Working/Functional Title
Digital Archivist, Librarian I or II
Position Summary
Michigan State University (MSU) Libraries invites applications for the position of Digital Archivist. Reporting to the Head of the Stephen O. Murray and Keelung Hong Special Collections and University Archives, the successful candidate will foster the discovery, access, and preservation of born-digital and digital surrogate materials through various activities including the implementation and maintenance of digital delivery systems including but not limited to Archive-It and Preservica. The Digital Archivist will be broadly focused and collaborative with an in-depth knowledge of computing habits, varieties of digital material both hardware/software for all formats (PC, Mac, devices, cloud). Michigan State University Libraries (MSUL) is the center of academic life on campus; it employs a knowledgeable staff and an exemplary team of librarians working in a large central library. The libraries support a diverse community of users through more than 7 million print volumes; millions of pages of archival and manuscript collections, and millions more electronic resources.
Duties include but are not limited to:
- Prepares technical metadata and coordinates with the Metadata, Digital Repository team, and Special Collections Digital Curation Working Group and other stakeholders whose work is a part of the digital asset lifecycle.
- Processes, arranges, and describes digital archival material in accordance with professional best standards, including all levels and forms of description.
- Collaborates with others to design digital preservation workflows for existing and future born-digital and digitized collections.
- Provides guidance and collaborates on the topic of digital preservation and how we care for and provide access to abstract content
- Creates and performs quality control on processed born-digital archives.
- Creates collaborative workflows with library stakeholders to ensure digital collections are compliant with current accessibility standards.
- Leads the development of a collections-centered approach with respect to the ethical and privacy needs of digital collections; collaborates with library colleagues to conduct reparative description work for digital collection metadata to ensure accurate representation, and incorporate inclusive, non-discriminatory descriptions that do not perpetuate harm.
- Participates in donor engagement and exhibit creation in collaboration with fellow archivists and librarians.
- Provides reference and research assistance, including time on a public service desk, working with students, faculty and scholars as well as external visitors, and for both onsite and remote users.
MSU Librarians may have a quarter-time secondary assignment (position dependent) based on the needs of the library and candidate interests. We welcome candidates who meet the minimum requirements to apply and will support their professional development to grow in this position. Archivists are appointed as regular faculty in the Librarian continuing appointment system. Faculty are expected to independently apply judgment; have excellent oral and communication skills; and demonstrate attention to detail; flexibility; collegiality; the capacity for collaboration; and a commitment to diversity and inclusion in performance of their duties. As faculty, they develop a self-directed program of professional development and scholarly activities related to their position; and serve on library and university committees as elected or assigned.
The archivist will work to advance the initiatives in the MSU Strategic Plan and in the MSU Libraries Strategic Plan. In support of these initiatives, the Libraries serve as a center of activity and engagement on campus, with librarians empowered to support both student development and transformative research activities.
The MSU Libraries Strategic Plan guides our current and future work. The candidate will collaborate with campus partners to help develop a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Michigan State University Libraries serve more than 4,900 faculty, 40,000 undergraduates, and 11,000 graduate and professional students on a park-like campus of over 5,000 acres.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Degree
Masters -Information and Library Sciences
Minimum Requirements
- Masters degree in information or library science from a program accredited by the American Library Association or an equivalent accreditation from an international institution.
- Experience with archival theory and practice
- Knowledge of delivery systems such as Archive-It, Preservica
- Knowledge of archival description in an archival information management system (e.g., ArchivesSpace), digital asset management, digital preservation systems, web archiving, and working with data structure standards relevant to digital collections in a special collections context (including DACS, EAD, EAC-CPF)
- Working knowledge of tools and software used to capture, manage, transfer and deliver born-digital records, including web archiving activities and tools
- Excellent interpersonal, problem solving, and analytical skills, as well as the ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical users
- Preparation and commitment to conducting independent scholarship consistent with a library faculty appointment
- Values varied perspectives and experience and actively fosters a collaborative and respectful culture.
Desired Qualifications
- Continuing education coursework or certification in digital archives, or digital asset management.
- Hands-on experience with relevant digital preservation tools and systems.
- Experience with digital preservation and web-archiving tools such as Preservica, Bitcurator, and Archive-It.
- Experience with scripting or programming languages to automate workflows and processes; tools for data cleaning and/or manipulation (e.g., OpenRefine); specialized forensics tools (e.g., hardware writeblockers, utilities found in the BitCurator environment).
Required Application Materials
Interested applicants should provide:
- A letter of application,
- CV/resume, and
- Names, addresses and email addresses of three references (2 must be present/past supervisors).
Special Instructions
Minimum $64,000. Salary is negotiable. MSU provides generous fringe benefits including health care, dental care, professional development funding, 22 paid vacation days, 9 University holidays, 2 personal observance days, paid sick days, tuition discounts, and relocation reimbursement.
For questions, please contact Jacquelyn Hansen, aholajac@msu.edu, at MSU Libraries' Human Resources Department.
As an institution of higher learning, Michigan State University is committed to providing a safe environment for its students, faculty, and staff in support of its educational mission. With this commitment, the University conducts criminal background checks and professional misconduct reviews of all applicants for employment in faculty, academic staff, and executive management searches.
Professional Misconduct Review
A professional misconduct review is a prerequisite for a candidate to be selected for this position. Applicants will be asked to disclose whether they are subject to any pending investigation, findings or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Professional misconduct includes misconduct related to a person’s employment, including, but not limited to, theft, embezzlement, research integrity, discrimination, or harassment under civil rights laws and policies, including protected identity harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct (sexual assault, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, etc.), and retaliation. All applicants will be asked to sign an authorization and release, which authorizes the University to contact the candidate’s current and former employers, for a period of 7 years prior to the date of application, related to any pending investigations, findings of responsibility and/or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Nothing will be sent to current or former employers unless the candidate reaches the semi-finalist stage.
The existence of professional misconduct history does not automatically exclude a candidate from employment. The University will assess the history, including any information provided by the candidate, in determining whether it is compatible with the position. The University may decline to hire a candidate based on the professional misconduct review. All records obtained from external employers will be kept in a secure location, separate from personnel files. If an applicant fails to sign the authorization and release, the application will be deemed incomplete and will be withdrawn.
Website
lib.msu.edu
MSU Statement
Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.
