Reporting to the Head of Digital Reformatting & Media Services (DRMS), the Preservation Digital Imaging Librarian will manage a suite of imaging services designed to meet the Library’s preservation goals and increase online access to collections. As a member of DRMS, the position will contribute to the efforts of a nationally and internationally recognized program for the preservation of library and archives collections. The incumbent will keep abreast of key trends in preservation, digital imaging practice/technology and will work with a wide range of staff stakeholders and experts to build sustainable digital collections for users now and in the future. The role oversees services that include both inhouse scanning and digital photography, and work accomplished through commercial vendors.
The Preservation Digital Imaging Librarian will:
- Direct the services and workflows for digital imaging projects and patron requests from end-to-end. Prioritize requests and projects to maximize staff time. Create timelines for completion and measure outputs to improve processes and future planning. Coordinate with multiple stakeholders, experts, and external service providers to ensure that specifications and standards are followed. Uphold preservation best practices for source originals and the creation digital surrogates.
- Collaborate with Digital Special Collections & Access (DSCA), public services staff, and subject specialists to coordinate digitization services for patron requests, and for project-based workflows. Partners with DSCA in determining appropriate digitization center or solution for digital imaging projects for special collections. Partner with general collections-focused scanning units to address collection and patron needs that fall outside of their capabilities or service model. Integrate programmatic preservation reformatting for fragile or damaged collections into priorities and workflows.
- Work closely with Preventive Conservation staff to manage incoming and outgoing collections. Ensure that conservation recommendations for care and handling of collections and staff training needs are met. Coordinate with Media Preservation Manager to ensure the workflow for patron-requested AV formats follows a process that reflects preservation, archival, and operational best practices.
- Liaise with public services staff and service points to answer questions, provide information, set appropriate patron expectations, and evaluate how well patron and staff needs are being met.
- Coordinate and/or supervise the work of staff, including a photographer, a digitization assistant, and student assistants, who carry out digital capture, processing and quality control of images using a variety of equipment, specialized software, databases, and online workflow tools.
- Contribute to initiatives and ongoing efforts to make library content more available and accessible online, sustain effective and efficient processes, and leverage software and other tools to their best advantage.