Duties

Summary

This position serves as a Digital Collection Specialist and is located within the Digital Content Management Section. The position reports to the Head of the Digital Content Management Section and will work to support By the People, the Library of Congress crowd sourcing transcription program.

The position description number is 385310.

This is a non-supervisory-bargaining unit position.

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Responsibilities

The Digital Content Management Section is responsible for providing digital acquisitions support to Library Services, and for the lifecycle management of digital collections that are not otherwise under the care of a custodial division. The section also is responsible for managing the Library's web archiving program and collections, managing By the People, the Library of Congress crowdsourcing program, and provides advice and assistance to the Law Library as needed. Digital Content Management Section staff collaborate with other Library curatorial units, technical staff and external organizations to establish best practices, implement new and streamline existing digital workflows, and identify digital content management problems and propose solutions for the content within the scope of the section.

By the People (crowd.loc.gov) invites volunteers to transcribe, review, and tag digitized images of manuscripts and typed materials from the Library's collections. All transcriptions are made and reviewed by volunteers before they are returned to loc.gov, the Library's website. These transcriptions improve search, readability, and access to handwritten and typed documents for those who are not fully sighted or cannot read the handwriting of the original documents.

Serves as a digital collections specialist for multiple workflows within the Digital Content Management Section. Applies extensive knowledge of library policies and procedures to the assigned tasks and workflows in order to acquire digital collection materials. Implements, tests, and improves workflows in order to achieve digital content management goals for multiple streams of digital content under care of the unit.

Acquires, creates or oversees creation of descriptive, technical and administrative metadata as needed for collection materials received. Creates and manages automated workflows for ingesting, reviewing, describing, inventorying, and storing digital content.

Utilizes software and hardware tools to assure proper storage locations and identifications. Creates and manages predominantly automated streams from acquisitions sources to storage on appropriate LC systems. Produces or coordinates production of derivative files as appropriate.

Plans and implements assigned portions of digital projects. Suggests improvements to workflows for multiple content streams and identifies risks and challenges to implementation. Establishes priorities and time-frames in coordination with management and stakeholders.

Implements approved plans by scheduling and coordinating work for assigned portions of projects, including recommendations on division of work between and to a project. Tracks assigned portions of project workflow using software tools and schedules activities required to move projects to completion, as appropriate. Reports on status of assigned portions of the project according to the schedules and mechanisms established for the unit.

Coordinates with stakeholders to assist in designing and implementing workflows. Evaluates the results of digital collections projects. Ensures all digital activities and plans for assigned portions of projects conform to or enhance current division and Library bibliographic and custodial practices and make optimum use of scarce resources and staff expertise. Makes recommendations for future improvements.

Develops personal contacts to establish and maintain cooperative work relationships in order to provide or exchange information and professional knowledge related to multiple incoming stream of content.

Consults with supervisors and team leads to resolve problems or issues. Provides input to the supervisor/team leader in planning and implementing workflow procedures and setting production goals for assigned tasks or workflows. Assists others inside and outside the section with resolving digital collections management questions. Creates and makes presentations to internal stakeholders as needed.

Acquires and applies specialized knowledge of techniques and methods relating to digital content management and digital projects. Proposes modifications to existing information practices, precedents, and techniques and adapts previous approaches to solve information, organization, and access issues related to digital content within the assigned task or workflow. Assesses and recommends new solutions to digital content management problems within the assigned area.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
12

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

No additional requirements to those listed above.

Qualifications

Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision.

Knowledge of library best practices and procedures for the lifecycle management of digital collection materials.**

Knowledge of metadata and metadata best practices for managing digital collections.**

Ability to plan and carry out digital content management projects.**

Ability to research and analyze technical issues.

Ability to interact collaboratively with others to provide consultation and liaison duties.

Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.

Education

Additional information

Although it is the Library's policy to afford the maximum pay benefit to employees when setting rates of pay, a new appointee who has had no previous Federal service will generally be paid the minimum step of the grade.

The Library of Congress is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities who meet eligibility requirements are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applicants must submit a complete application package that is received by the closing date of this announcement.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please email ADA@loc.gov. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application. Certification from health care providers are not accepted. For more information contact the Library's Office of EEO/Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States and is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service.

Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation.

The Library reserves the right to fill a lesser or greater number of vacancies indicated during the life of this vacancy announcement.

Initial appointments, permanent or indefinite, to the Library of Congress require completion of a one-year probationary period.

The Library of Congress may offer repayment for all or part of federally insured student loans. However, not all service units within the Library of Congress participates in the repayment of federally insured student loans. Therefore, determination to repay a federally insured student loan is subject to approval by the appropriate service unit.

A "Not to Exceed" (NTE) status is used to identify an appointment with a specific ending date. However, the Library has the right to separate a NTE employee at any time due to either performance issues or budget constraints.

Are you a veteran? Please indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming in your application materials and/or applicant profile and provide the appropriate supporting documentation to validate your claim. Those applying for 5-point preference must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD 214. Those applying for 10-point preference must fill out an SF-15 (click here for the form) and provide the required documentation listed on the back of the form. If required supporting documentation is not attached, Veterans' Preference will not be considered in the application process.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

The Library of Congress evaluates applicants through an applicant questionnaire and a structured interview. Applicants may also be screened for some jobs through licensing, certification, and/or education requirements, a narrative/application review, and/or a preliminary telephone interview. The knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are marked with a double asterisk (**) in the vacancy announcement and the applicant questionnaire are considered the most critical for a position. To be considered for final selection, applicants must demonstrate fully acceptable experience in these designated KSAs in the narrative/application review, preliminary telephone and/or full structured interview. The various assessment tools listed above are designed to verify or explore applicants' experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for selection.

For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please see the Library of Congress Merit Selection Plan, Section X.D, at: http://www.loc.gov/hr/employment/msp010909.pdf .

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

Current or former federal employees must submit their most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent).

Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application. The program does not accept certification from health care providers. For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.