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Digital Archivist - 18 Month Appointment

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Position description

The University of California, Berkeley seeks a Digital Archivist to assist with implementation of a digital forensics system to secure born-digital collections and assist with the migration of collection descriptions to ArchiveSpace. This is a temporary, 18-month appointment. The successful candidate will have experience in managing time-driven projects; familiarity with library standards (EAD, METS, MARC, MODS); strong analytical and communication skills; and experience with archival collections processing through an internship or prior employment.

The Environment

The UC Berkeley Library is an internationally renowned research and teaching facility at one of the nation's premier public universities. In a highly diverse and intellectually rich environment, Berkeley serves a campus community of 25,500 undergraduate students, 10,300 graduate students, and a faculty of 1,500. The Library comprises 20 campus libraries - including the Doe/Moffitt Libraries, the Bancroft Library, the C. V. Starr East Asian Library and subject specialty libraries. With a collection of more than 11 million volumes and a collections budget of over $15 million, the Library offers extensive collections in all formats and robust services to connect users with those collections and build their related research skills.

The Bancroft Library is one of the largest and most heavily used libraries of rare materials in the West. Its holdings include more than 600,000 volumes; 60,000,000 manuscripts (60,000 linear feet); 8,200,000 photographs and other pictorial materials; 86,000 microforms; 300,000 digital images; and 35,000 maps, as well as numerous other categories of unique material. The two largest collections are the Bancroft Collection of Western and Latin Americana, and the Rare Books Collection. The latter comprises approximately 100,000 volumes ranging from a substantial collection of Egyptian papyri from as early as 2000 B.C. through medieval and early modern manuscripts and books (including more than four hundred incunabula) to important holdings in more recent periods of European, English, and American culture in such diverse fields as modern fine typography, contemporary poetry (concentrating on California poets), and certain major modern British and American authors. The Rare Books Collection has special emphases on the Enlightenment and on books by and about women from the fifteenth century to the present. It also includes collections of fine bindings, medieval and early modern manuscripts, pamphlets documenting the French Revolution, and African-American literature. Bancroft is also home to four research groups: the Regional Oral History Office; the Mark Twain Papers; the Center for the Tebtunis Papyri; and the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life.

Responsibilities

The Digital Archivist will be responsible for assisting with the implementation of a digital forensics system to secure born-digital collections and assisting with the migration of collection descriptions (metadata) from a local content management system (WebGenDB) to ArchiveSpace. The Digital Archivist will report to the Associate Director, work closely with the Archivist for Digital Collections, and supervise part-time library employees as needed.

The Digital Archivist will work in consultation with curators, acquisitions staff, archivists, and, in coordination with the Library Systems Office, to implement a digital forensics system and design relevant workflows to secure, process, and provide access to born-digital collections. The Digital Archivist will also work closely with the Archivist for Digital Collections and the Library Systems Office in mapping metadata in order to successfully migrate collection descriptions to ArchiveSpace. The Digital Archivist will also work with the Principal Cataloger to update collection records in the bibliographic catalog, as needed.

UC Berkeley librarians are expected to participate in library-wide planning and governance, to work effectively in a shared decision-making environment, and to be active professionally. Professional contributions beyond the primary responsibilities are required for advancement in the Librarian series. The successful candidate will show promise or evidence of such contributions.

Basic Qualification:

MLS from an ALA-accredited institution or equivalent degree at the time of application.

Additional Qualifications:

• Experience with archival collections processing through an internship or prior employment
• Experience with Encoded Archival Description (EAD) and/or Machine Readable
Cataloging (MARC) through an internship or prior employment
• Proficiency with Microsoft Access and Excel
• Familiarity with Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard (METS) and Metadata
Object Description Schema (MODS), EAD and MARC
• Excellent analytical, organizational and problem-solving skills
• Experience with managing time-driven projects through an internship or prior employment

The Library at the University of California, Berkeley is committed to the support and encouragement of a multicultural environment and seeks candidates who can make positive contributions in a context of ethnic and cultural diversity.

Professional librarians at UC are academic appointees and are represented by an exclusive bargaining agent, University Council - American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT). This position is in the bargaining unit.

Librarians are entitled to appropriate professional development leave, vacation leave, sick leave, and all other benefits granted to non-faculty academic personnel. The University has an excellent retirement system and sponsors a variety of group health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans in addition to other benefits.

Send inquiries to:
Susan E. Wong
Director, Library Human Resources
Library Human Resources Department
110 Doe Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
Phone: (510)642-3778
Email: librec@library.berkeley.edu

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V. noting degrees and relevant work experience

  • Cover Letter - A cover letter detailing a statement of qualifications

  • Misc / Additional (Optional)

Reference requirements
  • 3 required (contact information only)