Special Collections and Digital Initiatives Librarian

Description

Longwood University’s Greenwood Library seeks a creative, dynamic and service-oriented individual to serve as the new Special Collections & Digital Initiatives Librarian who will shape the future direction of the department and contribute to the strategic plan of the Library.  The successful candidate will provide expertise and leadership in areas of special collections, archives, and digital project management.  S/he will have primary responsibility for launching and maintaining the university’s institutional repository that is hosted on the Digital Commons platform.  S/he will collaborate with colleagues in the Library and throughout the university to collect, organize, preserve, and provide access to the scholarly output of Longwood University faculty, students
and staff.

This position directly supervises one classified staff and oversees the direction of student assistants.  This position reports to the Dean of the Library, and is one of three supervisory librarians who serve on the Dean’s management team; as such, this individual actively contributes to library-wide planning, policy-making, goalsetting and assessment efforts.  For additional information about the Library, see: http://library.longwood.edu. 

Responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to:

• Directing the operations of special collections and archives in all formats
• Developing, implementing and evaluating efforts to market and promote the new Digital Commons
• Designing and improving effective workflows
• Establishing goals and objectives, policies, standards, and procedures for archives and special collections working with a variety of metadata schemata
• Training others on new and changing developments in digitization and preservation
• Expanding access to the Library’s Special Collections; evaluating and acquiring new collections of manuscripts, books, photographs, documents, and other items that are in alignment with Longwood’s current areas of strength and support Longwood’s teaching and research missions
• Ensuring that university records policies are effectively carried out
• Serving as a liaison to one or more subject areas with responsibility for cultivating a strong relationship with the faculty
• Working creatively with stakeholders within and outside the Library and the university, including establishing partnerships for new collaborative digital projects
• Identifying grant opportunities to support digital initiatives
• Assisting with public services operations, (including nights and weekends) both in Special Collections and in the Learning Commons, including reference, instruction and outreach
• Pursuing scholarly activities and service to the department, Library, university, and the profession

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• ALA-accredited master’s degree in Library and/or Information Science
• Professional academic library experience
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a collegial, team based environment and maintain positive working relationships
• Ability to plan, manage, and oversee multiple projects, meet deadlines, and prioritize work in alignment with the strategic goals of the Library and the University
• Knowledge of existing and emerging library technologies; knowledge of current trends and new developments in digital library initiatives and special collections
• Knowledge of metadata standards, such as Dublin Core, METS, EAD
• Familiarity with current trends and emerging issues regarding copyright, digital rights management, and open access as they relate to institutional repositories
• Experience working with digital collections including the management of digitization proejcts
• A strong public service orientation
• Ability to learn and teach new technologies quickly
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills
• Record of professional activity and the potential to meet academic rank and promotion requirements

Preferred:

• Subject master’s degree
• Supervisor or project management experience
• Experience working with archival or special collections materials
• Experience providing reference and instruction services
• Experience teaching information literacy and/or providing outreach
• Experience with grant writing and administration of grants
• Experience with the assessment of library services
• Experience working collaboratively to develop special collections programs and exhibitions in both print and digital formats

Appointment will be at the rank of Assistant Professor, with salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.  Commonwealth of Virginia benefits accompany this position.  A successful criminal background investigation is required.  Review of applications will begin immediately. 

Submit a letter of interest, a current resume/curriculum vitae, and contact information for three professional references (indicate position #FA188) to:

Human Resources Longwood University
201 High Street
Farmville, VA  23909
Phone:  434-395-2074
Fax:  434-395-2666
Email: humres@longwood.edu