Title:               Library Services Specialist (streaming media)

Category:        Non-exempt, Regular

Department:     User Services & Resource Sharing

Salary Range:     $40,487 - 48,584

Benefits:          11 Days Annual Leave, 15 Days of Sick Leave, 3 Days 

Personal Leave, 15 Paid Holidays, Tuition Remission, Health, Dental, Vision, Prescription Benefits, Retirement

As the largest university library system in the Washington D.C.-Baltimore area, the University of Maryland Libraries serve more than 37,500 students and 4,200 faculty of the flagship College Park campus. The University of Maryland Libraries share the teaching, learning and research goals of the university. Its role as a key academic resource is evident in its service to the academic community and its actionable strategic plan. Recent membership in the Big Ten Academic Alliance is particularly meaningful to the University Libraries and will further propel the university’s ascendancy in academic excellence.

Nature of Work:

    Provides streaming media reserves to UMD users. Processes reserves in Sharestream and Ares, with an emphasis on streaming media reserves. Performs duties including the delivery, access, encoding, transcoding, and captioning of streaming assets. Provides general expertise in digital conversion. Ensures compliance with U.S. Copyright Law and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Provides guidance and instruction to library support staff and student assistants performing tasks related to streaming media reserves. Provides assistance to UMD Libraries’ users and communicates with staff at other libraries.

Volume for these services is closely tied to the academic calendar. Accordingly, annual leave cannot be used during the month of January and the two weeks before and after the start of the Fall and Spring semesters, except in emergencies or other exceptional circumstances. These are peak periods with increased workloads for the Resource Sharing & Reserves unit.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Provides streaming media course reserves

Searches the library’s catalog and other online databases to verify citations and the availability and location of materials. Checks licenses for library assets to view streaming rights and identifies items for purchase.

Captures, encodes, transcodes and provides captions for media for streaming in Sharestream.

Performs quality assurance for media assets, including closed captions and subtitles.

Works with faculty to create clips of media.

Tracks and returns instructor-owned materials.

Completes special projects to maintain and upgrade digital assets to the most updated encoding standards.

Monitors streaming media reserves workflow and turnaround time,ensuring items are available within 1 week (provided local copy is available).

Monitors for copyright infringement and other laws, policies and practices governing access, use, and sharing of information resources. Understands section 107 and section 108 of U.S. copyright law, and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

Takes lead in analyzing streaming media reserves requests to determine if use is fair or if copyright permission may be required. Advises instructors on requesting rights and explains copyright restrictions.

Reviews streaming media requests for copyright and captures justifications provided by instructors in accordance with UMD Libraries’copyright guidelines.

Assists library users and staff at other libraries 

Answers email, telephone, chat, and in-person inquiries regarding interlibrary loan, document delivery, and reserves policies and specific requests.

Educates and guides face-to-face and remote customers with varying levels of proficiency in using course reserves and interlibrary loan services, including how to access these services via the Libraries’ various discovery tools.

Instructs faculty in adding the Course Reserves Streaming Module to ELMS and submitting reserves requests.

 Assists customers with complaint resolution, escalating to Resource

Sharing Coordinator, Course Reserves Coordinator, or Head of Resource Sharing & Reserves (as appropriate).

 Provides directional, informational and other assistance to users during regularly assigned shift(s) at the McKeldin Library Services Desk.

Provides guidance and instruction to library support staff and supervision of student assistants

Partners with the other RSR Student Leads to communicate with, hire,schedule, evaluate, approve timecards for and terminate student employees.

Trains student employees in tasks related to streaming media reserves.

Assigns tasks to student employees daily.

Reviews student employees’ work and performs quality control.

Reviews requests for media that student assistants cannot locate,

updating the requests in ILLiad, Ares, Sharestream and the item records in Aleph.

Answers questions relating to screencapturing, delivery, and digitization of files.

Trains other Libraries staff in streaming media reserves processing.

Provides functional supervision of student assistants during desk shifts.

Provides general digital conversion expertise 

Advises and instructs other library staff and patrons in the use of contemporary and legacy audiovisual format conversion software and equipment.

Troubleshoots audiovisual equipment and collaborates with DST for resolution.

 

Other duties as assigned 

Position may be cross-trained in other resource sharing and reserves functions and assigned other duties as needed.

Participates in university and/or library activities and training related to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. 

Contributes to achieving the University’s and/or the Libraries’ diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility goals.  

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Provides guidance and instruction to library support staff and student assistants performing tasks related to resource sharing and reserves. Provides functional supervision of student assistants working at the Library Services Desk during assigned shifts.

Requirements:

Background Check Required: Offers of employment are contingent on completion of a background check. A prior criminal conviction or convictions will not automatically disqualify a finalist from employment in the position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION: Required:Bachelor's Degree or equivalent combination of education and work experience.Additional related experience and formal education in which one has gained the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for full performance of the work of the job class may be substituted for the education or experience requirement on a year-for-year basis with 30 college credits being equivalent to one year of experience.

 

EXPERIENCE:

Required: One year of experience directly related to the primary duties of the position.

Preferred: Experience working in an academic library. Experience in leading and training student assistants or other employees. Experience working with multiple audiovisual formats.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities: 

Required

General knowledge and understanding of the nature and function of libraries; of library services, standards and procedures; creating and editing streaming media assets. Skill in alphabetic and numeric filing; in using a computer terminal to input and retrieve information; in interpreting and applying library policies and procedures; and in analyzing problems of a moderately complex nature. Ability to communicate effectively; to establish and maintain effective working relationships with library users and staff; to provide leading and training to colleagues and library patrons; to work independently; and to exercise initiative in interpreting and applying rules, procedures, and instructions.

Preferred

Familiarity using Sharestream, encoding hardware, and compression software.

Familiarity with Ares, Canvas, or other learning management systems.

Familiarity with the operation of modern and legacy audiovisual content formats and playback equipment, including DVD, VHS, laserdisc, audiocassette, and compact disc. Knowledge of streaming parameters for multiple digital audiovisual formats.

Knowledge of U.S. Copyright Law sections 107 and 108 as they apply to libraries and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Knowledge of accessibility standards and procedures as related to streaming media. General knowledge of film studies.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Extensive work at a computer, copiers/scanners, and/or digitizing workstation (mostly seated.)

Works in an area of high activity, which may be stressful on occasion.

Work involves standing, reaching, stooping, bending, lifting and moving objects,including loaded book trucks.

Work schedules are subject to change based on the University calendar and staffing needs, i.e. seven days/week, including evenings and weekends.

Applications: Electronic applications required. Please apply online at https://ejobs.umd.edu. No relocation assistance will be provided. You must be legally able to work in the United States; the University of Maryland Libraries will not sponsor individuals for employment. An application consists of a cover letter, which includes the source of advertisement, a curriculum vitae, and names/e-mail addresses of three references.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and accepted. 

Best consideration date is February 9, 2022.   

The University of Maryland, College Park, an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, creed, marital status, political affiliation, personal appearance, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment, in all aspects of employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

 

The University of Maryland Libraries are committed to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We support university and library efforts to create a more just campus environment, understanding the unique, interdisciplinary focus of libraries and archives as collectors and curators of the historical, literary, artistic, and scientific record. We provide collections, services, and programs that reflect the diversity of our community, heighten cultural awareness, and incorporate the histories, experiences, and expressions of those who have been historically marginalized and/or underrepresented. We work to ensure equitable access to our facilities, resources, and services.