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Digital Archivist, Harvard College Library, Cambridge, MA

Posted September 11, 2019

Job Code: 386057 Library Professional 

Houghton Library, the primary repository for Harvard’s rare books and manuscripts, seeks an innovative, collaborative, and motivated Digital Archivist to build a program for accessioning, processing, preserving and providing access to born-digital materials. The digital archivist will bring vision to collaboratively shape Houghton’s born-digital program, including collection development policies and open access solutions.

 

The digital archivist will be situated within the Manuscript Section of the Technical Services Department and will work closely with colleagues in Collections and Public Services Departments. The digital archivist will actively collaborate with the larger Harvard Library digital forensics, preservation, and archives community to advance the creation of consistent policies and workflows across repositories. 

Posting will remain open until filled, however applications will be reviewed beginning Monday, October 7th. 

 

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Works with Collections Division to establish policies; assists with appraisal and transfer of digital materials;

  • Develops workflows; writes and maintains documentation; trains staff on systems and procedures;

  • Installs, tests, and maintains software and hardware for ingest, accessioning, processing, preservation, and access to born-digital materials;

  • Arranges and describes both analog and born-digital archival materials;

  • Works with colleagues in Public Services and other stakeholders in the ongoing development of access systems for born digital materials;

  • Provides reference assistance to researchers, including those requiring access to files on obsolete media;

  • Collaborates with Harvard Library colleagues in developing and sharing best practices;

  • Participates in library-wide committees and is active within the professional as related to archives, special collections, and digital preservation.

 

Basic Qualifications

  • MLS, MSIS, MLIS or other Master’s Degree in a relevant field (for example, History with a concentration in archival administration, Information Systems with a concentration in digital asset management)
  • 3 plus years of archival experience
  • Experience with digital forensics/disk imaging hardware and software such as BitCurator, FTK, floppy drive controllers (e.g. Catweasel, Kryoflux), writeblockers, Sleuth Kit, fiwalk, and emulators
  • Experience processing born-digital archives on a variety of media, including email, file transfer, and web archives

 

Additional Qualifications

  • Demonstrated knowledge of digital preservation standards and other archival content and metadata standards relevant to control of digital collection material

  • Strong command of archival theory and best practices, especially as they relate to the issues posed by born-digital content

  • High level of proficiency with computers and desktop applications and an aptitude for learning new technologies

  • Experience with programming languages (PHP, Perl, Python); capacity to interact with open source software through Application Programming Interfaces

  • Knowledge of copyright and permissions issues as they relate to digital records

  • Ability to understand and apply computer technology to accomplish work efficiently using appropriate software

  • Ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally

  • Ability to collaborate and work well with a range of project stakeholders

 

Application Instructions

To view the complete position and apply, please follow this link. 

 

Diversity at the Harvard Library

Across the Harvard Library, our work is enriched by our diverse campus community. Our unique and wide-ranging abilities, experiences, and perspectives are integral to achieving Harvard University’s mission of excellence in research, teaching, and learning for our patrons, our collections, and our workplace. We believe that an inclusive environment that cultivates and promotes understanding, respect, and collaboration across our diverse workforce enables our success.
 
We invite individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences and abilities to be a part of our community of over 700 staff members. Our work with faculty, students and researchers to explore answers to intellectual questions, enduring and new, and to seek solutions to the world’s most consequential problems, requires that we not only reflect, but also champion our diverse society.
 
Harvard Library inspires collaboration, reflection, experimentation, and discovery connecting users to related disciplines and to University-wide teaching resources. The Library engages users through curated discovery, digital collections, reimagined physical space, and specialized research support.  Today, Harvard Library’s holdings range from traditional print collections to rapidly expanding access to digital resources. Harvard Library provides the University’s faculty, students, and researchers–now and in the future–with exceptional experiences and comprehensive access to these materials.
 
Learn more about our contributions to the academic enterprise by visiting us at http://library.harvard.edu and about the Harvard University community at http://hr.harvard.edu/why-harvard.
 
The Harvard Library is a proud member of the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) Diversity Alliance.

 

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

 

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