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The Newport Cultural Coalition, a partnership between five Newport, Rhode Island-based cultural institutions, seeks a metadata professional to assist in the planning phase of a collaborative database project. The successful candidate must produce an implementation plan for a web-based database of museum objects and archival materials to be known as NewPortal.

About NewPortal:
The Preservation Society of Newport County, Newport Art Museum, Redwood Library and Athenaeum, The Newport Restoration Foundation, and The Newport Historical Society have joined forces to develop a shared, web-based database of museum objects and archival materials related to the history and culture of Newport, Rhode Island.  The goal of this collaboration is to engage the public in the story of Newport’s vibrant cultural heritage and to encourage scholarship by promoting open, seamless access to the historical materials documenting that story in spite of their geographic and administrative separation.  Our web portal will facilitate access for users who now must travel to the individual institutions to research collections, and make possible the serendipitous discovery of connections between the cultural artifact holdings throughout the city. This project seeks to reveal Newport’s hidden collections systemically and cost-effectively by combining resources and working collaboratively.  

Project objectives and deliverables include:

• Meet with project partners on a regular basis (including video conferencing), with a minimum of one on-site visit to each institution. 
• Evaluate the records and metadata each organization uses, including identifying commonalities and inconsistencies. Guide partners in selecting common taxonomies/controlled vocabulary/thesauri for use in new metadata schema.
• Create a set of shared metadata fields using industry standards.
• Create a metadata map from each partner's different existing collection management systems to new metadata schema.
• Determine how to export and organize data, and create an export plan.
• Research and make a recommendation on the type of collections discovery tool to build or purchase, and develop use cases.
• Creation of a working or static template of the web-based database.
• Demonstrate in a presentation and report the feasibility and sustainability of proposed implementation plan within budget and staffing limitations of the Newport Cultural Coalition.

This is a grant funded partnership and our consultant will be paid a one-time fee of up to $7000 for services rendered and travel-related expenses.  Lodging accommodations can be arranged.  

Requirements:
Candidate must understand metadata architecture and have knowledge of many different metadata schemas, including but not limited to Dublin Core, MODS, and METS, as well as ability to develop specifications for custom programming to perform data conversion operations. The candidate should also have a firm comprehension of data conversion with the ability to advise on needs for the programming requirements of the implementation phase of this project.  The nature of this project requires a commitment to collaboration and a desire to work in a team environment. 

Timeframe: 
The planning phase of this project is August 27-October 31, 2012.

To Apply:
Applicants should demonstrate competency in the above requirements by submitting testimonials and access to examples of previous like work. Send letter and resume/portfolio to[log in to unmask]. Deadline for application is August 3, 2012.

http://www.newportartmuseum.org/pages/employment.cfm