Department/Organization
219101 - University Libraries
Rank
Assistant Professor
Position Summary
The University of Alabama Libraries seeks a dynamic, forward-thinking individual for the position of Archival Metadata Librarian. This is a renewable contract faculty appointment with the rank of Clinical Assistant Professor reporting to the Head of Metadata and Archival Processing in the Resource Acquisition & Discovery unit and working collaboratively with metadata librarians, archivists, and digital initiatives staff in Special Collections.
Detailed Position Information
The University of Alabama Libraries seeks a dynamic, forward-thinking individual for the position of Archival Metadata Librarian. This is a renewable contract faculty appointment with the rank of Clinical Assistant Professor reporting to the Head of Metadata and Archival Processing in the Resource Acquisition & Discovery unit and working collaboratively with metadata librarians, archivists, and digital initiatives staff in Special Collections. The position supports access to and discovery of University Libraries rare and unique resources, including manuscript and photograph collections, rare published materials, historic maps, and University records. This position will play a role in improving discovery of archival materials for patrons and will be committed to More Product Less Processing (MPLP) workflows. Specific duties include, but are not limited to: accessioning, processing, and arranging manuscript and photo collections; creating, maintaining, evaluating, and enhancing metadata records and finding aids; managing authority control and subject description in the University Libraries archival data management system (ArchivesSpace); and keeping up-to-date with current trends and issues in archival assessment, arrangement, and description. Clinical Assistant Professors contribute to research and service that support the University Libraries or the University. Responsibilities of the position change as the library environment continues to evolve.
SALARY/BENEFITS: 12-month renewable contract faculty appointment at the Clinical Assistant Professor rank. Salary range is $65,000.00 - $75,000.00, commensurate with qualifications, experience, and advanced degrees. Strong benefits, including professional development support, tuition fee waiver, and matching retirement contributions.
Minimum Qualifications
o Master's in Library Science from an ALA-accredited institution or a doctoral degree in a relevant field.
o Experience with archival metadata creation and schemas including but not limited to: DACS, EAD, Dublin Core, LCSH, etc.
o Demonstrated knowledge of current archival content and structure standards.
o Demonstrated understanding of More Product, Less Process (MPLP).
o Knowledge of basic preservation strategies for archival collections.
o Experience working independently and collaboratively with varied groups within a complex organization.
o Excellent verbal and written communication, including associated skills such as listening and adapting.
o Ability to solve problems independently or collaboratively, using sound judgment in decision-making.
o Knowledge of professional standards, best practices, and emerging technologies in metadata and libraries.
o Willingness to explore new technologies and to find ways to incorporate them in order to enhance services and complete tasks more efficiently.
o Responsibilities of this position change as the University Libraries continue to evolve.
Preferred Qualifications
o Additional graduate degree in History or a related field. o 1-2 years of professional experience processing manuscript and/or photograph collections, including physical arrangement and creation of finding aids in accordance with archival best practices. o Experience working with ArchivesSpace or another archival data management system. o Experience with Aeon and LibInsight. o Experience creating, revising, and facilitating workflow improvements to increase efficiency. o Experience using best practices and professional standards for processing print, digitized, and born digital materials. o Experience with using and conducting quality control checks for OCR o Experience enhancing metadata to improve discoverability through accurate creation of finding aids. o Knowledge of data manipulation using MarcEdit, EXCEL, or OpenRefine. o Experience working with born-digital collections. o Experience performing authority control. o Knowledge of and experience working with photographic formats. o Organizational and project management skills. o Reading proficiency in Spanish or another European language.
Instructions and Required Materials for Application
Applications are accepted online only at https://careers.ua.edu. Click Faculty Jobs, then University Libraries. Please include your application, Curriculum Vitae, cover letter, and names, addresses, phone numbers, and e- mail addresses of three references, including one current supervisor. Consideration of applications will begin immediately and will continue until position is filled. Applications received by May 21, 2025 are assured of receiving full consideration. For questions regarding the search, contact Michael Arthur, Senior Associate Dean, at maarthur@ua.edu.
About the Division/College/School
The University of Alabama Libraries, a system of four separate discipline-related libraries, is proud to support the research enterprise at the University of Alabama via a comprehensive and integrated network of resources, services, and technologies designed to meet the academic and research needs of students, faculty, and staff. We take pride in serving as a hub for innovation, knowledge creation and dissemination, research assistance, and collaborative learning.
Members of the University of Alabama family visited our physical and virtual spaces over 10 million times in 2022. Our print collections span over 6 million volumes, and we offer access to 2.5 million E-Books, 220,000 AV titles, and 98,000 E-Journals via our 685 databases.
University Libraries provides strong mentorship for faculty and staff, with ongoing collaborative opportunities, and administrative support for innovative services and ideas. We provide excellent support for needed technology and conference travel, and we are invested in academic freedom with teaching and research.
Our staff routinely update and maintain cutting edge programs of service in support of our stakeholders. Our faculty librarians have developed a robust instruction program, including a series of research data services and workshops, that consistently performs at the top of the SEC. We are heavily invested in performing the same high value research that our stakeholders produce, and that assists us in our data-driven strategic planning for the future. Our librarians have produced 75 peer reviewed journal articles in Tier 1 journals in the last 2 years.
If working with a talented group of professionals who value service, innovation, and high achievement, earning a nationally competitive starting salary, in a thriving college town, with a low cost of living, close to Birmingham, Atlanta, Nashville, New Orleans, and the Gulf Coast sounds interesting to you, start your application process with us to learn more!
About the University
The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, named one of Travel + Leisure's 25 Best College Towns and Cities in the U.S. As one of the nation's premier universities, UA offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in nearly 200 fields of study. With more than 1,400 acres of tree-lined academic core campus and over 300 state-of-the art facilities, UA has been ranked among the most beautiful and most impressive college campuses in the South, in the state of Alabama and in the nation.
In Fall 2023, the Capstone set a new enrollment record with more than 39,000 students, including more than 8,200 in the freshman class. The current enrollment includes students from every county in Alabama, every state in the nation and 92 countries around the world. More than 1,100 National Merit Scholars are currently enrolled, making UA one of the largest enrolling institutions of the scholars in the country.
UA was recently recognized as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. students for the seventh time in nine years, as well as a Top Producing Institution of Fulbright U.S. Scholars for the first time. UA is one of only 12 universities in the nation to receive both honors.
For reasons like this, the University made Forbes list of America's Top Colleges for 2023 and Time magazine's list of Top 50 Best Colleges for Future Leaders. It also made Princeton Review's list of Top Value Colleges.
UA is also designated among the top doctoral research universities in the United States in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. One of the fastest growing major research institutions in the nation, UA saw a 21% increase in sponsored awards in the 2023 fiscal year.
Since 2015, UA has invested over $1.1 billion in the physical campus, adding more than 2.55 million gross square feet of space, over 150 new research-intensive faculty, signature research areas (e.g., "The Alabama Research Institutes"), and a growing number of partnerships with industry and with state and federal agencies.
The University employs nearly 2,100 faculty and over 4,500 staff, with 52 UA researchers included in the National Academy of Inventors. An additional 40 current faculty have received the NSF CAREER Award, the nation's most prestigious recognition of top performing young scientists in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences.
Background Investigation and EEO Statement
Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.
The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants to and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. Follow the link below to find out more. "EEO is the Law" https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf
University of Alabama
Apr 19, 2025