Library Systems Developer

Description

The Historical Medical Library is seeking a part-time Library Systems Developer to further develop and maintain its Digital Assets Management System (DAMS) and maintain other library technologies.  This position is a year-long contract position which requires approximately 20 hours a month, depending on the needs of the Library, with the possibility of renewal after the one-year term has expired.  The work can be done remotely and outside of normal working hours.

The Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia (Birthplace of American Medicine®) is one of the largest medical history collections in the United States with over 325,000 volumes including monographs, journals, manuscripts, archives, prints, photographs, pamphlets, and incunabula. It was designated a historical library in 1996 to recognize its function as a repository for the history of medicine.

The Library Systems Developer manages a portfolio of digital library projects, providing the project management framework and technical know-how needed to complete projects successfully. They explore, recommend, implement, and maintain software tools and frameworks to support digital library activities. They create and maintain procedural documentation and provide support to the library staff involved with projects and services.

Required skills

·         Knowledge of or experience working on projects involving: HTML/CSS/SCSS, XML/JSON/YML, JavaScript, PHP, Ruby on Rails, MySQL/PostgreSQL, Apache/Nginx, Docker, Samvera/Fedora, Solr, Git

·         Experience using AWS (Amazon Web Services) or another cloud based web server provider is essential. AWS services currently in use at the College include, EC2, Route 53, Elastic Beanstalk, Cloud 9, RDS, S3, Glacier, etc.

• Demonstrated ability to learn new technologies and troubleshoot technical issues

·         Strong organizational, customer service, written, and verbal communication skills

·         Excellent project management skills

Description of duties

·         Further develop and maintain the Library’s new Digital Assets Management System built on the Samvera Framework and deployed in AWS Elastic Beanstalk via Docker Containers

·         Maintain the Library’s archival management site built with ArchivesSpace and hosted on AWS

·         Create and maintain documentation related to the library’s digital platforms and use of technology

·         Maintain the Library’s AWS servers

·         Maintain accounts with AWS, GitHub, DockerHub, and others in support of digital library functions

·         Upgrade system software and application software as needed

·         Trouble-shooting technical issues associated with AWS and library applications, as needed

·         Possibility of migrating the Library’s Omeka instance from Dreamhost to AWS

Projected scope of work

DAMS development and configuration

•        Add SSL certificate via AWS Certificate Manager for cpprepo.org DNS

•        Further modeling of work types, roles, and possibly workflows devised in conjunction with the Archivist

•        Currently the system uses a file backed minter for identifiers. Based on the documentation, this should be being captured and maintained via the EFS implemented for derivatives, as /tmp is also used. However, this should be changed to a database instance, especially if multiple Hydra-heads are employed, as per: https://github.com/samvera/hyrax/wiki/Hyrax-Management-Guide#identifier-state

•        Customized metadata forms for discrete work types

•        Enable the included RIIIF server or set up new RIIIF server and enable Universal Viewer for display of images

•        Schedule automatic backup from the CPPRepo s3 bucket to AWS Glacier account

•        Schedule automatic fixity checks on s3 buckets and Glacier accounts

•        Create custom theme for Hyrax frontend using SCSS files

•        Address known issues, including but not limited to: Production data integrity/persistence for Fedora and Solr; robust system monitoring; and security settings.

•        Future implementations imagine a system that is accessible to College staff and possibly the public, including access to audio, video, and image formats

•        Other related tasks as the project progresses

Maintenance

•    Perform regular system and security monitoring and regular backup operations on the Library’s AWS servers

•        Upgrade ArchivesSpace as necessary, and troubleshoot any technical issues that may arise

•        Update ArchivesSpace public interface with new header and text, provided by Library staff

•        Update documentation, including the Library’s GitHub account, pertaining to all development work, as needed

•        Troubleshoot technical issues associated with AWS and library applications, including ArchivesSpace, Omeka, and Archivematica, as needed

Interested applicants should submit a resume and a statement of interest (up to 2 pages), describing your qualifications and experience and how you would approach this work to Chrissie Perella, Archivist, at cperella@collegeofphysicians.org.  Review of submissions begins immediately.