Master’s degree in Library Science from an American Library Association accredited Library school. In selected instances, a post-graduate degree in a related discipline may be required or substituted for an MLS. Appointment to this rank is limited to two years at which time it is expected that the individual will develop necessary requirements to meet expectations of performance at the Librarian 2 level.


Required Skills and Abilities

1.      Demonstrated understanding of a wide range of digital library standards and practices; including born digital materials, digital preservation, standards for media content, metadata, controlled authorities, and digitization.
2.      Ability to identify and analyze problems in the context of technology initiatives related to special collections.
3.      Project management skills, especially the ability to devise and achieve agreed-upon completion dates for technology based projects; ability to multitask and keep priorities aligned to objectives.
4.      Excellent analytical, oral and written communication skills, especially the ability to convey and explain, to non-technical audiences the importance and impact of technology trends and issues relevant to the YUL’s operation and mission.
5.      Strong commitment to customer service with well-developed interpersonal skills and demonstrated abilities to work collegially with staff, researchers, and colleagues, especially in the context of technology initiatives that are specific to academic libraries and special collections.

Preferred Education, Experience, and Skills

1.      Appointment at the rank of Librarian 2 requires a minimum of three years, and Librarian 3 five years, of relevant professional library experience and professional accomplishments appropriate to the rank.
2.      Experience working in a library, academic institution, or other non-profit computing operation.
3.      Advanced degree in fine or performing arts or related field.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

We invite you to discover the excitement, diversity, rewards and excellence of a career at Yale University. One of the country's great workplaces, Yale University offers exciting opportunities for meaningful accomplishment and true growth. Our benefits package is among the best anywhere, with a wide variety of insurance choices, liberal paid time off, fantastic family and educational benefits, a variety of retirement benefits, extensive recreational facilities, and much more.  Applications consisting of a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information of three professional references should be sent by creating an account and applying online at www.yale.edu/jobs for immediate consideration - the STARS req ID for this position is 17985BR.  Please be sure to reference 17985BR in your cover letter.

BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIREMENTS

All external candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent on successful completion of a background check. Please visit www.yale.edu/hronline/careers/screening/faqs.html for additional information on the background check requirements and process.