Job Description

Job Summary

The University Library Digital Collections Specialist works collaboratively with colleagues at SJSU Library and within the California State University system to catalog and create metadata for digital and physical library collections and artifacts in a variety of platforms. This position reports to the Library’s Director of Data and Resource Management and receives work lead direction from the Library’s Head of Systems and Metadata. SJSU Library is committed to bringing anti-racism practices into library services and operations. This position advances strategic initiatives in this area and ensures day-to-day business functions are aligned with the library’s core values of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

This position specializes in creating, maintaining, and enhancing metadata for complex and varied digital media types. Format types include audio, video, and 3D assets; Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) objects and programs; born-digital and digitized documents; and other digital objects. This position may also work with traditional print formats including music scores, ephemera, and periodicals. The Specialist identifies and implements novel solutions for new and emerging format types, working closely with colleagues to establish policies and practices that enhance discoverability, interoperability, and preservation of the Library’s digital materials. The Specialist creates metadata that is inclusive, culturally accurate, and supports campus EDI principles while adhering to national standards, local policies and procedures, in compliance with the policies and best practices set forth by CSU-side ULMS governance. The Specialist is encouraged to participate in professional organizations, initiatives, and discussions that improve digital collection practices and further inclusive, representative metadata practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Creates metadata using Dublin Core and other appropriate metadata schema for materials contributed to library digitization projects using a digital collection management system
• Assess metadata descriptions and vocabularies in catalog records to ensure the records are inclusive, culturally accurate, in support of the institution’s equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles
• Collaborate with colleagues in Special Collections, the Institutional Repository, and other library Units to contribute to metadata projects, cleanup needs, and application of appropriate metadata standards
• Scans materials according the established standards and manipulates images using Photoshop or similar utility for inclusion into the digital collection management system
• Analyzes and researches photographs and other library materials being added to the digital collections to determine specific subject matter and develop descriptive metadata
• Performs original descriptive and subject cataloging and classification, as well as complex copy cataloging, for materials covering a variety of subjects, languages and formats
• Exercises judgment in evaluating and determining appropriate guidelines in applying Resource Description and Access (RDA), Anglo-American Cataloging Rules (AACR2), Library of Congress cataloging guidelines, Library of Congress subject headings, OCLC guidelines, ULMS policies and procedures and local cataloging practices.
• Performs database maintenance in the online catalog by resolving issues with incorrect records and sets of records
  

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of the structure of the cataloging system and records and how the metadata in the various fields relate to one another
• Thorough knowledge of Dublin Core schema
• Thorough knowledge of OCLC MARC standards for the proper creation of records in OCLC Connexion and the library’s integrated library system
• Ability to work collaboratively with library colleagues and others in support of library initiatives in metadata, cataloging and digital humanities
• Demonstrated visual literacy skills to accurately read and understand photographs and other pictorial materials
• Thorough knowledge of the digital collection management system
• Working knowledge of use and functions of scanning equipment and Photoshop or similar image manipulation software.
• Ability to effectively communicate ideas and concepts in verbal, written and presentation format
  

Required Qualifications

• High school education or equivalent certification
• Four years of related library and/or clerical experience or an equivalent combination of experience and education
  

Preferred Qualifications

• 3 years of experience in an academic library setting
• Bachelor’s degree preferred, classwork in library science or digital media helpful
• Experience creating metadata using established schemas - especially Dublin Core, RDF or EAD - using encoding systems like XML, JSON or MARC21
• Experience with creation and quality enhancement of digital objects in a content management system, such as Drupal, Digital Commons and Omeka, or digital asset management system, such as Islandora, Rosetta, or ContentDM
• Experience collaborating across units on digital projects
• Experience scanning materials using best practices for digital and physical item preservation, and in manipulating images using Photoshop or similar utility
• Experience researching library and archival materials to determine subject matter, provenance, and other information needed for the metadata
• Experience working on projects with culturally sensitive content, such as oral histories, in a way that is community-focused and identity-sensitive
• Experience supporting digital humanities initiatives and interdisciplinary digital projects with tools such as Voyant, Tableau, bepress Digital Commons, ExLibris Esploro, and Omeka
  

Compensation

Classification: Library Service Specialist IV

Anticipated Hiring Range: $5,896/month - $6,200/month

CSU Hiring Range: $3,736/month - $6,893/month

San José State University offers employees a comprehensive benefits package typically worth 30-35% of your base salary. For more information on programs available, please see the Employee Benefits Summary .

Application Procedure

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

• Resume
• Letter of Interest
  

All applicants must apply within the specified application period: April 11, 2022 through May 1, 2022. This position is open until filled; however, applications received after screening has begun will be considered at the discretion of the university.

Contact Information

University Personnel

jobs@sjsu.edu

408-924-2252

CSU Vaccination Policy

The CSU requires faculty, staff, and students who are accessing campus facilities to be immunized against COVID-19 or declare a medical or religious exemption from doing so. Any candidates advanced in a currently open search process should be prepared to comply with this requirement as a condition of employment. The system wide policy can be found at https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/9779821/latest/ and questions may be sent to jobs@sjsu.edu .

Additional Information

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. SJSU will issue a contingent offer of employment to the selected candidate, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was offered the position on a contingent basis.

The standard background check includes: criminal check, employment and education verification. Depending on the position, a motor vehicle and/or credit check may be required. All background checks are conducted through the university's third party vendor, Accurate Background. Some positions may also require fingerprinting. SJSU will pay all costs associated with this procedure. Evidence of required degree(s) or certification(s) will be required at time of hire.

SJSU IS NOT A SPONSORING AGENCY FOR STAFF OR MANAGEMENT POSITIONS. (e.g. H1-B VISAS)

All San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act and Campus Housing Fire Safety Notification:

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Annual Security Report (ASR) is also now available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Security-Report.pdf. The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and Sexual Assault prevention information, and information about drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains statistics of Clery crimes for San José State University locations for the three most recent calendar years. A paper copy of the ASR is available upon request by contacting the Office of the Clery Director by phone at 408-924-1501 or by email at clerycompliance@sjsu.edu .

Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Annual Fire Safety Report (AFSR) is also available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Fire-Safety-Report.pdf . The purpose of this report is to disclose statistics for fires that occurred within SJSU on-campus housing facilities for the three most recent calendar years, and to distribute fire safety policies and procedures intended to promote safety on Campus. A paper copy of the AFSR is available upon request by contacting the Housing Office by phone at 408-795-5600 or by email at uhs-frontdesk@sjsu.edu .

Equal Employment Statement

San José State University (SJSU) is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, race, religion or lack thereof, sex, sexual orientation, transgender, or protected veteran status consistent with applicable federal and state laws. This policy applies to all SJSU students, faculty and staff programs and activities. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and certain other federal and state laws, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in all education programs and activities operated by the university (both on and off campus).