Digital Collections Assistant-History and Genealogy

St Louis County Library•St. Louis, MO

About The Position

The History and Genealogy Department is looking for a full-time Digital Collections Assistant who is responsible for assisting the Digital Collections Librarian in the creation and maintenance of library digitization projects, supporting the application of metadata and copyright policy in Digital Collections, and providing customer service and support for the department’s programming and outreach initiatives. The mission of the St. Louis County Library is to provide the resources and services to enrich individual minds, enhance lives and expand perspectives. SLCL is an award winning library system with branches throughout St. Louis County. We have transformed into a meaningful community resource with updated facilities and an array of programs and partnerships that serve over 860,000 patrons.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in History, Library Science, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Familiarity or the ability to quickly learn and effectively operate specialized information management software (e.g., ILS Systems like OCLC and Polaris) and standard library hardware (e.g., scanners, microfilm readers, etc.)..
Familiarity with digital collections and digital collection platforms, such as digital exhibits and/or digital asset management systems.
Basic knowledge of metadata standards (e.g., Dublin Core, METS, etc.).
Basic understanding of copyright and intellectual property issues in digital collections.
Experience working with History and Genealogy Collections.
Ability to follow digitization standards and best practices.
Demonstrated ability to effectively organize tasks and meet deadlines.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
The ability to work independently and within a team environment.
Experience working with the public.
Must possess good judgment, analytical, and problem solving skills.
Ability to operate a motor vehicle
Ability to stand for up to 8 hours per shift
Ability to bend to very low shelves or reach to very high shelves when retrieving Library materials
Ability to lift a minimum of 25 lbs.
Ability to push a full cart of books or other Library materials
Ability to complete multiple tasks simultaneously
Ability to operate various types of Library equipment
Ability to use a pc, word processing, email, and Google Suite
Ability to deal sensitively and tactfully with customers and staff

Nice To Haves

Experience with digital repositories (e.g., ContentDM, Omeka, Recollect, etc.) is preferred.

Responsibilities

Assist in the maintenance and support of the Library’s digital collections system.
Execute digitization and metadata creation for the History and Genealogy Department.
Support the connection of digital collections and preservation efforts with the community through various activities.
Provides technical assistance and support to library staff and patrons.
Provide reference assistance and support to library staff and patrons in a timely manner.
Other duties as assigned.
Assist in maintaining digital asset management systems and platforms through data entry and file organization.
Execute tasks related to short-term and long-term plans for digital collection development while balancing daily digitization targets.
Follow established policies and procedures to maintain workflow efficiency and user experience standards.
Assist in creating and updating documentation and training materials for audiences with various technical skill levels.
Contribute to all data gathering and statistical analysis.
Report technical issues to the Digital Collections Librarian and assist in troubleshooting.
Perform scanning and digitization of archival materials according to established standards including manipulating and editing images as necessary.
Format and upload digital files in multiple formats, assisting with regular audits and quality control checks of digital files.
Enters metadata using Dublin Core, MODS, and other appropriate metadata schema for materials contributed to library digitization projects using a digital collection management system.
Follow copyright workflows to ensure compliance with legal requirements before publication.
Support initiatives to increase the digital collection materials through donations and outreach.
Assist with specialized projects that serve to preserve and encourage access to resources that benefit St. Louis County Library patrons and researchers.
Assist in developing and presenting programming, outreach, and classes to promote digital collections, techniques of digital preservation, and other activities of the Department.
Collaborates with staff to support the integration of digital collections and resources into events, programs, classes, and other endeavors within the department and throughout the system.
Assist in creating content for campaigns to promote the use and dissemination of digital collections at St. Louis County Library.
Uses best practices and good stewardship principles to utilize Library resources efficiently.
Directly assists patrons with digitization equipment by answering questions, explaining how to use technology, and offering guidance or referring them to a resource that better matches their needs.
Assist in training library staff on library technology and software, including providing general computer assistance to patrons.
Support the maintenance of policy, procedure, workflow and training in the Department's public digitization rooms.
Maintains a working knowledge of basic Library equipment and is able to make minor repairs or clean equipment when necessary.
Stay updated on emerging trends and best practices in digital curation and preservation.
Maintains knowledge of the collection and the ability to make informed referrals and provide customer service.
Conducts reference interviews to determine patron and staff needs.
Promptly and accurately answers basic patron and staff questions in a variety of formats; refers complex research questions to the Librarian.
Maintains knowledge of the library’s mission, strategic plan, and system-wide activities.
AProactively develop ties with other partner organizations, record-holding institutions, and relevant individuals to expand outreach.