Head, Preservation Imaging

Library - Preservation Digital Strategy

88730BR

University Job Title

Digital Librarian

Bargaining Unit

None - Not included in the union (Yale Union Group)

Compensation Grade

library

Compensation Grade Profile

(LIB)

Wage Ranges

Click here to see our Wage Ranges

Searchable Job Family

Library

Total # of hours to be worked:

37.5

Work Week

Standard (M-F equal number of hours per day)

Work Location

Central Campus

Worksite Address

344 Winchester Avenue
New Haven, CT 06511

Position Focus:

Reporting to the Associate Director, Preservation Digital Strategies, the Head of Preservation Imaging provides vision, leadership, and strategic direction for high-end scanning and photography at Yale Library, creating and maintaining strategies and policies to ensure that collections are preserved and accessible. Oversees in-house imaging services that meet the Library’s preservation goals and increase online access to collections. Manages the team who carry out digital capture, processing and quality control. Evaluates all workflows, sustains relevant services and identifies new opportunities. Fosters a supportive and collaborative work culture and plays an important role in team building. As the head of a newly formed unit, works closely with the Associate Director to set unit goals and establish a vision for preservation and stewardship that aligns with the strategic directions of the department, the Library and the University. Raises awareness throughout the library about the unit’s work, meets with colleagues to understand their needs and cultivates new programs and partnerships related to preservation imaging.

Applications should be submitted by Monday June 17 to receive first consideration. We will hold a virtual information session on Thursday June 6 at 1pm ET. Interested applicants are encouraged to attend. Link to the session: bit.ly/3y8wiTr.

Oversees all aspects of programmatic digital imaging projects and Special Collections patron requests for book and paper-based materials. Prioritizes requests and projects. Researches, develops, documents and implements practices and trends related to scanning and photography, image processing, quality control, accessibility considerations, and best practices for care and handling of fragile or damaged collections materials. Manages, trains and supervises staff, cultivating a team-based approach to the work. Establishes metrics, tracks progress and regularly reports on the unit’s work in support of a resource-informed stewardship model. Coordinates with Head of Media Preservation to align workflows and develop a communication strategy to ensure that units operate in tandem and have a shared understanding of prioritization and capacity. Fosters and sustains relationships with Digital Special Collections & Access (DSCA) to develop processes, coordinate strategies, and harmonize workflows. Collaborates with Library staff, vendors and external project partners, including HathiTrust and Google Books, to investigate, test, and maintain ingest and deposit workflows for digitized materials. Works closely with Library staff to coordinate collections movement. Ensures that conservation recommendations for care and handling of collections and staff training needs are met. Leads outreach and consultation efforts. Advises Library staff on the acquisition, digitization, and access of digitized collection materials. Liaises with public services staff to answer questions, set appropriate patron expectations and evaluate patron and staff needs. Manages the payment of invoices, creates purchase orders, and aids with unit budgeting. Collaborates with digital preservation and LIT staff to streamline preservation and access processes and implement strategies for image files to ensure that they remain in line with evolving best practices. Participates in library- and university-wide committees and task forces and in regional, national, and international professional activities.

Essential Duties

1.  Actively practices and advocates effective communication in all aspects of digital initiatives within the Library and throughout the YUL system. Establishes productive relationships with individuals and organizations both at Yale and at other institutions in order to advance Library objectives.2.  Work closely with curators and key staff to assess feasibility, propose, and develop plans for digital projects.3.  Work with Library IT to design and implement technical infrastructure and workflows.4.  Evaluate and make recommendations on digitization procedures for a wide range of collection materials considering issues of original format, productivity and preservation, as well as YUL standards.5.  Analyze researcher, faculty and student needs and develop programming in support of digital research and teaching. Analyze the feasibility of new services or modifications to existing Library services. Work independently or lead a project team to implement Library goals.6.  Assume full or partial responsibility in project management for Library digital initiatives including assessment and evaluation of project scope, analysis, project proposals, quality assurance, workflows, staffing, budgeting, documentation, and reporting.7.  Evaluate, recommend and assist with digitization equipment and software selection as well as facility oversight including staff and patron workstations located in the library.8.  Manage local and/or vendor digitization.9.  Serves on various Library, Yale University Library, and Yale University committees in support of the Library and University’s mission relevant to digital initiatives.10. Participates in professional activities outside of Yale and monitors developments and best practices elsewhere to help ensure the excellence of the Library’s technology activities.11. May be required to assist with disaster recovery efforts.12. May be assigned to work at any Yale University Library location.

Required Education and Experience

1. Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited library school or equivalent accredited degree. In selected instances, a post-graduate degree in museum studies or a related discipline in the humanities or social sciences may be substituted for a master’s degree in library science.2. Demonstrated knowledge of current national and international metadata content and structure standards related to library and archival control of collection materials.3. Demonstrated knowledge of library digitization standards and practices.4. Demonstrated excellent oral and written communications and analytical ability.5. Demonstrated record of designing projects and bringing them to conclusion in a timely fashion.6. Demonstrated experience working collaboratively and independently with various groups within a complex organization and rapidly changing team environment.Yale University assigns ranks to librarian positions based on a combination of professional experience and accomplishments (see range assigned to this description as noted in the posting position title). Librarian ranking information can be found at: http://www.library.yale.edu/about/departments/lhr/rank.html.

Required Skill/Ability 1:

Two or more years of experience developing workflows, evaluating tools and equipment, and setting service expectations for complex and/or timebound projects. Eagerness to learn and adapt. Demonstrated ability to acquire new knowledge and skillsets.

Required Skill/Ability 2:

Demonstrated experience with care and handling of rare and fragile materials. Ability to evaluate image capture equipment and post-production, color management and processing software applications. Demonstrated understanding of digitization challenges and solutions for cultural heritage collections.

Required Skill/Ability 3:

Demonstrated experience supervising or directing the efforts of a high performing team and training staff. Strong people-centered leadership and team management ability. Strong change management and facilitation skills to help staff navigate evolving workflows and services.

Required Skill/Ability 4:

Demonstrated experience with digital imaging projects for preservation purposes. Demonstrated experience evaluating stakeholder needs across a range of preservation and access purposes. Demonstrated ability to work collegially and collaboratively across units.

Required Skill/Ability 5:

Excellent analytical skills. Demonstrated ability to set priorities, meet deadlines, and complete tasks and projects on time and in accordance with parameters. Excellent communication skills. Ability to explain complex technical and preservation issues and processes to non-specialist audiences.

Preferred Education, Experience and Skills:

Familiarity with archival processing practices and metadata schema. Familiarity with integrated library or collection management systems, preferably ArchivesSpace. Experience working in a research library, archive, or special collections library strongly preferred. Experience applying principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging to digitization projects and prioritization.

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.

COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement

The University maintains policies pertaining to COVID-19. All faculty, staff, students, and trainees are required to comply with these policies, which may be found here:
https://covid19.yale.edu/health-guidelines

Posting Disclaimer

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the particular position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring departments.

EEO Statement:

University policy is committed to affirmative action under law in employment of women, minority group members, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans. Additionally, in accordance with Yale’s Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment, and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.

Inquiries concerning Yale’s Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).

Note

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus