Head of Visual Materials Cataloging & Description

Digital Library Federation; New York, Northern (NY, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The New York Public Library (NYPL) seeks a Manager of Visual Materials Description to lead original and copy cataloging for photographs, prints, illustrations, designs, artwork, three-dimensional models, realia, and related items in its Rare Materials Cataloging unit. You will plan workflows and supervise staff to ensure accurate descriptive records.

Collaborate with curators and technical services, develop standards, and advance access to unique collections across NYPL's centers and libraries.

Qualifications

• ALA-accredited MLS / MLIS or advanced degree in a related field, such as Museum Studies or Art History, with relevant, substantial research library experience in special collections
• 5+ years experience cataloging visual materials in a research or academic library, museum, or other setting
• 3+ years experience managing complex cataloging projects, coordinating staff, timelines, workflows, and resources to meet institutional goals
• Experience working with born-digital photographs and visual materials
• Demonstrated experience cataloging photographic and visual materials according to established descriptive and encoding standards
• Experience with creating metadata crosswalks and migrating metadata between systems
• Training or experience in preservation and collections documentation
• Experience in working collaboratively with varied groups in a complex organization
• Strong original cataloging skills for visual materials at the item and collection level
• Familiarity with visual materials standards like DCRM(G), VRA-Core, CCO, BIBFRAME ARM ontology, and CIDOC-CRM
• Engagement with the history of photography, art, and/or printmaking; humanities; special collections librarianship; and preservation of works on paper
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills; ability to communicate with stakeholders across a large organization
• Ability to work with materials in addition to English (multi-language sensitivity)
• Awareness of trends in cataloging, metadata, and linked data including BIBFRAME, XML, RDF, and LOD projects

Responsibilities

• Perform and oversee original and copy cataloging for a wide range of visual materials according to national and local cataloging standards
• Plan, coordinate, and manage visual materials cataloging workflows based on institutional priorities and strategic goals
• Develop and maintain departmental cataloging documentation in collaboration with the Senior Manager and partners
• Participate in development of institution-wide cataloging standards with technical services, public services, and curatorial partners
• Review and evaluate cataloging work to ensure accuracy, quality, and adherence to standards
• Contribute to organizational tasks related to receipt and accessioning of acquisitions and data migration in NYPL's ILS, Sierra, and other systems
• Lead or contribute to strategic initiatives and projects to advance description, discovery, and access of visual materials
• Represent NYPL in professional organizations, conferences, and collaborative projects related to visual materials description
• Perform other duties as required

Skills

Original cataloging

Metadata standards

Team leadership

Collaboration

Communication

Education

MLS / MLIS

Advanced degree in related field

Tools

Sierra ILS

DCRM

VRA-Core

BIBFRAME

Job description

The New York Public Library (NYPL) seeks a Manager of Visual Materials Description to lead original and copy cataloging for photographs, prints, illustrations, designs, artwork, three-dimensional models, realia, and related items in its Rare Materials Cataloging unit. You will plan workflows and supervise staff to ensure accurate descriptive records.

Collaborate with curators and technical services, develop standards, and advance access to unique collections across NYPL's centers and libraries.