techMETRO

NYPL Seeking Digital Archivist for Manuscripts and Archives Division

I was just passed a link for this opening at NYPL, and thought readers might be interested (and interested in passing it along):

DIGITAL ARCHIVIST

External Overview:

The New York Public Library’s Manuscripts and Archives Division (MSS) seeks an experienced archivist to lead its efforts to manage the Library’s existing born digital archival holdings and expand its capacity to collect electronic records.

Under the direction of the Assistant Director for Archives and Manuscripts, the Digital Archivist will establish the Library’s methods and procedures for the acquisition, preservation, description, and service of born digital archives and manuscripts.

About NYPL and the Manuscripts and Archives Division

The New York Public Library holds approximately 50,000 linear feet of archival material in several curatorial units. The Manuscripts and Archives Division (MSS) is a curatorial unit of the Library, with over 30,000 linear feet of holdings, as well as the unit responsible for overseeing and coordinating archival activities throughout the Library and processing the archives collected by the Library for the Performing Arts. The Assistant Director for Archives and Manuscripts, who is the administrative head of MSS, also reviews all proposed archival acquisitions. 

The Digital Archivist will be a member of Assistant Director’s management team, which also includes the Head of Archival Processing; the Manager who coordinates special projects, collection surveys, and movement of material; and the Assistant Curator who leads reference and outreach activities

 External Responsibilities:

In collaboration with the MSS management team, NYPL curators, information technology staff, and archivists, as well as the archival community outside NYPL, the digital archivist will:

Establish a set of best practices for managing born digital material within archives held and acquired by NYPL:

• identify and engage the resources (hardware, software, vendors, peer institutions) available to perform migration from (obsolete) media containing born digital material
• develop (though hands on work and experimentation) and document procedures for the routine migration, description, and management of born digital archives during accessioning and/or processing
• train archivists and curators as necessary
• process archival collections with a substantial volume of born digital records
• lead efforts to locate born digital material in previously processed archival collections and develop plans for their retrospective management 

Enhance the Library’s capacity to responsibly acquire electronic records and personal papers:

• evaluate proposed acquisitions with born digital components
• develop and document techniques and procedures for acquiring electronic records directly from record creators, transferring them directly into the Library’s repository
• coordinate acquisitions of electronic records, acting as a liaison between records creators and the Library’s curatorial, archival, and technical staff
• when necessary and possible, work directly with records creators to advise on record keeping practices that will facilitate the eventual transfer of their archives
• propose and investigate potential acquisitions 

Advise the Library’s Repository team on the functional requirements for acquiring, preserving, and serving born digital archives.

Collaborate with the curatorial units serving archives and manuscripts to develop the means to provide access to born digital materials.

Initiate, write, and contribute to grant proposals as appropriate.

Contribute to broader discussions surrounding the management of digital assets, metadata, and the representation and service of digital and digitized archival materials.

Serve as the Division’s and the Library’s internal and external representative and authority on issues related to born digital archives.

External Qualifications:

• Masters degree in Library Science or Archival Enterprise/Studies or other relevant field.
• At least three years experience working in an archival repository in a professional capacity, including experience working with born digital archival material
• Strong command of archival theory and best practices, especially as they relate to the particular issues posed by electronic records. Background in records management preferred.
• Familiarity and experience with disk imaging and email archiving tools and techniques preferred.
• Knowledge of DACS.
• Demonstrated familiarity with data structure standards relevant to the archival control of digital collection materials (EAD, Dublin Core, MODS, PREMIS);
• Successfully demonstrated experience training staff preferred.
• Project management experience
• Excellent writing and editorial skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of historical research methods, especially the use of archives
• Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as collaboratively and to meet planned goals and deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to think creatively, then initiate and carry through innovative ideas

Next Week: Our Rescheduled "Readers' Rights and the Kindle" Webinar. Last Session of the Season!

What happens to our rights as readers when books go digital? In a one-hour webinar on June 13 (1pm-2pm), Librarian Alycia Sellie and technologist Matthew Goins will challenge the status quo of book digitization and argue that a careless migration to electronic books may destroy well-established rights that readers have held historically with print. More than just an issue of convenience, this talk will examine restrictive licensing agreements and closed technologies used in current digitization projects and outline alternatives.

Who should attend:

Librarians who are considering acquiring ebooks for their collections, those concerned about digital restrictions, and professionals who interested to learn more about how ebooks--both in library and personal collections--function and are managed. Anyone interested in the role of the library in the age of electronic books.

 

By the end of this program, participants will:

Have a greater understanding of the current landscape of book digitization, and understand how digital restrictions affect our right to read.

For more information and to register, visit http://www.metro.org/en/cev/85. 

 

Talking Proactive Libraries with LJ Mover and Shaker, Maurice Coleman

Libraries, librarians, and their roles within the communities they serve are going through an understatedly turbulent time.  Many of us are faced with issues of how to handle changing economic conditions and changing patron needs at the same time.  METRO’s upcoming webinar, “Proactive Libraries in the 21^st Century – Keeping your Library Relevant to your Community” will address these concerns and some possible solutions.  Join us online next Thursday, July 21^st, as speaker Maurice Coleman, Technical Trainer and Library Journal Mover and Shaker 2010, discusses steps you can take to keep your library relevant to the community through this time of transition.

Description:
As access to information evolves, how do libraries remain relevant to their customers and communities?  How can libraries serve the ever-changing needs of their populations while dealing with shrinking budgets and rising expectations?  Maurice will discuss some ways to keep relevant, deal with lower funding coupled with increased demands, and how to stay able to meet your communities’ needs without knowing what those needs will be in the future. 

Speaker:
Maurice Coleman has been Technical Trainer at Harford County (MD) Public Library in North Eastern Maryland for the last 7 years. He has 20 years of experience training all ages how to sensibly use technology, computer hardware and software.  He has also trained on effective technology planning and deployment, social media skills, nonprofit organizational development and fundraising, community organizing and presentation skills. He hosts the library training podcast “T is for Training” and writes for the American Library Association’s LearnRT blog ALALearning.  For his work he was named a 2010 Library Journal Mover and Shaker and received the Citizens for Maryland Libraries Davis McCarn Technology Award. 

Please visit http://www.metro.org/en/cev/92 to learn more or to register.

 

New Library of Congress Initiative Highlights Digital Preservation Resources, Education

I just received some information about a  Digital Preservation Outreach and Education (DPOE) initiative at the Library of Congress that might be of interest to readers. According to the site, DPOE aims to "foster national outreach and education to encourage individuals and organizations to actively preserve digital content." To accomplish this, DPOE will be focusing on the following core activities: 

• Define education needs: develop and conduct a Needs Assessment Survey to determine the digital preservation needs that the DPOE initiative should address
• Review existing curricula: perform an environmental scan and analysis of current digital preservation curricula to identify current components, missing modules, and priorities for development.
• Define core principles: define core principles, fundamentals, and components of DPOE curriculum using the results of the Needs Assessment Survey as a guide.
• Build an instructor base: devise a train-the-trainer workshop, and develop other tools and services for digital preservation instructors.
• Evaluate delivery options: consider current and potential delivery mechanisms for education programs (e.g., online, on site) and recommend priorities for the next two years.
• Develop outreach materials: design outreach materials addressing multiple audience levels as identified on the DPOE Pyramid diagram below, using core principles, the Needs Assessment Survey and the education calendar as guides.

View a PDF overview of the activities here, or visit the site.