Special Collections Metadata Librarian
- Employer
- University of Chicago Library
- Location
- Illinois, United States
- Salary
- Salary Commensurate with experience
- Date posted
- Oct 8, 2021
View more
- Position Type
- Administrative, Academic Affairs, Librarians & Library Administration
- Employment Level
- Administrative
- Employment Type
- Full Time
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Description
General Summary:
The Hanna Holborn Gray Special
Collections Research Center is the principal repository of rare
books, manuscripts, and archives in the University of Chicago
Library: https://www.lib.uchicago.edu/scrc/.
Rare books and early manuscripts in Special Collections include
Homer, Byzantine Gospels and liturgical texts, Renaissance
humanism, English court and manorial documents, history of religion
and philosophy, history of science and medicine, printed works of
Frédéric Chopin, historical children’s books, European Jewish life
and culture, and English and American modern poetry.
Under the direction of the Curator of
Rare Books, the Special Collections Metadata Librarian provides
leadership, coordination, and management of cataloging activities,
creation of metadata, and discovery of rare and unique holdings of
Special Collections. Performs cataloging according to Descriptive
Cataloging for Rare Materials (DCRM) standards for printed and
manuscript materials, including codex manuscripts. Works in close
collaboration with the Library’s Technical Services Department and
Integrated Library Systems. As part of the team of metadata
librarians in the Library, provides expertise and strategic
direction on metadata standards for special collections resources,
and participates in local and national metadata initiatives.
Plans, develops, implements, and oversees projects to catalog
hidden collections. In collaboration with the Curator of Rare
Books, supervises the work of student assistants.
Essential Functions:
Metadata Creation and
Management
-
Perform original and complex copy
cataloging of printed materials with all associated authority work,
using the following standards: RDA, AACR2R, MARC-21, DCRM suite,
LCSH, LC Classification, controlled vocabularies (RBMS, AAT, TGM,
etc.), NACO, BIBCO, and SACO
Perform original cataloging of codex
manuscripts and other early modern manuscript materials with all
associated authority work utilizing AMREMM and DCRM(MSS)
standards
Provide support for collection
development, including accessioning gifts and donor
stewardship
Manage all materials description within
the Rare Books Unit, including, with the Curator of Rare Books,
identifying bibliographic clean-up activities and projects to
improve discovery of rare book and manuscript
materials
Update master records as needed in
OCLC Connexion for rare books, manuscripts, and
archives
Maintain SCRC Metadata Management
manual, with an emphasis on rare books and codex
manuscripts
Maintain statistics, and produce and
analyze reports
-
Serve as Technical Services Policy Group
representative for Special Collections; advocate for specific needs
of Special Collections metadata in Library catalog including
identifying metadata cleanup projects of Special Collections
metadata in anticipation of ILS migration to FOLIO
Collaborate with Head of Metadata
Management Services to design and implement approaches to
cataloging rare books, with an emphasis on provenance description
and tracing, including enhanced description for pre-1700 and other
select rare books
Participate in Linked Data pilot
projects as a representative for Special Collections
metadata
Provide ad hoc consultations for rare
materials cataloging in collections across
the Library
-
Collaborate with the Curator of Rare
Books in the training and supervision of student Rare Books
Assistants, including assigning, monitoring, and evaluating
work
Coordinate workflow and facilitate the
work of Technical Services staff assigned to special collections
materials, including maintaining documentation, responding to
questions and supporting quality control
Adjust assignments as needed to
accommodate Library and Special Collections priorities
-
Serve as a resource for technical
expertise and problem-solving within Special Collections on
cataloging issues
Provide regular reader-services’ desk
shifts
Participate in regular rotations for
evening hours coverage and public events staffing
Provide bibliographic support for print
and online exhibition and publication projects
Contribute to Special Collections social
media on a regular basis
-
Serve on Library committees and other
groups, including, but not limited to Catalogers’ Forum, Technical
Services Policy Group
Maintain active participation in
national organizations such as, but not limited to, ALA, ACRL,
RBMS, ALCTS
Contribute as appropriate to the
scholarly community and the library profession
-
Graduate degree from an ALA-accredited
library school
Minimum of two years of successful
experience in cataloging and metadata services in a special
collections or research library
Knowledge of bibliographic description
for rare materials, RDA, AACR2R, DCRM suite, LC classification,
LCSH, MARC-21 and other standards for descriptive metadata; AMREMM
and Dublin Core
-
An advanced subject degree in a
humanities or social science discipline
Working knowledge of a range of Western
European languages, preferably including German and/or Latin and
reading proficiency in a romance language
Knowledge of current trends and
methodologies in bibliographic description and metadata standards
for rare books, manuscripts, ephemera, and other special
collections materials
Strong commitment to user-oriented
bibliographic and metadata services based on an understanding of
research and teaching needs of special collections users
Excellent oral and written
communications skills, subject research skills, interpersonal and
organizational skills, and creativity
An ability to communicate effectively
and work well with colleagues, donors, faculty, students and other
Library users individually and in groups
Ability to take initiative and work
independently
Experience contributing to the Program
for Cooperative Cataloging (BIBCO, NACO, SACO, CONSER)
Experience with non-MARC metadata
standards (e.g., Dublin Core); understanding of linked data
principles, including RDF and ontologies as well as emerging
metadata standards (e.g., BIBFRAME) and identity management systems
(e.g., ISNI, VIAF, ORCID)
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