University of Minnesota Libraries seeks Digital Library Services Librarian

Text courtesy of Kathleen Krueger, University of Minnesota Libraries, Human Resources

The University of Minnesota Libraries is hiring a Digital Library Services Librarian.

Service Area Overview

The Collections & Content Strategy service area provides leadership in the development, discovery, and long-term stewardship of the University of Minnesota Libraries’ wide-ranging collections. With over 7.7 million print volumes, and millions of electronic resources, the University of Minnesota Libraries’ research collections address all current and emerging areas of study at the University. Our collections are amongst the largest in the country. C&CS directs and oversees the acquisition, licensing, description, and discovery of content to meet the needs of the University community and all those interested in our collections. We also facilitate access to resources held at our extensive network of partner libraries throughout the world. The C&CS service area also develops and stewards the technologies and systems that support the metadata, fulfillment, and discovery of our robust resources for both the Twin Cities campus and the system campus libraries. We provide digitization, management, and preservation of the Libraries’ physical collections to ensure long-term, broad access to those resources in our possession. Our aim is to increase access to, and awareness of, unique resources for scholars throughout the world. We also provide services and expertise to campus content creators on our collections, intellectual property rights, and copyright information while advocating for sustainable models for scholarly communication and information sharing. We work collaboratively with Libraries staff across the University of Minnesota system, campus partners, and external partners to advance the mission of the Libraries and the University. 

Department & Unit Overview 

The Cataloging, Metadata, and Digitization Services (CMD) department supports the University’s mission of learning, research and outreach activities by providing well-aligned, highly functional, and distinctive information, digitization, and discovery services for use by the University and, whenever possible, the global community (e.g., HathiTrust, OCLC, Google, Digital Public Library of America.) This department is composed of two units, Cataloging & Metadata and Digital Library Services, each of which support the strategic goals of the Libraries and University community. 

This position is located within the Digital Library Services unit. This unit fosters the creation of and access to research and scholarly material in digital form from across the University of Minnesota. This unit is a reliable in-house digitizer of objects, providing the best quality and most sustainable digital surrogates possible at a reasonable cost. It also seeks out digital material, either born or reborn in digital form, which departments, labs, and centers of the University want to share with the world and provide mechanisms for that material to be managed in a shared digital library. Through a combination of open-source and commercial applications they provide open and equitable access to the collections and scholarly works from across the University. 

Primary Function 

The Digital Library Services Librarian manages the DLS unit, reporting to the director of Cataloging, Metadata, and Digitization Services. The Digital Library Services Librarian helps lead the Libraries efforts to develop, grow, and sustain a complement of digital library services, including digital conversion, digital collection development, and metadata management applications in support of researchers' needs. These activities are conducted alongside the strategic guidance of the leadership of Collections & Content Strategy and Archives and Special Collections, the Minnesota Digital Library (including in its role as a service hub of the Digital Public Library of America), other appropriate library committees, governing bodies and library staff, and other campus units and stakeholder groups. To achieve this work, the librarian coordinates with the Digital Library Services staff of digitization specialists and operators. The position resides within the Libraries’ Collections & Content Strategy service area and reports to the Director of Cataloging, Metadata, and Digitization Services.

Position Responsibilities

Digital Library Services Unit 

• Manages the staff of the Digital Library Services Unit, reporting to the director of Cataloging, Metadata, and Digitization Services. 

Digitization Operations 

• Manages multiple digitization projects across several funding sources in order to advance the work of the unit. 
• Coordinates various digitization workflows, including our grant-funded, and strategic digitization programs. 
• Seeks opportunities for external sponsorship of strategic digitization initiatives. Digital Library Service Program  

Discovery Support 

• Manage the work of integrating digital content into our digital library systems. • Work to add audio and visual materials into our UMedia digital library via our university supported media management system, Kaltura. 
• Coordinate DLS’ efforts in implementing RightsStatements.org across our UMedia collections, working closely with the Libraries’ copyright librarian on both retrospective implementation and  ongoing support. 
• Working alongside other Libraries’ staff, provide support for ingest of locally digitized collections into the HathiTrust digital repository. 

