Digital Repository Coordinator

Description

Overview
Founded in 1895, the New York Public Library stewards collections on behalf of the public. It is committed to the preservation of these resources, in both their original formats and as representations derived from those formats.

The Library seeks a system-minded, collaborative person to serve as a Digital Repository Coordinator. As part of the library’s Digital Preservation program, the Digital Repository Coordinator leads the technical effort to migrate digital collections from all of the Library’s born-digital acquisition and digitization programs into its digital repository. They also administer the digital repository software and manage the long-term preservation of files within.

The successful candidate will work closely with four groups of stakeholders: the Research Libraries’ collection digitization and born-digital acquisition programs which produce packages of files to be ingested, the Library’s IT group which resolves infrastructure challenges for on-site and cloud-based storage, the Library's processing teams which produce descriptions of files, and the Library’s Digital division which builds and maintains integrations between the repository and other Library systems.

We are looking for someone we can count on to:

Own:

• Daily ingest of digital collections to NYPL's Preservica Instance
• Documentation of ingest requirements, running ingest, managing Preservica, and access collections from Preservica
• Discovery and management of digital collections that have not been ingested

Teach:

• Staff how to access Preservica based on their role within the Library
• Digitization and acquisition staff how to package files for ingest to Preservica and how to address inconsistencies
• Digital and collections staff how to find and access files from Preservica and how to request new representations

Learn:

• The Digital Preservation department's approach to documentation and Python script authoring
• The Library's approach to digital collection workflows
• How to use command-line applications such as MediaConch, MediaInfo, rclone, rsync, git, tmux, and bagit-python
• How to analyze file formats in order to develop new PRONOM signatures and develop new migration pathways

Improve:

• Communication strategies to inform stakeholders about repository contents and usage
• Build new automations in Python to scale Preservica ingest and management

Some expectations for this role are that within:

1 month, this person will:

• Begin learning the digital collection workflows, primarily: audio and moving image digitization, born-digital audio and moving image acquisition, and born-digital archives acquisition, and still image digitization.
• Learn the specifications for each type of digital collection material.
• Have all relevant tools installed to their workstation.
• Begin managing ingests.

3 months, this person will:

• Lead the SIP (Submission Information Package) Working Group to foster shared workflows between digital collection programs.
• Move .5 PB of materials into the Library’s digital repository.
• Update ingest documentation
• Begin soliciting and evaluating access format requirements from the digital access teams.

6 months and beyond, this person will:

• Make improvements on existing scripts for ingest.
• Regularly publish Library-wide reports on repository contents and activities.
• Begin identifying currently unidentified file formats within the repository.

Responsibilities
Reporting to the Manager of Digital Preservation, the Digital Repository Coordinator:

• Configures digital repository software to manage all of the Library’s digital collections in a consistent and holistic manner.
• Liaises with programs responsible for creating or receiving digital collections to integrate the digital repository into their workflows.
• Collaboratively maintains ingest documentation describing workflows from acquisition/creation to long-term storage.
• Uses and maintains tools to transform packages and metadata in order to align with digital repository ingest requirements.
• Works with the Digital division to configure digital repository software to provide files to public access points.
• Works with the IT division to meet network, storage, and security requirements.
• Identifies issues with digital repository workflows and troubleshoots with the appropriate divisions as needed.
• Collaboratively creates and documents integrations with the Library’s descriptions and access systems, including Sierra ILS, ArchivesSpace, Aeon, Metadata Management System, and Digital Collections.
• Administers user accounts and maintains security permissions.
• Reviews ongoing and new functional requirements for digital collection management to add to the digital repository.

Required Education, Experience & Skills

Required Education & Certifications

Bachelor’s degree

Required Experience
1-3 years experience working with a variety of digital collections
Required Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge of digitization workflows and born-digital acquisition workflows.
• Demonstrated knowledge of file format characterization and migration tools.
• Familiarity with archival processing and special collections workflows.
• Familiarity with LAM-oriented repository systems such as Archivematica, Rosetta, LibSafe, or Preservica.
• Conversant with digital preservation and curation lifecycle models such as OAIS and the NDSA Levels of Preservation.
• Familiarity with networking tooling and infrastructure such as ssh, VMs, and object storage.
• Familiarity with terminal environments and Python.
• Familiarity with Macintosh, PC, and Linux operating systems; command-line interfaces; and relational database systems.
• Excellent communication skills

Managerial/Supervisory Responsibilities

N/A

Preferred Qualifications

Preferred Education

• ALA accredited Master’s degree in Library and Information Studies or progress toward this Master's degree

More...

Core Values
All team members are expected and encouraged to embody the NYPL Core Values:

• Be Helpful to patrons and colleagues
• Be Resourceful in solving problems 
• Be Curious in all aspects of your work
• Be Welcoming and Inclusive

Work Environment

• Office setting
• Public library setting

Physical Duties

• Lifting up to 40 lbs. required.
• May require travel within NYC.

Pre-Placement Physical Required?
No

Union/Non Union
Non-Union

FLSA Status
Non-Exempt

Schedule

• 35 hours per week
• Monday to Friday, 9-5
• Up to 2 days of remote work per week available

This job description represents the types and levels of responsibilities that will be required of the position and shall not be construed as a declaration of all of the specific duties and responsibilities for the role. Job duties may change if Library priorities change. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description as needed.