Digital Archivist, Department of Special Collections and the Senator Dianne Feinstein, Stanford, CA

Posted November 28, 2023

About the Position:

Under the direction of the Assistant Director (and consulting with the Feinstein Lead Archivist and Project Manager), the Digital Archivist is responsible for assessing the digital records for the Senator Dianne Feinstein papers. They will work with the Personal Identifying Information (PII) Specialist to identify and review all files flagged as containing restricted or sensitive data. They will work with other data specialists across the library to assess if and how the contents of two databases might be made available. They will describe and make ready for use by researchers the digital archival component of a leading politician representing California in the federal executive branch.

The Digital Archivist is responsible for assessing all files for content, research interest, and restrictions and determining levels of processing and descriptive metadata and preparing them for researcher access and delivery. The Digital Archivist will also collaborate with the staff in Special Collections and other departments across the library to create preservation and access plans for these materials.

Core Duties*:

●              Execute the assessment, arrangement, and description of all digital materials in the Senator Dianne Feinstein papers, including databases, audiovisual, image, and text files according to standards such as DACS or ISAD(G)

●              Oversee processing of digital files and eventual ingestion into the Stanford Digital Repository including the creation of descriptive and technical metadata for these files

●              Work independently and make judgments and recommendations about content appraisal and access and report to the immediate supervisor on critical decisions.

●              Collaborate with colleagues to determine and implement best practices for long-term preservation and research access to three separate databases – IQ, Quill, and Airtable.

●              Responsible for the creation and publication of descriptions for digital content including the finding aid, catalog record, item level records for digital objects, and an online exhibit for the collection.

●              Create and maintain documentation of collection processing, including assessment, transfer, discovery, access, and preservation.

●              Collaborate with colleagues and with the broader congressional archivist community seeking to process, preserve and provide access to their congressional digital records.

●              Publish articles on project discoveries and updates on SUL blogs.

●              Perform other duties as assigned.

* – Other duties may also be assigned

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education and Experience:

·         Advanced Degree in Library Science or a relevant academic discipline with demonstrated understanding of academic libraries and two or more years of experience in a relevant library setting with evidence of capacity to work at a high level of responsibility or a combination of education and relevant experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

·         Experience with relevant aspects of library operations including understanding of contemporary library practices, trends and emerging technologies for managing, processing, and providing access to archival collections in analog and digital formats.

·         Manage the hiring and work of the rest of the team

·         Consistent display of excellent verbal and written communication skills, including strong presentation skills.

·         Ability to work independently as well as effectively in a collaborative team environment.

·         Ability to collaborate and negotiate issues with people from different parts of the library and outside the library, including collection curators and creators.

·         Ability to manage projects, develop access & use policies or contribute to library initiatives across functional lines

·         Ability to identify challenges and opportunities, engage others in their resolution, and recommend appropriate courses of action.

·         Demonstrated ability to evaluate and improve online resources in terms of content quality, functionality, and user interface issues.

·         Contribute to the gathering of requirements for processing databases regarding processing and making available.

·         Collaborate with individuals and organizations as creators and depositors of archives

·         Create and maintain documentation, including contributing to a curation manual documenting processing practices for born-digital archives.

·         Demonstrated success in independently performing complex job functions such as collection management reviews, preparation of major exhibits, developing policies for business practices.

·         Evidence of engagement in relevant professional or academic communities.

How to Apply:

Apply using the link below:

https://careersearch.stanford.edu/jobs/feinstein-papers-digital-archivist-23574?et=2MCB78Sw1