Metadata Creation, Enhancement, and Remediation 

• Perform metadata creation and maintenance work, including assigning appropriate subject  headings, other access points, classification, and authority work for digitized materials in  UMedia. Work is done in accordance with local and national descriptive and encoding  standards.  
• Plans and executes extraction and transformation of bibliographic and holdings metadata for digital projects. 
• Create/enhance metadata for Libraries’ created digital records in accordance with local and  national descriptive and encoding standards. 
• Prepare all of the metadata spreadsheets used by DLS in support of its digitization to discovery projects. These spreadsheets are used by DLS to batch upload collections to our digital library. All work should follow established data entry guidelines for UMedia. 
• Develop and maintain locally controlled vocabularies to consistently name and describe digital collections. 
• In consultation with other areas of the Library, including Cataloging and Metadata Services and Library Enterprise Systems, explore the feasibility of future metadata enhancement projects. 

Digital Library Service Planning, Policy Development, and Collaboration 

• In collaboration with the director of Cataloging, Metadata, and Digitization Services, aid in the planning, development, and integration strategies for current and future digitization processes, repository management applications, front-end technologies and interfaces, and tools that optimize the use of digital library services to achieve organizational goals.

Outreach and Campus Engagement 

• Advocates for sustainable models of digitizing the Libraries various collections to provide greater access to resources.  
• Contributes to the University of Minnesota’s commitment to serve the citizens of Minnesota.
• Develops materials and resources to support effective relationships between the Libraries’ and relevant campus academic programs. 
• Participates in systematic outreach and communication activities about the work of the Digital  Library Services. 
• Is knowledgeable about and able to speak to a range of library issues, including digitization technologies, sustainability of digital library programs, digital library collection metadata and description standards, and usage and assessment practices.  
• Contributes to the University of Minnesota’s commitment to serve the citizens of Minnesota by promoting services and resources that will benefit the broader community. 

Service to the Libraries, University, and/or the Community 

• Establish a record of visible active contribution to the Libraries, the institution, and/or the broader community that extends beyond assigned responsibilities.  

Professional Development and Contribution 

• Contribute to the advancement of librarianship through visible professional activity, particularly as it contributes to the achievement of library and University objectives. Evidence of such contributions would typically include work in relevant professional or scholarly organizations, publications, and/or evidence of scholarly reflection and output. 
• Identify and pursue grants in support of digitization opportunities. Work in collaboration with the Library Development and Community Outreach offices to develop strategies for fundraising for digitization and preservation.  
• Advocate for and increase awareness of digitization through relevant programming for Libraries  staff, students, faculty, and other campus stakeholders, and the general public.
• Continually develop expertise and knowledge through ongoing professional development opportunities, including webinars, workshops, and conferences. 

Qualifications

Required:

• American Library Association accredited Master’s degree in Library/Information Science or equivalent combination of advanced degree and relevant experience. 
• Demonstrated ability to support, respect and commit to embracing diverse backgrounds, values, and points of view in order to foster an inclusive community. 
• Extensive knowledge of best practices in digitization and digital library development.
• Demonstrated excellence in communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and in cooperation with colleagues in a service oriented, collaborative environment. 
• Previous experience working in a digitization or digital library program development. 

Preferred:

• Facility in the use of technology and applications in support of digital library initiatives.
• Demonstrated creativity, initiative, self-direction, and innovative thinking. 
• Experience in developing working partnerships with other campus units and external communities. 
• Experience leading a digitization center. 
• Experience working on grants and other externally funded projects. 
• Demonstrated involvement in professional activities, including evidence of ability to contribute to librarianship, research, and service as well as capacity for leadership within the digital library profession 
• Experience supervising staff, students, or volunteers. 

The University of Minnesota is located in the center of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The Twin Cities are known for offering vibrant cultural programming through numerous arts venues, an extensive park and recreational systems, and an engaged and diverse community.  

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time, 12-month, continuous appointment track academic professional position with probationary appointment at the Assistant Librarian rank with the potential for appointment at the Associate Librarian rank. The annual salary minimum for this position is $57,500. The Libraries offer a competitive salary commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits and substantial moving allowance.  

To Apply

Position available immediately. Applications will be accepted until filled. Submit a letter of application; a cv/resume at http://z.umn.edu/ulib434. Click on External Applicants. Enter 346853 in the “Search Jobs” box. Please identify the cover letter with UL434. Three professional references (names, addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses) will be requested at the time of final interview. [Note: candidates will be notified before contacting references].  

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.