Head of Digital Preservation (89222BR)

University Job Title

Librarian, Digital Preservation

Bargaining Unit

None - Not included in the union (Yale Union Group)

Time Type

Full time

Duration Type

Regular

Compensation Grade

library

Compensation Grade Profile

(LIB)

Wage Ranges

Click here to see our Wage Ranges

Searchable Job Family

Library

Total # of hours to be worked:

37.5

Work Days/Hours (Other Than Standard)

Standard (M-F equal number of hours per day, 37.5 per week); hours to be worked between 7:30 am and 5:30 pm.

Work Week

Standard (M-F equal number of hours per day)

Work Location

Central Campus

Worksite Address

221 Whitney Ave

New Haven, CT 06511

Work Model

Remote

Position Focus

Reporting to the Associate Director for Preservation Digital Strategies, the Head of Digital Preservation provides vision, leadership, and strategic direction for digital preservation, creating, and maintaining strategies and policies to ensure that collections are preserved and accessible. Advocates for sustainable stewardship and works with stakeholders to build considerations for digital preservation into every stage of the lifecycle. Plays an important role in team building and cultivates a supportive remote work culture. Works closely with the Associate Director to set unit goals and establish a vision for preservation and stewardship that aligns with the Library’s strategic directions. Raises awareness about the unit’s work, meets with colleagues to understand their needs, translates their requirements into sustainable technical solutions, and cultivates new partnerships related to digital preservation.

Applications should be submitted by Monday August 19 for initial review. We will hold virtual information sessions on Thursday July 25 at 11am ET and Tuesday July 30 at 1pm ET. Interested applicants are encouraged to attend. Link to the session: https://bit.ly/3VelxYs.

Directs the development of and provides oversight for a large-scale complex digital preservation program that encompasses the library’s digital preservation repository and born-digital accessioning service. Oversees the creation and implementation of policies and processes to preserve, manage, and ensure continued access to digital collections. Researches and investigates new tools, technologies and emergent strategies. Identifies new program opportunities. Manages, trains and supervises a largely remote 4-person team of digital preservation librarians and born digital specialist. Establishes metrics, tracks progress and reports on the unit’s work in support of a resource-informed stewardship model. Develops and leads cross-training initiatives to ensure skillsets are distributed across the team. Works closely with LIT, Yale ITS, and other stakeholders to develop and maintain a robust technical infrastructure and ensure workflow integration between systems. Maintains effective relationships with vendors providing systems and services. Partners with digital preservation repository product owner to ensure development requests to vendors meet Yale’s needs. Develops and maintains disaster recovery planning and policy for digital materials in coordination with other departments. Conducts and documents periodic infrastructure review. Partners with the Software Preservation and Emulation Program to coordinate outreach efforts, collaborate on projects, align goal setting and strategic planning efforts, and raise awareness of software preservation and emulation as methods of preserving enduring access to digital collections. Collaborates with Digital Special Collections & Access to develop processes, workflows, and systems integrations that facilitate access to digital collections materials. Leads outreach and consultation, serving as a resource for campus stakeholders, including Museums and Galleries, about best practices for digital stewardship and preservation. Advises subject specialists, librarians, and curators on the acquisition, preservation, and access of digital collection materials. Participates in library- and university-wide committees and task forces and in regional, national, and international professional activities.

Essential Duties

• Identify and troubleshoot digital preservation issues including digital preservation system issues and ad-hoc user generated digital preservation related challenges2. Work with content owners/depositors to configure and monitor workflows for ingesting, preserving, accessing and reporting on preserved digital content3. Understand, configure and enforce security protocols within digital preservation systems and services4. Provide support and training for users of tools and services provided by the digital preservation team5. Use available tools and capabilities to identify at-risk digital content and propose and/or implement strategies to mitigate those risks6. Develop, test and execute digital preservation plans to ensure digital content can continue to be accessible in the future7. Work with stakeholders throughout the Library and Yale University to document digital preservation policies and processes to meet the requirements of ISO 16363 Requirements for the Audit and Certification of Trustworthy Digital Repositories. 8. Develop requirements for and test updates to the digital preservation software when implemented, and ensure all processes are running as expected.9. Undertake role-related research and development.10. Other duties as assigned.
  
  

Required Education And Experience

• Master’s degree from an ALA‐accredited library school. In selected instances, a post‐graduate degree in a related discipline may be required or substituted for a master’s degree in library science. 2. Demonstrated excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communications and analytical ability. 3. Demonstrated record of designing projects and bringing them to a conclusion in a timely fashion. 4. Experience working collegially and cooperatively within and across organizations.5. Experience working collaboratively and independently with varied groups within a complex organization and rapidly changing, team environment. Yale University assigns ranks to librarian positions based on a combination of professional experience and accomplishments (see range assigned to this description as noted in the posting position title). Librarian ranking information can be found at: http://guides.library.yale.edu/c.php?g=296164&p=1973882
  
  

Required Skill/Ability 1

Demonstrated ability and success in the development and/or management of a digital library, archive, or repository. Demonstrated ability setting service expectations for large, complex, and/or timebound projects. Eagerness to learn and adapt in a fast-paced environment.

Required Skill/Ability 2

Strong people-centered leadership and management skills and demonstrated ability to motivate and direct a high performing team. Demonstrated ability to apply inclusive workplace values and principles to staff development and supervision and foster a collaborative team-based approach to the work.

Required Skill/Ability 3

Demonstrated ability to explain complex technical and preservation issues and processes to non-specialists. Demonstrated ability to evaluate needs and successfully collaborate and effectively communicate across departments with a wide range of stakeholders.

Required Skill/Ability 4

Demonstrated ability with current technologies, standards, and practice in preservation of digital collections. Demonstrated understanding of sustainable stewardship.

Required Skill/Ability 5

Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and a demonstrated ability to apply these concepts to digital stewardship.

Preferred Education, Experience And Skills

Familiarity with the requirements of a Trusted Digital Repository. Knowledge of Intellectual Property and Rights management as it relates to digital assets. Project management training and familiarity with preservation principles and procedures relating to library and Special Collections materials. Familiarity with information technology project management approaches.

Weekend Hours Required?

No

Evening Hours Required?

No

Drug Screen

No

Health Screening

No

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.

COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement

Required

The University maintains policies pertaining to COVID-19. All faculty, staff, students, and trainees are required to comply with these policies, which may be found here:

https://covid19.yale.edu/health-guidelines

Posting Disclaimer

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the particular position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring departments.

EEO Statement

University policy is committed to affirmative action under law in employment of women, minority group members, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans. Additionally, in accordance with Yale’s Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment, and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, status as a special disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other covered veteran.

Inquiries concerning Yale’s Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment may be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility (OIEA).

Note

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus