Digital Archivist
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles
One of ten University of California campuses, the University of California,
Los Angeles (UCLA) is located in Westwood Village, approximately five miles
from the Pacific Ocean near Santa Monica. Comprised of the College of Letters
and Science and 11 professional schools, the 419-acre campus features 163
buildings. UCLA has more than 4,000 faculty and academic staff and
approximately 26,000 employees overall. Founded in 1919, UCLA offers 337
undergraduate and graduate degree programs and has more than 28,000
undergraduates and 12,000 graduate students. Academic excellence, faculty
distinction, and a comprehensive curriculum are hallmarks of UCLA, which is a
member of the Association of American Universities. Among the faculty are
fourteen Nobel Laureates, twelve Rhodes Scholars, ten National Medal of
Science winners, a Fields Medal Winner, eleven MacArthur Grant winners, and
seventy-eight Guggenheim Fellows. UCLA is California's largest university and
is a model for public institutions of higher education. As the seventh largest
employer in the region, UCLA generates almost $14 in economic activity for
every $1 state taxpayers invest in UCLA and generates an annual $11.9 billion
economic impact for the state of California.
Consistently ranked among the top 10 academic research libraries in North
America, the UCLA Library is comprised of 10 major libraries and 11 library
wide departments including the Southern Regional Library Facility, the remote
storage facility for the southern UC campuses, all of which report to the
University Librarian. In addition, there are 12 affiliated library units
located on the campus. There are approximately 105 librarians on the campus,
and the UCLA Library has a staff of approximately 300, and approximately 400 -
500 student employees. The Library has an organizational structure that
includes the use of teams in conjunction with departments and units. The
library collection consists of more than 9 million volumes and more than
78,000 current serial titles and an aggressively expanding electronic
resources collection. The Library's annual budget is in excess of $44 million;
more than $10 million supports the acquisition of print and digital material,
and the library is part of the California Digital Library. The UCLA Library is
a member of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the Coalition for
Networked Information (CNI), the Center for Research Libraries (CRL), the
Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), International Federation
of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), and the Scholarly Publishing
& Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC).
Library Special Collections (LSC) is an enterprise-wide, organizational entity
within the UCLA Library System that integrates special collections resources,
services, and operations. Central to this re-organized unit is a curatorial
team of four subject experts (Performing Arts, University Archives, History of
Science and Medicine, Collecting Los Angeles), three format specific curators
(Rare Books, Visual Materials, Manuscripts), and the Head of the Center for
Oral History Research. LSC also includes three administrative sections:
Collection Management, Research and Instructional Services, and Administrative
Services. The Collection Management Section centralizes the acquisitions, rare
book cataloging, and processing of special collections materials; coordinates
lending processes; and facilitates collaboration with the Cataloging and
Metadata Department and the Preservation Program. The Research and
Instructional Services Section integrates public services for LSC, including
centralized reference and instructional services, and exhibitions and
programs. The Administrative Services Section consolidates the planning,
budget, human resources, fundraising, assessment, technology, and events
functions of LSC. The entire staff of approximately 40 FTE work together as a
team to build, preserve, and provide access to the outstanding special
collections of the UCLA Library.
The Collection Management Section includes the Digital Initiatives group,
which is responsible for maintaining a born-digital archives management
program, managing digital projects, and facilitating online access to digital
collections and archival description. The Digital Initiatives group works
closely with LSC staff, as well as staff from the Digital Library Program,
Digital Initiatives and Information Technology, the Preservation Imaging Unit
at SRLF, the Cataloging and Metadata Center, and the Preservation Program to
undertake a holistic approach to digital initiatives across UCLA Library.
Position Duties
Reporting to the Head, Center for Primary Research & Training and Digital
Initiatives, the Digital Archivist leads and supports LSC efforts to acquire,
describe, preserve, and provide access to born-digital special collections
material and to facilitate projects and programs that provide digital access
to analog holdings. The Digital Archivist works in a highly collaborative
manner with curatorial, professional, and technical staff in LSC and the UCLA
Library, as well as with faculty and students, to enhance LSC digital services
and operations, complete specific digital projects, and to lead the continuing
development of a sustainable born-digital management program. In a liaison
role to the Digital Library Program, Digital Initiatives and Information
Technology staff, Cataloging and Metadata Center, UCLA Library digitization
production facilities, Teaching and Learning Services, and the Research
Library Collections, Research, and Instructional Services, the position
provides expertise on issues related to management of digital special
collections materials.
