Culture In Transit Mobile Digitization Specialist

Description

Located in New York City, the Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO) is a nonprofit member services organization serving more than 260 libraries, archives, museums, and cultural heritage nonprofits in New York City and Westchester County. METRO has an almost 50­ year tradition of providing a range of programs and services to its members, including grants, consultative and digital services, collaborative initiatives, and professional development and training. We are seeking an enthusiastic, dedicated individual to serve as a Mobile Digitization Specialist, who will travel to METRO member institutions throughout the metropolitan NYC area to provide on-site digitization service and training. This position is part of an initiative being funded by the The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation as part of the Knight News Challenge for Libraries.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Culture In Transit (CIT)is a project of METRO in partnership with the Brooklyn Public Library and Queens Library. Each institution will be hiring a librarian to serve as a Mobile Digitization Specialist. Each of the Specialists will be equipped with a lightweight, urban-friendly mobile digitization lab that can be taken to community events and under-resourced institutions that have collections to share. For its part, METRO will be providing on-site digitization and training at up to 15 under-resourced collecting organizations throughout the metropolitan New York area. All materials digitized by METRO will be ingested into the METRO Digital Culture repository and shared with the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) via the Empire State Digital Network (the DPLA service hub for New York state).

The METRO Mobile Digitization Specialist will be based out of METRO’s offices but will spend the majority of time off-site providing digitization and related services. The Specialist will be responsible for project management and tracking, materials assessment, providing copyright guidance, digitizing materials (scanning or digital photography), and training and assisting participants with metadata creation. Documentation and assessment of the impact of on-site visits will be conducted throughout the life of the project.

IF SELECTED FOR THIS POSITION, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO:

• Travel via public transportation to digitization sites based at cultural heritage organizations throughout New York City;
• Transport (via car service) mobile digitization equipment of up to 40 pounds to and from digitization sites at beginning and end of engagement periods;
• Provide instruction and guidance regarding material condition, copyright status, digitization processes, metadata creation;
• Digitize print materials (scanning and digital photography) and process images in Photoshop;
• Create, update, and enhance metadata for the digitized items;
• Assist with the ingest of assets and metadata into METRO’s digital collection management platform;
• Help define local standards, create documentation of guidelines and best practices, monitor metadata quality, provide training and support to liaisons at digitization sites;
• Plan and communicate with liaisons at digitization sites regarding scheduling, preparation for on-site work, follow up;
• Conduct assessment and track feedback and statistics;
• Manage project communication and outreach including updating CIT website, contribute blog posts and managing social media presence.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL HAVE:

• Master’s Degree in Library/Information Science or related experience
• Experience working in a library, archive, cultural heritage organization
• Experience handling delicate and rare/valuable special collection or archival materials.
• Working knowledge of digitization systems, standards and technology. 
• Experience with scanning and digital photography software including a working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop.
• Working knowledge of library/archival metadata standards and practices.
• Familiarity with copyright as it relates to digitization of cultural heritage materials.
• Proven proficiency in project management, communication and outreach activities including social media (blogging, twitter, instagram etc.).
• High level of organizational skill with keen attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, flexibility, and the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with a variety of project stakeholders.

POSITION DETAILS:
This is a full time, one year term position scheduled to begin in May 2015. The METRO Mobile Digitization Specialist reports to METRO’s Digital Services Manager. The salary range is $55,000-$60,000 commensurate with experience. METRO provides excellent benefits and leave package. METRO’s offices are located at 57 E. 11th Street in New York City. This position requires extensive travel around the Metropolitan New York area and will require moving and lifting of equipment of up to 40 pounds. Additional travel to conferences and other events outside of the New York City area may also be required. Travel expenses will be covered by METRO.