Digital Archivist

Description

Digital Archivist Manuscripts & Archives Sterling Memorial Library Yale University Rank: Librarian I-II

Fixed Duration: 28-October-2011 end date (approximately 18 months from date of hire) Schedule: Full-time (37.5 hours); Standard Work Week (M-F, 8:30 - 5:00)

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 approximately thirteen 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 twenty-two buildings including the Sterling Memorial Library, the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, and the new Bass Library, it employs a dynamic and diverse staff of nearly six 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.

Manuscripts and Archives

Manuscripts and Archives in the Yale University Library is a major center for historical inquiry and also serves as the documentary memory of Yale University. The repository holds 64,000 linear feet of material. Half of the holdings is comprised of more than 1700 collections of personal and family papers and organizational records that document a variety of subject and geographical areas, and half is comprised of the Yale University Archives. The repository also preserves and services 4000 testimonies from the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies. Each year the materials are consulted by more than 1000 Yale faculty and students and scholars from the United States and throughout the world. The staff of the repository consists of fourteen professionals, two managers, ten support staff, and fifteen student assistants and occasional temporary positions. They are responsible for the selection, acquisition, arrangement, description, and preservation of manuscript and archival collections and for providing reference services for in-person and long-distance research, services to University offices, and teaching assistance in the use of the collections.

General Purpose

Reporting to the Senior Archivist for Digital Information Systems/Head of the University Archives, the Digital Archivist will join a dynamic group of archivists and helps to ensure effective acquisition, description, preservation, future migration, access to and security of digital component of manuscripts collections acquired by the department. Primary focus will be on the management, appraisal, description, and preservation of born-digital components of manuscripts collections.

Responsibilities

Drives management, appraisal, description, and preservation of born-digital components of manuscripts collections. Explores and proposes new technologies, including Web 2.0, to meet research and reference needs of patrons and staff. Serves as the systems team liaison to the public services unit. Under the direction of the Senior Archivist for Digital Information Services, the systems team employs digital technologies to transform departmental processes and operations and ensures the functioning of the department's technology infrastructure.Serves as the web manager for the Manuscripts & Archives and Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonials (VAHT) public web portals, utilizing Cascade Server content management system, and is responsible for maintaining and updating the department's internal policies and procedures web site, utilizing SharePoint. Assists in research services functions of the department through weekly service on the reference desk, involvement in primary source instruction, and assistance with the exhibit program.

Utilizing departmental and library digital infrastructure, manages preservation and access copies resulting from digital duplication. Assesses existing infrastructure and suggests changes as necessary. Supports and manages technical aspects of the VAHT digitization collections digitization project. Actively participates in library- and university-wide efforts to preserve and disseminate digital collections, wherever that work might be undertaken. Serves on requisite committees, as necessary. In particular, participates in the development of digital repository functionality to support users in determining the existence, description, location, and availability of digital collections stored in the repository, as well as applying restrictions and controls to limit access to specially protected collections, generating responses, and delivering the responses to users.

Addresses the integration of digital collections with EAD finding aids. Provides technical skills (XML, XSL stylesheet transformation and XSL FO for PDF generation to support EAD finding aids maintenance and development throughout the Yale University Library. Engages actively with professional organizations and literature; keeps abreast of archival trends and developments. Participates in and contributes to library long-term planning and is professionally active in library, scholarly and/or academic organizations. Represents the library and the University in the academic and professional community by serving on various committees and task forces. May be required to assist with disaster recovery efforts. May be assigned to work at West Campus location in West Haven, CT.

Qualifications

Master's degree from an ALA-accredited program for library and information science and/or Master's degree in history or related discipline. Appointment to the rank of Librarian II requires a minimum of two years of professional archival or digital records management experience and demonstrated professional accomplishments appropriate to the rank. Demonstrated knowledge of digital archival and records management principles and practices, as well as the systems and automation techniques utilized. Demonstrated ability to work with databases, migrate data from one database system to another, and develop functional requirements for programmers building new database applications. Familiarity with EAD, MODS, METS, XML/XSL and other data structure standards relevant to the archival control of digital collection materials. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. Demonstrated skills in web site creation and management. Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.

Preferred:

Experience integrating digital and non-digital material into archival arrangement and description. Experience with web-based content management systems and page authoring tools such as Cascade Server and SharePoint. Experience providing reference service in an academic repository. Ability to conduct training in technical areas.

Salary and Benefits

Rank and competitive salary will be based upon the successful candidate's qualifications and experience (min: 50,500). 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, titles, and contact information for 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 9352BR. Please be sure to reference #9352BR in your cover letter.

Background Check Requirements

All external candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment screening. All offers are contingent on successful completion of a background check. Internal candidates are also subject to pre-employment screening for this position.

Yale University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Yale values diversity in its faculty, staff, and students and strongly encourages applications from women and members of underrepresented minority groups.