Georgia Collections Sought for Nationwide Digital Library

The Digital Library of Georgia is accepting applications for original, unpublished historic materials significant to Georgia to be digitized and included in a nationwide digital library.

Georgia libraries, museums, historical societies, archives and other cultural heritage repositories are invited to submit applications for up to five collections each to be considered for digitization and subsequent inclusion in both the Digital Library of Georgia and the Digital Public Library of America. The deadline is Jan. 25. Applications can be found at http://tinyurl.com/d8yt8k6.

The Digital Public Library of America is a groundbreaking project to make our country’s local archives digital, searchable, and freely accessible. Launched last summer by Harvard University, the DPLA recently received a boost when the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation gave $1 million to create seven pilot sites with libraries in Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, South Carolina and Utah to serve as regional hubs. Georgia’s share of the grant, together with additional funding from the Arcadia Foundation, is $350,000.

Based at the University of Georgia Libraries, the Digital Library of Georgia has operated since 2000 as part of Georgia’s GALILEO virtual library. According to Director Toby Graham, the DLG already includes more than a million digital files. “This project will allow us to issue a call for nominations from libraries and archives and other institutions around the state to add more content to the Digital Library of Georgia, which will serve as a pipeline into the Digital Public Library of America,” Graham said.

Selection of materials to digitize will be made according to the availability of resources and the DLG collection development policy, which can be found at http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/About DLG/CollectionDevelopment.html. DLG will be partnering with Lyrasis for the conversion of selected content, and staff hired through the grant funds will create descriptive records.

“Georgia’s public archives – in libraries, colleges and universities – have a rich collection that we’re eager to share with the world,” said Beverly Blake, Macon program director with the Knight Foundation. “Perhaps most importantly, this project will help ensure that our local communities engage with that history and contribute to the collection, helping our libraries become dynamic, digital community centers.”
For more information on the DPLA, see http://dp.la/

DLG Earns an Emmy!

Have you been following the Digital Library of Georgia on their blog, Twitter feed or Facebook page? If so, then you already know that the Civil Rights Digital Library (UGA) was honored this past week with a regional Emmy award for the film “Andrew Young Presents: How We Got Over”

Catch the whole story, including a list of the archivists who were honored, at the DLG blog.

Congratulations!

Job opening: Digital Projects Librarian, Digital Library of Georgia

POSITION:              Digital Projects Librarian/Archivist


DEPARTMENT:      Digital Library of Georgia

PURPOSE AND SCOPE:

The Digital Projects Librarian/Archivist is responsible for metadata and authority control, student hiring and supervision, quality control, and other duties related to the development of digital resources for Digital Library of Georgia initiatives including but not limited to the federally supported Civil Rights Digital Library and the forthcoming ASERL Civil War era digital library portal being created through a partnership with 32 Southeastern research libraries. The Digital Projects Librarian/Archivist reports to the Associate Director of the Digital Library of Georgia (DLG) and works as a member of the DLG’s Metadata and Site Development unit.

The award-winning Digital Library of Georgia is a GALILEO initiative based at the University of Georgia Libraries. The DLG works together with Georgia’s libraries, archives, museums, and other institutions of cultural heritage to provide access to the cultural and historical resources of the state of Georgia. This primary mission is accomplished through the ongoing development, maintenance, and preservation of digital collections and online digital library resources. These may include materials such as original manuscripts, typescripts, books, photographs, maps, sheet music, posters and broadsides, newspapers, primary source materials on microfilm, audio, video, and other formats. Each project is made available freely to the public as part of GALILEO.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Describes digital objects using national and local standards. This includes the application of AACR2 and the Dublin Core metadata standard. The Digital Library of Georgia uses Library of Congress Subject Headings as its subject vocabulary and the Art and Architecture Thesaurus for genre terms.

Engages in authority work to provide intellectual control over the application of subject headings, personal names, corporate names, and place names as a component of the metadata process. The Digital Library of Georgia uses a local database for controlling personal, corporate and place names in conjunction with the Library of Congress Authority File.

Proofs the work of student employees to maintain a high level of quality for the resources generated. Participates in the hire and supervision of student employees engaged in data entry and other tasks associated with the creation of digital resources.

Participates in planning for digital projects and communicates with Digital Library of Georgia and GALILEO (the statewide virtual library) personnel to coordinate work effort.

Generates content for and provides input into Web site design, including the development of contextual and other resources that supplement digitized collections.  DLG employs formal academic prose in its projects under the guidelines of the Chicago Manual.

Measures outputs by generating and collecting statistics.

Contributes to the mission of the Digital Library of Georgia by participating in the development and evaluation of policies and services, assessing user needs and satisfaction with learning outcomes, serving on appropriate committees, and maintaining an awareness of changes in allied departments.

Develops and maintains professional skills by participating in continuing education and professional development activities such as conferences, workshops, and committee work; by conducting research or writing for publication; or by engaging in other creative and learning activities.

Participates in library-wide communication by reading, responding to, and initiating information transmitted via the Library listserv, and appropriate library-wide or departmental meetings, and asking questions, seeking clarification, or initiating discussion on library issues.

Maintains awareness and acts upon changes and needs in the organization by assuming similar duties and responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS:

ALA-accredited approved MLS, or relevant Master’s degree (ACA certification expected in 5 years for continued employment).  Knowledge of AACR2, LCSH, Dublin Core metadata standard and familiarity with MARC; Familiarity with HTML or XML; Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships; Excellent research, writing, and oral communication skills; Ability to function as a contributing team member in a production-oriented environment; Experience creating metadata or catalog records, or describing archival materials preferred; Digital library experience preferred; Degree in history, public history or American studies preferred.

BENEFITS:


UGA offers an attractive benefits program including a choice of health and retirement plans, dental plan, tuition remission and a relocation allowance; 21 days annual leave, 12 paid holidays. Information about Athens: http://www.libs.uga.edu/athens/

Salary:  entry-level minimum $38,000; commensurate with experience.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:  Qualified applicants who wish to be considered for this position should send their letters of application, complete résumés, and the names, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers of three references by July 23, 2010, to:  Jan D. Hudson (libjobs@uga.edu), Human Resources Department, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia 30602-1641.  Electronic applications are preferred. 

The University of Georgia Libraries values diversity in its faculty, students, and staff and strongly encourages applications from underrepresented minority candidates.  The University of Georgia is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer.