Metadata Coordinator

Metadata Coordinator (Hybrid Opportunity)
Job no: 524447
Work type: Faculty Full Time
Location: UMass Amherst
Department: Lib - Collection Services
Union: MSP
Categories: Library
About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

The Metadata Coordinator oversees cataloging/metadata creation and management in a large complex academic research environment. Develops, implements, and assesses proposals, plans and projects specifically related to cataloging/metadata systems and services. Recommends and facilitates improvements to existing systems and services. Advises on the application of appropriate current and emerging cataloging/metadata schema to facilitate access to digital resources and physical collections. Trains others on cataloging/metadata creation and management and works closely with staff throughout the Libraries to provide access to the Libraries' collections. Participates in discussions relating to discovery, access, retrieval, and management of objects in ILS, discovery, and digital repository systems.

Essential Duties:

Directly supervises and evaluates the work of the professional and classified staff of the Metadata Unit (MU) within Information Resources Management (IRM).
Provides mentorship and collaboratively sets annual goals with MU team members (along with the IRM Department Head, as well as the Associate Dean for Content & Discovery).
Fairly and appropriately delegates work across the MU, including delegation of staff training and maintenance of MU workflow documentation to the most appropriate Metadata Librarian.
Leads MU meetings and participates in IRM and Content & Discovery leadership meetings to facilitate communication and sharing of feedback.
Conducts regular one-on-one meetings with team members and completes required personnel review processes (e.g. Annual Librarian Reviews, USA Performance Evaluations) by assigned deadlines.
Coordinates cross functional work between other departments in the Libraries or other units in IRM.
Reviews requests, answers questions, and makes appropriate referrals to assist team in following established HR and business processes (i.e. review and approval of timesheets, supply requests, travel requests, expense reports, etc.).
Reports unit progress regularly to the Head of IRM and, in collaboration with the Head, makes and communicates, in meetings and email, decisions about changes to workflows, projects, and assignments.

Other Unit Duties:

Creates and maintains metadata for description, discovery, access, administration, and preservation of both digital and physical objects produced, acquired, or held by the Libraries.
Trains others on metadata creation and management and work closely with staff throughout the Libraries to provide access to the Libraries' collections.
Contributes to the development, documentation and communication of departmental and Five College metadata workflows, policies, guidelines and procedures.
Maintains quality-control processes for cataloging/metadata in the Libraries' catalog, institutional repository, digital collections platforms, and other discovery systems.
Monitors and records monthly cataloging statistics.
Consults and collaborates with other library staff in the Five Colleges Consortium on metadata related activities.
Participates in library service and professional development activities as assigned or required to meet departmental goals and objectives.
Works creatively, collaboratively, and effectively to promote teamwork, diversity, equality, and inclusiveness within the UMass Amherst Libraries and the campus.
Participates in library-wide preservation activities.
Performs other related duties as assigned in support of the mission and goals of the Libraries and the department.

Organizational Values

Commitment to support justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) within libraries and the institution.
Ability to build and sustain effective working relationships and work collaboratively in a diverse and fast-paced environment.
Purposefully promote a One Library environment for all that encourages inclusion, personal growth, respect, self-reflection, curiosity, and continuous learning.
Understands responsibilities with respect to conflicts of interest and behaves in ways consistent with both law and with university policy.

Minimum Qualifications

Graduate degree in librarianship (from a program accredited by the American Library Association) or related field, or combination of an advanced degree in a relevant subject area and experience in libraries, archives, museums, or similar institutions.
Supervisory experience, including a demonstrated ability to establish work priorities, set performance expectations, achieve goals, and direct work in a high-production, rapidly evolving setting in a positive, constructive, flexible, and cooperative manner.
Project management experience, including a demonstrated ability to establish work priorities, achieve goals, and communicate status and outcomes clearly.
Experience crafting and maintaining metadata processes and procedures and keeping documentation and training materials current.
Knowledge and experience applying metadata schemes, standards, systems, and best practices such as MARC, Dublin Core, EAD, linked data, BIBFRAME, RDA, MODS, etc.
Familiarity with integrated library systems or library services platforms, discovery systems, digital repositories, and OCLC cataloging tools.
Experience with metadata editing and transformation tools and techniques.
Ability to work effectively as a team player in maintaining harmonious, cooperative working relationships with staff, faculty, and administrators.
Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills, particularly the ability to explain complex concepts to a wide variety of people in individual and group settings.
A demonstrated commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications

Working knowledge of at least one foreign language.
Familiarity with U.S. Government Publishing Office guidelines and their implementation in RDA and MARC 21.
Familiarity with serials cataloging best practices and procedures, adhering to the MARC21 and RDA standards as appropriate and following CONSER and LC-PCC guidelines.
Familiarity with archival cataloging.
Familiarity with at least one scripting language such as Python.
Familiarity with at least one structured query language and regular expressions.
Familiarity with authority control and reparative and inclusive cataloging.
Experience with integrated library systems or library services platforms, discovery systems, digital repositories, and OCLC cataloging tools.

Work Schedule

The regular working schedule for this position is Monday - Friday, day hours.
The incumbent of the position is expected to work on a flexible schedule, which includes some evening, weekend, and holiday hours.
This position has the opportunity for a hybrid work schedule, which is defined by the University as an arrangement where an employee's work is regularly performed at a location other than the campus workspace for a portion of the week. As this position falls within the Massachusetts Society of Professors (MSP) Union, it is subject to the terms and conditions of the MSP collective bargaining agreement.

Salary Information

Librarian II or III
Librarian II salary floor: $61,500
Librarian III salary floor: $69,500
Salary commensurate with experience.

Benefits

University benefits may differ based on collective bargaining agreements (unions). Please see below for the potential benefits MSP Librarians can be entitled to obtain: benefits for the Massachusetts Society of Professors (MSP) members and benefits for MSP Librarians positions:

Human Resources: Faculty & Staff General Benefits
Massachusetts Society of Professors (MSP) Benefits
MSP Librarian Positions Benefits

Promotion

MSP Librarian positions are eligible for promotion, defined as a change in rank as a librarian from one rank to the next higher rank. The bargaining unit member who gets a promotion shall receive the base salary increase in line with the MSP collective bargaining agreement. You can view the MSP Collective Bargaining Agreement, particularly, article 20, to learn more about MSP Librarian Personnel Actions, including promotion, appointment, reappointment, and continuing appointment.