Digital Collections Archivist

Description

Digital Collections Archivist, Rare Books and Special Collections Library

The Rare Books and Special Collections Library (RBSCL) of the American University in Cairo seeks to fill the position of Digital Collections Archivist. The Digital Collections Archivist plays a leadership role in digital initiatives, including building collections of digitized and born-digital archival materials, and facilitating access to those collections. The position holder reports to the University Archivist and supervises the RBSCL’s digitization staff.

The Digital Collections Archivist is responsible for managing the CONTENTdm-based Rare Books and Special Collections Digital Library, setting standards for digital preservation and metadata input, and providing related training and supervision for RBSCL staff. The position holder is also responsible for managing AUC’s Digital Archive and Research Repository (a DSpace-based institutional digital repository), including the submissions approval process for student theses, faculty publications, and student projects. Collaborating on development, policies, and storage space matters for RBSCL’s digital platforms with other Main library departments and computing and other units at AUC is also involved.

Managing the RBSCL’s Web Archive, based on the ArchiveIt subscription service, is another responsibility, in collaboration with the University Archivist and other RBSCL staff. The position holder also coordinates the RBSCL’s website, blog, LibGuides, AUC Wiki, and social media sites, working cooperatively with other library staff.

The position holder will, in collaboration with the University Archivist, evaluate and manage adoption of a system, such as Archives Space, for managing archival accessions and creating EAD finding aids. The Digital Collections Archivist will also participate in training and supervising staff in producing EAD finding aids and coordinate making finding aids available in the library’s Millennium based catalog and online via the CONTENTdm-based digital library.

Among the anticipated projects the Digital Collections Archivist will participate in and/or manage are:

- Integrating into the RBSCL’s CONTENTdm-based digital library acquisitions of digital photographs and videos and oral history interview audio files and transcripts for the University on the Square: Documenting Egypt’s 21st Century Revolution project.

- Digitizing and integrating into the RBSCL’s CONTENTdm-based digital library RBSCL collections of architectural plans and drawings by prominent Egyptian architects, and historic photographs related to architecture and travel in the Middle East.

- Developing grant proposals for and managing grant funded digital projects, such as an online access initiative for a major Arabic language audio archive.

- Leading efforts to transfer, preserve, and provide access to born-digital photographs generated by AUC units and community members, and participating in an initiative to digitize and provide storage and access to videorecordings held by AUC departments (television production program, arts department, etc.), in collaboration with Main Library, University Academic Computing, and other AUC units.

Requirements:

The candidate must have an ALA-accredited MLS, or an MA degree in history or allied field with an archival studies degree program; at least two years experience in digital archives work, including managing digitizing projects and working with digital collection management software (CONTENTdm preferred); experience working with institutional repositories (DSpace preferred) and understanding of current trends in scholarly communications; strong understanding of metadata practices and standards like Dublin Core and EAD; knowledge of digital preservation strategies and digital capture best practices; experience with archival collection management systems like Archivists’ Toolkit or Archon; knowledge of archival description and digital content standards like DACS, EAD, RDA, MARC21, Dublin Core, CSS, XML, TEI, XHTML and XSLT; supervisory experience (preferably in an academic library environment); excellent oral and written English and presentation skills; ability to collaborate with library staff and academic and non-academic university personnel; excellent organizational skills. Experience in a multicultural environment is highly desirable.

Additional Information:
This is a Faculty appointment at rank of Instructor.
The position will remain open until filled. Preferred starting date is Late Fall 2013 or January 2014.