Digital Assets Librarian

The Morton Arboretum is seeking a skilled and innovative Digital Assets Librarian to join our Sterling Morton Library team. This exciting role offers a unique opportunity to manage and preserve our diverse digital assets, including images, videos, documents, and multimedia files. As the primary administrator of ACORN, our collections management system, you will play a crucial role in organizing, cataloging, and ensuring long-term access to our digital collections. We're looking for a passionate professional who can leverage their expertise in digital asset management, metadata standards, and preservation techniques to enhance the discoverability and usability of our resources. If you have a strong background in library science, a keen eye for detail, and a drive to keep pace with emerging technologies in digital libraries, we invite you to apply and help shape the future of our digital collections.

Position Summary: Responsible for managing and organizing digital collections, ensuring access, storage, and long-term preservation of a wide range of digital content, including images, videos, documents, and multimedia files. Play a key role in implementing metadata standards, overseeing ACORN, the Sterling Morton Library’s collections management system, and ensuring compliance with copyright and licensing requirements. Collaborate with various departments to meet organizational needs for digital content and provide training and support for users.

Essential Functions:

• Serve as the primary administrator for ACORN, the Sterling Morton Library’s collections management system. Manage user access and permissions, establish and update system processes and procedures, and troubleshoot technical issues.
• Organize, catalog, and manage digital assets and their associated metadata. Develop and implement metadata standards and controlled vocabularies. Ensure metadata is consistent and accurate across all digital asset collections.
• Manage digitization and cataloging projects, including overseeing volunteer work. Identify, evaluate, and acquire new born-digital assets and digitize physical assets in accordance with Library and Arboretum organizational needs.
• Prioritize and initiate projects that expose the library's digital collections to new audiences and engage the public with the Arboretum's mission. Curate digital assets for online exhibitions, onsite displays, tours, and presentations.
• Collaborate with other Arboretum departments to meet organizational needs for digital content and serve as a point of contact for inquiries related to digital assets. Provide training and support for staff and other users on best practices for managing and using digital assets in ACORN and related tools.
• Establish usage policies for digital assets based on organizational requirements and copyright considerations. Ensure that all digital assets comply with copyright laws, licenses, and terms of use. Maintain up-to-date records of asset licensing and usage rights.
• Ensure long-term preservation, quality control, and access to digital assets.
• Design and conduct usability testing of user interfaces and develop related assessment strategies.
• Generate reports on digital asset usage, analyze trends, and recommend improvements.
• Work with external developers to make ACORN improvements and maintain current versions of the software.
• Assist in the provision of reference and interlibrary loan services to Arboretum staff, researchers, and the general public, guiding them in using print and digital resources.
• Demonstrate alignment with the Arboretum’s employee core values.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• ALA accredited Master’s degree in Library Science required.
• 2+ relevant years of experience required. Experience in digital asset management, digital preservation, or managing digital collections required, preferably in a library, archival or museum setting.
• Familiarity with digital content management systems (e.g., CollectiveAccess, Omeka, or similar platforms).
• Experience with metadata standards (e.g., Dublin Core, METS, MODS) and controlled vocabularies.
• Knowledge of digital preservation techniques and tools, such as OAIS, PREMIS, or digital file integrity tools.
• Experience with cataloging, descriptive metadata, and content management in a digital environment.
• Familiarity with various digital asset formats (e.g., images, audio, video, text documents) and tools for their management.
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, digital asset management tools, and library software systems.

Success Factors:

• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Strong communication skills, both written and oral, to effectively train staff and collaborate with colleagues and external partners.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to work with large digital datasets.
• Demonstrated ability to keep current with emerging technologies in the field of digital libraries and digital preservation, strong knowledge of digital asset management practices, metadata creation, and content preservation strategies.
• Keen eye for detail and a passion for managing digital resources in an evolving technological landscape.

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