Digital Collections Librarian

Description

Virginia Tech is seeking a Digital Collections Librarian. This is a professional faculty position with an option to transfer to continued appointment track [Virginia Tech's tenure system for library faculty].

Position Summary:

The Digital Collections Librarian manages digital collections for Virginia Tech University Libraries’ Digital Imaging program by accomplishing the following:
- Work with technologies such as Omeka and metadata editors to enhance access to digitized cultural heritage collections and scientific specimens.
- Design, evaluate, and adjust appropriate workflows for ingest and collection management.
- Oversee and conduct collection quality control, edit and enhance metadata, and authority control.
- Ensure new and existing collections are well organized, and collection- and item- level descriptive practices adhere to local standards and policies.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to help expand a digital imaging program at a Carnegie R1: Research University and ARL member library. The successful applicant will work with diverse collections of 3D images, digitized archival materials, cultural heritage artifacts, audio-visual formats, and biodiversity specimens. The Digital Collections Librarian will report to the Assistant Director for Digital Imaging and Preservation Services.

Responsibilities:
- Coordinate program for internal and external preservation needs for library collections, digital humanities research, and the cultural heritage of Virginia.
- Manage online access, collection management, and metadata for digital objects from the Digital Imaging and Preservation Unit. 
- Use appropriate metadata standards to describe and organize digital collections in a digital library.
- Oversee and conduct quality control for metadata and collections.

Required Qualifications:

- M.L.S. degree from an ALA-accredited graduate program or equivalent degree
- Experience managing and describing digital collections
- Excellent interpersonal, analytical, oral, and written communication skills
- Knowledge of metadata standards, such as Dublin Core, Darwin Core, METS, MODS.
- Knowledge of digital formats (image, audio, video, object, text) and their associated best practices for online access.
- Ability to establish positive and productive collaborations with diverse teams across departments and disciplines
- Project management skills, including planning, organization, and time management.
- Demonstrated ability to adjust priorities, manage time wisely, and make quick, effective decisions in a fast-paced environment.
- Excellent interpersonal, analytical, organizational, oral, and written communication skills

Preferred Qualifications:

- Experience with batch processing related to digital curation is a high priority
- Experience with repository or other digital collections software such as Omeka, DSpace, Fedora, or similar
- Professional experience working in an academic library
- Knowledge of current issues in digital libraries.
- Experience executing command-line scripts.

Virginia Tech is a public land-grant university, committed to teaching and learning, research, and outreach to the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the world. Building on its motto of Ut Prosim (that I may serve), Virginia Tech is dedicated to InclusiveVT—serving in the spirit of community, diversity, and excellence. We seek candidates who adopt and practice the Principles of Community, which are fundamental to our on-going efforts to increase access and inclusion, and to create a community that nurtures learning and growth for all of its members. Virginia Tech actively seeks a broad spectrum of candidates to join our community in preparing leaders for the world.