Specific duties and responsibilities include:
develops and implements policies and procedures that facilitate acquisition,
preservation, arrangement, description, and access to born-digital materials
in accordance with emerging standards and best practices
collaborates closely with curators, other library staff, and collection
donors to survey, appraise, and ensure proper transfer of born-digital
holdings
trains archival processors and students to process hybrid and born-digital
collections and make them available for research
collaborates with LSC public services staff and UCLA Library systems staff
to facilitate discovery and access to digital materials
collaborates with DIIT staff to develop preservation strategies appropriate
for digital materials
oversees the building and maintenance of the necessary hardware and software
systems in LSC to manage digital collections
collaborates with LSC, UCLA Library staff, faculty, and students to explore
new research methodologies enabled by digital archives and to develop
technical platforms to facilitate this research
coordinates with LSC staff and UCLA Library staff to plan, prioritize, and
carry out projects to digitize archives, manuscripts, and rare books in order
to provide broader access to these materials and encourage their use in
teaching and learning
participates in the conception and development of grant applications to help
UCLA Library build infrastructure for born-digital materials and to complete
digital projects
represents UCLA Library in UC-wide and national, regional, and local
committees and forums on matters relevant to digital special collections
management.
Required Qualifications
ALA-accredited Master's Degree in Library or Information Science OR an
advanced degree in an appropriate subject discipline with relevant special
collections or archival training
Minimum of one to two years experience working in special collections in an
academic or research library
Thorough knowledge of archival theory and practice as demonstrated through
experience performing archival appraisal, arrangement, description, and
preservation
Knowledge of and experience with strategies and technology such as digital
forensics, digital preservation, and systems developed or adopted by the
archival community for managing born-digital materials
Familiarity with standards for description and preservation of special
collections holdings including EAD, MARC, MODS, METS, DACS, RDA, and PREMIS
Knowledge of and experience with standards and best practices for
digitization of archives, manuscripts, rare books, photographs, audiovisual
recordings, and other special collections holdings.
Excellent oral and written communication skills, organizational skills, and
time management skills.
Commitment to professional issues demonstrated through strong interest in
local or national committee work, research, or publication
Working knowledge of standard computer office applications such as Microsoft
Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint or other productivity software
Capacity to thrive in the exciting, ambiguous, future-oriented environment
of a world-class research institution and to respond effectively to changing
needs and priorities.
Ability to initiate and maintain cooperative working relationships with co-
workers, supervisors, and managers, and to represent LSC in a professional
manner to relevant constituencies. Ability to work harmoniously and as a team
player, thrive in a team-based environment, and skill in fostering teamwork
among others.
Ability to get to work reliably and on time and to be present in the
workplace during normal working hours.
Commitment to fostering a diverse educational environment and workplace and
ability to work with a diverse student and faculty population
Desired Qualifications
Demonstrated experience with project management and work flow design and
implementation for digital projects
Knowledge and experience with a variety of computer operating systems,
storage systems, and file formats
Demonstrated knowledge and ability to stay abreast of privacy,
confidentiality, copyright and use policies associated with special
collections materials
Experience in writing funding proposals
General Information
Professional librarians at UCLA are academic appointees. Librarians at UCLA
are represented by an exclusive bargaining agent, University Council -
American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT). They are entitled to appropriate
professional leave, two days per month of vacation leave, one day per month of
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. Relocation assistance provided.
Appointees to the librarian series at UC shall have professional backgrounds
that demonstrate a high degree of creativity, teamwork, and flexibility. Such
background will normally include a professional degree from an ALA-accredited
library and information science graduate program. In addition to professional
competence and quality of service within the library in the primary job,
advancement in the librarian series requires professional involvement and
contributions outside of the library, and/or university and community service,
and/or scholarly activities. Candidates must show evidence or promise of such
contributions.
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