Metadata Technologies Librarian

Loyola University Chicago Libraries seeks nominations and applications to identify user-focused and forward-thinking candidates for the position of Metadata Technologies Librarian. This position will coordinate metadata creation, cleanup, editing, enhancement and migration, mapping and transformation across library platforms to promote interoperability and discovery; provide consultation, training, creation and maintenance of documentation, quality control, and investigate new tools and standards; serve as library liaison for one or more academic departments or programs; and participate in other library programming and information services. Loyola encourages applications from underrepresented groups and from those with diverse backgrounds and life experiences.

This is a non-tenured Library faculty position with opportunities for promotion. The successful candidate will be based on the Lake Shore campus.

Environment

Founded in 1870, Loyola is one of the nation’s largest Jesuit, Catholic universities. Loyola is a private, not-for-profit institution consisting of eleven schools and colleges with four locations in Chicagoland and a campus in Rome, Italy, providing educational services to approximately 16,000 students in undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs. The University enjoys robust enrollments, an outstanding reputation for the quality of its teaching, and an increasing level of research activity. Recognizing Loyola’s excellence in education, U.S. News and World Report has consistently ranked Loyola among the “top national universities” in its annual publications.

Like the University itself, Loyola’s libraries and archives are in a growth mode with new facilities and initiatives, such as the eCommons, Loyola’s institutional repository. With the opening of the $32 million Information Commons on the Lakeshore Campus in 2008, Loyola has one of the finest and most advanced academic library facilities in the Midwest. In addition to the Information Commons, the University Libraries includes Cudahy Library and the Library Storage Facility (LSF) at the main campus in Rogers Park, the Lewis Library at the Water Tower campus in downtown Chicago, and a library at the John Felice Rome Center in Italy. The University Libraries has an annual materials budget exceeding $6 million. Collections include nearly two million volumes, 430 databases, 60,000 journals, and a variety of physical and streaming media resources. The Libraries sponsors frequent cultural programs for the Loyola community and its neighbors. For additional information, please visit libraries.luc.edu.

Responsibilities

Reporting to the Head of Library Systems, the Metadata Technologies Librarian will

• Lead and coordinate the development of metadata policies including descriptive, administrative, and technical metadata schemas for digital collections appropriate for the library’s current and future systems including Alma, Primo, Drupal, Omeka, Preservica, Digital Commons, and ArchivesSpace. Create and maintain documentation of related workflows and procedures.

• Collaborate with internal and external partners to support the discovery of and access to print, electronic, and digital collections. Oversee metadata creation, analysis, enrichment, normalization, and maintenance according to international and national standards and best practices with focus on non-MARC metadata formats such as Dublin Core, PBCore, DACS & ISAD, EAD, proprietary vendor formats, and other (primarily XML based) schema to support digital collections.

• Apply programming and/or scripting skills in support of technical requirements and production needs for metadata creation, conversion, enhancement, normalization, and maintenance.

• Utilize APIs to improve interoperability among systems to enhance/automate backend workflows and optimize users’ discovery experiences.

• Participate in analyzing and troubleshooting resource access issues.

• Support workflows with external library systems such as those from OCLC and KBART-associated databases. 

• As library liaison, provide educational, research support, and content development services that contribute to student success and faculty productivity.

• Take initiative and work both autonomously and collaboratively to meet strategic goals, while consistently promoting teamwork, respect, diversity, and inclusiveness.

• Actively contribute to the broader profession through scholarship and service.

• Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited library and information science program or in a relevant discipline or professional area

• Demonstrated problem solving, organizational, and analytical skills

• Demonstrated experience with standard library metadata formats, such as MARC, Dublin Core, MODS, EAD, RDF, PREMIS

• Familiarity with Oxygen, MarcEdit, and/or OpenRefine

• Experience using scripting languages, such as Python, Ruby, or PHP, to automate tasks and interact with APIs. Familiarity with XML/XSLT and JSON

• Familiarity with the principles of cataloging, controlled vocabularies, identity management and linked data. Conceptual knowledge of the protocols and tools used to create and organize data in library systems with metadata schema, digital platforms, and OAI

• Familiarity with metadata support for digital preservation 

• Knowledge of emerging standards such as BIBFRAME and Linked Open Data

• Robust interpersonal and communication skills

• Strong leadership potential, including a commitment to equity, shared responsibility, and accountability

• Potential for ongoing contributions to professional practice, scholarship, and service

• Resonance with Loyola’s mission to deliver a transformative educational experience in the Jesuit tradition and a commitment to the underserved and social justice

Preferred Qualifications:

• Additional advanced degree

• Experience working with students from a variety of backgrounds

• Experience creating descriptive, administrative, and/or technical metadata

• Experience providing library instruction, research support, and/or collection development

• Project management experience 

• Experience with Alma library management system and Primo discovery system

• Working understanding of Semantic Web technologies (based on RDF)

• Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited library and information science program or in a relevant discipline or professional area
• Demonstrated problem solving, organizational, and analytical skills
• Demonstrated experience with standard library metadata formats, such as MARC, Dublin Core, MODS, EAD, RDF, PREMIS
• Familiarity with Oxygen, MarcEdit, and/or OpenRefine
• Experience using scripting languages, such as Python, Ruby, or PHP, to automate tasks and interact with APIs. Familiarity with XML/XSLT and JSON
• Familiarity with the principles of cataloging, controlled vocabularies, identity management and linked data. Conceptual knowledge of the protocols and tools used to create and organize data in library systems with metadata schema, digital platforms, and OAI
• Familiarity with metadata support for digital preservation 
• Knowledge of emerging standards such as BIBFRAME and Linked Open Data
• Robust interpersonal and communication skills
• Strong leadership potential, including a commitment to equity, shared responsibility, and accountability
• Potential for ongoing contributions to professional practice, scholarship, and service
• Resonance with Loyola’s mission to deliver a transformative educational experience in the Jesuit tradition and a commitment to the underserved and social justice

Preferred Qualifications:

• Additional advanced degree
• Experience working with students from a variety of backgrounds
• Experience creating descriptive, administrative, and/or technical metadata
• Experience providing library instruction, research support, and/or collection development
• Project management experience 
• Experience with Alma library management system and Primo discovery system
• Working understanding of Semantic Web technologies (based on RDF)

Applicants should submit a current curriculum vitae, and letter of interest to www.careers.luc.edu. They also should provide the names and email addresses of three individuals prepared to speak to their professional qualifications for this position. References will not be contacted immediately, but might be at subsequent points in the review process.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. For full consideration, applications should be received by June 11, 2018.

Please direct inquiries to the chair of the selection advisory committee:
Margaret Heller
Loyola University Chicago Libraries
1032 W. Sheridan Road
Chicago, IL 60660
773.508.2686
mheller1@luc.edu

Loyola University Chicago is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer with a strong commitment to hiring for our mission and diversifying our faculty. As a Jesuit Catholic institution of higher education, we seek candidates who will contribute to our strategic plan to deliver a Transformative Education in the Jesuit tradition. To learn more about LUC’s mission, candidates should consult our website at www.luc.edu/mission/. For information about the university’s focus on transformative education, they should consult our website at www.luc.edu/transformativeed.