The UMKC University Libraries are seeking a collaborative, team-oriented individual to fill the role of Head of Digital Projects, responsible for managing all digital projects for the Special Collections and Archives Division at UMKC University Libraries, including digital repository collections and digital exhibits. The Head of Digital Projects will also participate in digital humanities initiatives by providing leadership on project design and implementation, and consulting on digital exhibits, digital lifecycle management, and emerging digital technologies. The Head of Digital Projects collaboratively designs, develops, and maintains the University's digital repository for special collections, UMKC Digital Special Collections, in order to support the management, digitization process, development of metadata, long-term preservation, and appropriate storage and retrieval of these collections at the University. This position is a non-tenure track, ranked faculty librarian appointment, has supervisory responsibilities, and reports to the Associate Dean of Special Collections and Archives.
Primary duties and responsibilities include:
- Coordinates and oversees all digital projects in the Special Collections and Archives Division, including projects for the digital repository and digital exhibits.
- Provides direction and oversight for Special Collections and Archives Division staff involved in digitization of text and still images, metadata creation, ingest, digital asset management, and access to digitized and born-digital materials; coordinates with the Marr Sound Archives on digitization of audio and moving image materials; collaborates with Curators to set priorities for digitization and access.
- Collaborates with UMKC and University of Missouri (UM) System colleagues to grow, enhance, and manage a suite of shared tools, services, and standards that promote sustainable and scalable digital scholarship and digital collections.
- Serves as UMKC's Technical and Administrative contact for the Missouri Hub of the Digital Public Library of America.
- Works with library and external partners to identify and prioritize support needs, system improvement, and user experience for the libraries' digital special collections repository and digital humanities projects.
- Participates in digital humanities initiatives by leading in digital projects assessment and evaluation to understand project contributor support needs.
- Oversees digital projects design and implementation, ensuring that research and pedagogy projects are delivered on time and are of high quality.
- Provides specialized consulting services to UMKC community members about digital exhibits, digital lifecycle management, and emerging digital technologies.
- Documents and maintains digital repository and services workflows, procedures, and activities, and gathers useful resources to support digital services program development.
- Establishes short and long-range goals that align with the Division, Library and University goals and objectives.
- Directly supervises 1 FTE staff.
See full job description for more details.
Diversity Commitment
The University Libraries are fully committed to creating and maintaining an anti-racist and anti-oppressive environment for a diverse academic community of faculty, staff and students. Recent initiatives are outlined on the University Libraries' Equity Committee page: https://library.umkc.edu/dei-committee. We seek individuals who will contribute to library-wide efforts to implement and maintain anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices in all services and who are committed to our core campus values of learning, diversity, integrity, accountability, respect, and collaboration.
Special Collections & Archives at UMKC University Libraries
The UMKC University Libraries' Special Collections & Archives (SCA) division consists of LaBudde Special Collections, Marr Sound Archives, University Archives, Cataloging & Metadata Management, and Digital Projects. SCA's primary source materials are rich in the humanities, particularly in local performing arts, LGBTQ communities, social services organizations, and jazz as well as Kansas-Missouri late 19th century Western Americana and national radio broadcasts from the 1930s-1960s. Prominent collections include the Edgar Parks Snow Papers, Starr Women's Hall of Fame inductee collections, Gay and Lesbian Archive of Mid-America, J. David Goldin Radio Collection, Raymond Scott Collection, Sheet Music Collection, and Victorian Studio Portrait Collection. SCA supports a major component of teaching and learning in the humanities, arts, and social sciences through the use of primary source materials; provides high impact learning experiences to a broad range of students including the development of national award-winning student-curated exhibits; and directly supports undergraduate research initiatives.
Minimum Requirements:
- ALA accredited MLS or a graduate degree in an appropriate discipline (history, archival management or related area)
- 2+ years or equivalent experience working with digital collections or archives, including demonstrated experience in managing projects;
- Successful supervisory experience or successful experience coordinating a team;
- Experience working with digital asset management, digital repository, digital exhibits, and/or other digital library systems (e.g. Islandora, DSpace, Fedora, CONTENTdm, Omeka);
- Knowledge of strategies and best practices for digital object creation, curation, delivery, and preservation;
- Familiarity with a variety of digital library standards for file formats, metadata content and structure;
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively, in teams that encompass a range of roles and knowledge;
- Demonstrated commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, evidenced through direct action;
- Potential to meet promotion requirements in non-tenure track appointment.
Preferred qualifications:
- Successful grant-seeking experience.
Salary: This is a 12 month, ranked, non-tenure track faculty position. (See the Promotion and Appointments Criteria for rank specifications.) The minimum salaries for ranks are: Librarian I $48,500, Librarian II $51,000, Librarian III $56,000, and Librarian IV $63,500. Please note that these are minimum salaries, not ranges. Salaries are negotiable and commensurate with experience (University of Missouri Salary Report). UMKC offers an excellent retirement/benefits package.
Application Instructions: Application materials must be submitted online at https://info.umkc.edu/hr/careers/academic-positions/. Click View Jobs and search for ID '36401' to apply. Applicants must combine all application materials (cover letter that directly addresses how you meet the requirements of the position, curriculum vitae, and a list of 3 references) into one PDF or Microsoft Word document and upload as a single attachment. Limit document name to 50 characters. Maximum size limit is 11MB. Do not include special characters (e.g., /, &, %, etc.).
Applications received by May 16, 2021 will receive priority consideration. Applications received after this date will continue to be reviewed until the position is filled.
For questions about how applicants apply, please call (816) 235-1621, or if you are experiencing technical problems, please call (855) 524-0002.
You may address your cover letter to: Sandy Rodriguez, Search Committee Chair. For all inquiries about the position, please contact 816-235-1531 or umkcula@umkc.edu.
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Sandy Rodriguez
Associate Dean of Special Collections & Archives
University of Missouri Kansas City
Kansas City MO
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