Summary:

The Gottesman Libraries aspire to excellence in advancing and sharing transformative knowledge to develop informed and engaged thinkers and leaders in the educational, psychological, and health professions. We envision the library, beyond walls, as heart and soul for the exchange of thoughts and ideas that inform a smarter, healthier, and more equitable world enlightened by history, leadership, and innovation.

Reporting to the Library Director, the Special and Digital Collections Librarian is responsible for stewarding special and digital collections. The Special and Digital Collections Librarian will collaborate with Library and College colleagues to process, catalog, and ensure high quality service for special and digital library materials and assets that build upon collecting strengths and support institutional needs and policy. She/he/they will provide a high level of service for these collections and also participate in their promotion through displays, instruction, and outreach to members of Teachers College and the broader community of researchers and scholars. The incumbent will play an important role in advising upon policy and curating resources for scholarly research and integrated discovery.

Duties:

Administers special and digital collections. Establishes criteria for and performs collection development based on knowledge of institutional history, community needs, usage levels, and relevance of materials. 

Coordinates special and digital collection maintenance and strategies for development in collaboration with library staff and programs and offices of the College, with close attention to the physical condition of historical collections, growing digital assets, and metadata schema.

Processes and catalogs special and digital materials employing standard bibliographic and archival practices to ensure quality arrangement, description, and service, and collaborates with staff on relevant outsourced and grant-funded projects. 

Provides high quality reference service and readers’ advisory to researchers using the special and digital collections that reflect the history and history-in-making of Teachers College, Columbia University. 

Promotes the special and digital collections through community outreach, exhibits and displays, and communication with other libraries and archival repositories.

Keeps abreast of developments within the profession, including: the history of education, archives and preservation, and best practices in library technical and research services.

Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

-- ALA-accredited master’s degree in Library and Information Science OR equivalent
education and experience (subject expertise combined with appropriate teaching
experience and/or library experience)

-- Demonstrated knowledge of current national archival and descriptive standards and best
practices, including working knowledge of Dublin Core and MARC

-- Experience accessioning, arranging, and describing born digital archival material

-- Ability to foster and grow effective interpersonal relationships with library staff, faculty
and students

-- Evidence of analytical, organizational, communication, project, and time management
skills and demonstrated ability to set priorities, meet deadlines, and complete tasks and
projects on time and within budget

-- Demonstrated proficiency and capabilities with personal computers and software, the
Web, and library-relevant information technology applications. Working knowledge of
standard computer office applications such as Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Access,
PowerPoint or other productivity software

-- Demonstrated ability acquiring and using new computing skills, such as learning new
software applications and exploring innovative tools and services

-- Demonstrated knowledge of current trends and issues in academic libraries, higher
education, and relevant subject disciplines

Preferred Qualifications:

-- Knowledge of/experience with archives and digital asset management systems

-- Experience providing reference service, preferably in a special collection or archival
setting, including historical research methodology and experience using online and print
research tools

-- Knowledge of or experience with scripting languages to automate computational
processes

-- Familiarity with Alma, Primo VE, and Alma Digital

-- Experience working with donors to transfer born digital records into an archive

-- Knowledge of current approaches and best practices in digital preservation and other
digital archives functions

 

 

Apply online here

Submit specified application materials to hr@tc.columbia.edu.