Title:
Division:
Special Collections Librarian
Academic Affairs
Department:
Location:
Schedule:
Glickman Library, Portland Campus
Schedule may vary during University vacation periods or for SPC events
and activities.
I.
University Libraries, Special
Collections
Organizational Relationships:
Reports To:
Supervises:
Coordinates with:
Head of Special Collections
Classified staff, student assistants
Head of Cataloging; Library staff, USM faculty and staff; Special
Collections donors and the general public
II.
Statement of the Job:
The Special Collections Librarian provides public services and technical services
for Special Collections (SPC) including accessioning and processing manuscript
and other collections, the University Archives, as well as rare book cataloging.
The Librarian oversees the public services of Special Collections. The Special
Collections Librarian works with the Head to publicize and promote SPC,
integrate materials use into the curriculum and instructs and assists with USM
classes. As part of the Special Collections team, this position is involved in all
aspects of promoting Special Collections goals.
III.
Essential Functions:
1. Plans, develops, and implements collections management procedures and
workflow for Special Collections to ensure physical and intellectual control of the
collections.
2. Supervises and/or provides the initial processing and documentation of
manuscript and book donations. Supervises and provides full processing of
manuscript collections, in accordance with national and local standards.
Maintains and applies cataloging protocols for book collections.
3. With the Head of Special Collections develops and implements strategies to
increase and integrate the use of Special Collections materials into USM courses
and the curriculum. Works with faculty to help identify special collections
resources to use in classes.
4. Instructs or assists in instructing classes in the use and handling of collection
materials and in completing assignments.
5. Oversees public services for Special Collections including providing back up
coverage and service when needed.
6. Prepares text of publications and other educational materials, including design,
editing, layout, and proofreading.
7. Maintains the collection management database which includes location, specifics
of the contents of collections and writing creator and collection descriptions.
8. Supervises the organization of materials physically in the Special Collections
stacks according to professional guidelines, including preservation housing as
necessary.
9. Maintains overview knowledge of the contents of all collections to assist in
identifying possibilities for researchers, classes, exhibitions and the community.
10. Prepares and maintains statistics and other management information on the
processing of collections.
11. Collaborates with the Head of Cataloging and identifies materials for cataloging.
12. Analyzes and describes the physical bibliographic details of rare and special
materials to produce cataloging records with full MARC/RDA content designation
in accordance with national standards of cataloging practice and the
requirements of OCLC or other relevant international bibliographic utilities, and in
accordance with the UMS system-wide cataloging standards.
13. Provides or oversees the provision of metadata for digitized materials in special
collections.
14. Keeps current on revisions in MARC/RDA format and cataloging rules and
applies those rule changes as necessary.
15. Supervises and/or carries out the review, editing, and upgrading of complex copy
cataloging records found on OCLC to enhance the quality of bibliographic
information and assigning call numbers.
16. Sends or delegates the sending of acknowledgement letters and deeds of gifts to
donors. Communicates with donors to confirm terms of gift in the absence of the
Head.
17. Maintains collection descriptions on Special Collections webpages.
18. Recommends bibliographic and reference resources for Special Collections.
IV.
Marginal Functions:
1. In the absence of the Head of Special Collections, may assist with the Sampson
Center Board and the Sampson Center Collection Advisory Committees.
2. Makes decisions with the University Librarian on behalf of Special Collections in
absence of the Head of Special Collections.
3. Moves books and boxes on and off shelves and moves collections within the
library using book carts.
V.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
Trains, supervises and assists student workers, both graduate and
undergraduate. May supervise tasks of hourly employees in Special Collections
as appropriate.
VI.
Financial Responsibilities:
None directly
VII.
Public/Professional Activities:
1. Represents the library on USM, University of Maine System, and other
professional committees as assigned or otherwise appropriate.
2. Participates in professional meetings, workshops, and conferences, especially
those with an emphasis on special collections, archives and cataloging.
3. Develops a pattern of professional participation and involvement through
research, service, and/or other available avenues consistent with a high level of
professional growth.
VIII.
Internal and External Contacts :
Internal: All library staff; USM students, faculty, and staff; UMS students, staff
and faculty.
External: Staff at state, regional and national libraries and information centers;
Special Collections donors; Non-USM students, donors and the general public.
IX.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
1. Knowledge of special collections and archives librarianship, including public
services, archival accessing, processing and preservation.
2. Ability to work with students and faculty in the use of materials, to provide class
instruction about special collections and promote the use of special collections.
3. Knowledge of the general legal context within which special collections archives
administration must operate, especially with regard to privacy, copyright, records
retention, transfer of ownership, and donor relationships.
4. Good knowledge of the principles of cataloging including original and copy
cataloging for entry into OCLC or other online bibliographic utilities and URSUS,
the University of Maine System libraries' cooperative library system.
5. Good working knowledge of, and ability to interpret and apply several detailed
sets of cataloging rules and standards, including those for authority control,
MARC formats, AACR2R, DCRM(B) and LC subject heading and classification
systems.
6. Skilled in the use of an integrated library system, preferably Innovative
Interfaces, Inc.
7. Knowledge of special collections finding aids, websites, metadata standards and
digital trends in special collections
8. Awareness of new technologies and their implications on library technical and
public services.
9. Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
10. Ability to supervise classified staff, student workers and volunteers.
11. Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
12. Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team in a diverse,
multicultural and non-traditional academic community.
13. Ability to operate a variety of library and computer equipment.
14. Physical ability to use a telephone, photocopiers, computers and office
equipment; retrieve books, serials and microforms located on shelves; lift books,
serials, and equipment weighing up to 20 pounds.
X.
Qualifications:
Required:
Education:
A Master's degree from an ALA-accredited Library Science program or
equivalent graduate program
Experience:
A minimum of two years of cataloging experience using OCLC and an integrated
online library system and/or a minimum of two years successful experience in
special collections or archives management.
Understanding and experience with AACR2R, USMARC formats and Library of
Congress rule interpretations, practices, and standards in creating bibliographic
records, including LC subject headings and classification schemes.
Demonstrated proficiency in computer skills, including experience with Microsoft
Office software programs
Preferred:
An emphasis on special collections and/or archival management in the MLS
degree
Experience in public services settings and in working with students and faculty
Supervisory experience
Knowledge and/or interest in emerging metadata standards and services
Cataloging and/or special collections experience in an academic environment
Experience with the Innovative Interfaces library system
Experience organizing electronic or digitized information resources for retrieval,
working with websites and digitization
Experience with library database maintenance and authority control
Demonstrated experience in conducting research in primary and secondary
sources
Experience in developing, managing, or participating substantively in a
preservation program
For Office Use Only
Approved Date:
Job Family:
Salary Band:
Unit:
Employee:
Position #:
Updated May 2014
12
103
UMPSA
Vacant
00012649