Assistant or Associate Professor – Digital Archivist

The University Libraries at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) seeks a Digital Archivist to lead the Archives & Special Collections unit’s strategies for the capture and long-term stewardship of digital archival resources.
 

Working in close collaboration with faculty and staff in Archives & Special Collections, the Digital Archivist will provide expertise for the evaluation and implementation of systems and processes for the long-term management of born-digital archival records. Additionally, the Digital Archivist will support cross-unit initiatives to steward digital assets and the continued development and use of collection management systems for archival collections.
 

The Digital Archivist joins the UNL Libraries at a time of change and renewal. Initially reporting to the Interim Chair of Digital Initiatives and Special Collections, this person will be engaged in the Libraries’ strategic plan and its objective to invest in digital content programs. More specifically, the Digital Archivist will be a key team member in the next-stage development of a robust digital archiving and preservation program. Librarians in the University Libraries have faculty status; the successful candidate will be hired at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor (tenure/tenure-leading).
 

The University Libraries creates and fosters inclusive environments for teaching, learning, scholarship, creative expression, and civic engagement. The ability to find, access, evaluate, utilize, and create reliable information resources is central to higher education, the public good, and achieving equity and justice. Libraries faculty are empowered to provide an array of library services, collections, and spaces to meet the diverse needs of students, faculty, and researchers. The Libraries is committed to providing financial and other support for faculty professional development and travel. The Digital Archivist will undertake their efforts with attention to how social and structural biases and inequalities are manifest in development and accessibility of archival records.

Responsibilities 

Working cooperatively with colleagues in the Archives & Special Collections, Libraries IT, data research, and related areas in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, the Digital Archivist will: 

• Preserve and make accessible digital content of lasting legal, historical, evidential, research, or administrative value. 
• Review and analyze digital content to determine archival value and long-term storage and access plans. 
• Utilize digital forensics tools to retrieve data from a variety of storage media. 
• Provide expert advice about digital preservation, digitization and reformatting, and metadata to the Libraries and the campus communities. 

• Develop policies and procedures that enable and promote responsible stewardship of digital archives by applying commons standards and best practices. 
• Manage information systems to acquire, describe, preserve, and provide access to Archives & Special Collections’ holdings. 
• Train and mentor student employees to perform entry-level tasks involving born-digital or digitized materials. 
• Actively engage in anti-racist work to advance inclusive excellence and redress systemic inequities. 
• Contribute to the knowledge base of the profession through research, publication, and professional engagement in line with a tenured faculty appointment. 

• Participate in library, university, and professional service activities. 

Salary

Minimum Required Qualifications 

• MLIS from an ALA-accredited institution with a concentration in Archives or an equivalent combination of education and experience in digital preservation. 
• Demonstrated knowledge of archival theory and practice. 
• Knowledge of metadata and digital preservation standards such as DACS, EAD, Dublin Core, MARC, PREMIS, and OAIS. 
• Experience with tools and systems for acquiring, preserving, and providing access to born-digital and digitized materials. 
• Demonstrated commitment to and support for a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Three or more years of relevant professional experience. 
• Demonstration of professional involvement and evidence of scholarly activity. 
• Experience in an archival repository in a research library setting. 
• Experience with relevant software, such as BitCurator, Rosetta, Preservica, Archive-It, or ArchivesSpace. 
• Progress toward Digital Archives Specialist (DAS) Certificate from Society of American Archivists. 

About Lincoln and the University of Nebraska. 

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln seeks to attract and retain a high performing and diverse workforce in which employees’ differences are respected and valued to better meet the varying needs of the diverse populations we serve. The university fosters a diverse and inclusive work environment that promotes collaboration so that all individuals are able to participate and contribute to their full potential.  

Lincoln, Nebraska, is a city of nearly 300,000 people and the state capital, where residents enjoy a low cost of living, high-quality public schools, and more parkland per capita than most U.S. cities. See https://www.unl.edu/lincoln/.  

As an EO/AA employer, qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation. See https://www.unl.edu/equity/notice-nondiscrimination.