Digitization and Metadata Specialist

Department: Stout Reference Library

Position Type: Full Time

Hourly or Salary: Salary

Annual Salary: $48,000

Overview

Reporting to the Head of Library & Archives, the Digitization & Metadata Specialist will digitize and create metadata for a selection of archival materials supporting the documentation of the museum’s art collection and exhibition history. This is a 21-month grant-funded position expected to start November 1, 2022 and conclude July 31, 2024.

Primary Responsibilities

The following responsibilities describe the general nature of work for employees in this position, but this is not intended as an exclusive or all-inclusive inventory.

• 
  Leverage metadata to relate digital surrogates of archival materials to art objects in the institutional DAMs (Piction) and the exhibitions history database.
• Digitize and create metadata for a selection of approximately 10,000 archival items, following in-house guidelines and professional best practices.
• Ingest digital surrogates and associated metadata in the institutional DAMs (Piction).

To perform the job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required Skills

• Experience and knowledge of metadata schemes, authority and other data structures.
• Understanding of archival digitization principles and practice.
• Meticulous attention to detail.
• Proficient in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Adobe Photoshop, Bridge.
• Comfortable navigating archival management/asset management systems.
• Knowledge of and ability to follow/apply archival descriptive and technical standards.
• Experience creating, describing, and managing digital surrogates.
• Professional correspondence and communication.
• Discretion in working with high-profile collections and sensitive information.

Education and/or Experience

• Graduate of an accredited Master of Library Science program with Archival Studies specialization or equivalent professional archives certification, coursework, and experience.
• Experience handling archival materials.

Preferred Experience

• Art history background or research experience.

Physical Demand of Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 45 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust

Work environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the position. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Working closely with collections may expose an employee to particulate matter (dust, mold) and aroma from general degradation of material and chemical decay (e.g., vinegar syndrome). Personal protective equipment is provided.