Audiovisual Collections Specialist

Job Description

Summary:

The Audiovisual Collections Specialist supports the Museums goals of preservation, intellectual control, expanded discoverability and enhanced public access to collections, with a focus on audiovisual collections and related digital assets. This position coordinates digitization of time-based media collections and creates metadata and catalog records for their digital surrogates, advancing the Museums ability to provide access to these collections and to incorporate them into exhibits, programs, and other interpretive projects. This position is further responsible for developing procedures and standards for digital collections preservation and coordinating with external vendor/provider to implement and maintain the digital collections preservation system (e.g. Preservica). The Audiovisual Collections Specialist supports collections management and curatorial activities related to AV collections, including facilitating research and access, fulfillment of external media requests, and ongoing stewardship and care.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Work collaboratively with Collections Manager to establish and implement standards and procedures for care and management of audiovisual/time-based media collections and their digital surrogates.
• Develop and manage digitization projects for audiovisual/time-based media collections.
• Ensure ongoing preservation and availability/accessibility of audiovisual collections through appropriate media format conversion according to current best practices.
• Coordinate with external vendors/contractors to facilitate digitization of time-based media formats.
• Work collaboratively with other Collections staff and IT to research, recommend and manage equipment, vendors and technologies to support digitization projects.
• Develop and manage workflows for processing and cataloging audiovisual collections and related digital assets/surrogates.
• Recommend and implement updates to the Museums audiovisual cataloging standards and procedures.
• Create inventories, catalog records and finding aids for audiovisual collections, writing accurate and descriptive records and scene-by-scene descriptions.
• Conduct research on media subjects to support cataloging.
• Develop metadata entries for digital media.
• Develop and implement standards and procedures for digital collections preservation, coordinating with other Collections staff and IT support.
• Serve as liaison to digital collections preservation system provider/vendor and oversee internal management of digital collections preservation system (e.g. Preservica).
• Upload digitized content to digital collections preservation system; coordinate with vendor to monitor stability/integrity of digital collections and back-ups and perform quality control on images and metadata.
• Contribute information on audiovisual collections content to Museum projects, exhibits, programs and other interpretive activities.
• Facilitate access to audiovisual collections and provide specialized reference and research services for researchers, educators, students, scholars, media production companies, etc.
• Provide support on copyright and licensing matters related to audiovisual/media collections: research copyright issues, communicate with requestor, and facilitate request fulfillment by preparing and supplying content in appropriate formats.
• Assist with acquisition of audiovisual media from external sources for use in Museum projects; maintain records and information regarding copyright, usage restrictions and credit.
• Research and propose new digital tools for expanding access to and discoverability of collections.
• Compile statistics and data on usage of audiovisual and digital collections.
• Support ongoing general collections stewardship tasks.
• Participate in departmental meetings and activities.
• Other duties and tasks as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Bachelors degree or Archival Certification required; Masters degree preferred.
• Minimum of 2 years relevant professional experience working with audiovisual/time-based media collections; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• In-depth knowledge of and technical experience with digitization of audiovisual assets.
• Familiarity with best practices for describing/cataloging audiovisual and digital materials that support access and use.
• Knowledge of and experience with PBCore metadata schema.
• Prior experience working with digital collections preservation systems (e.g. Preservica).
• Prior experience working with collections management database software (e.g. TMS).
• Prior experience with video editing systems.
• Knowledge/understanding of basic copyright issues related to audiovisual materials.
• Knowledge of American history; preferably associated with the Kennedy assassination.

• Strong data management and time management skills, with a keen attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently, to work as part of a team, and to lead a team.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Must be able to sit at a workstation or computer for long hours.
• Must be able to stoop, bend and lift up to 20 pounds.

NOTE: Nothing in this job description restricts managements right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.