Data Specialist Job at Queens Public Library in Jamaica

** This is a temporary grant funded position through July 31, 2026. **

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Responsible for planning and execution of digital asset management system and public access enhancements for Queens Public Library’s (QPL’s) archival collections. Reports to the QPL Digital Archives Manager. Performs metadata record cleanup, creates new collection and item level metadata, writes data transformation programs and develops and enhances automation scripts, batch processes and trouble-shooting activities. Contributes to teams working on authority control and data harvesting through APIs. Contributes to team establishing staff and community partner workflows involving the digital asset management system, including digitization and ingest of archival assets and storage and manipulation of marketing assets. Serves as liaison between Metadata Services and project team in ITD. Prepares and trains staff members and key community partners for adoption of new features within the library’s Digital Asset Management System, including the development of training documentation. Performs other duties as assigned.

Database Configuration and Ingest of Assets and Metadata

• Works closely with Metadata Services and Marketing staff to streamline digital asset management workflow including integration of public submission forms for photos, oral histories and other crowd-sourced archival donations and methods for partners loaning larger collections for digitization and post-custodial preservation.
• Configures community partner public access portals in partnership with community partners whose collections are housed at QPL.
• Configures digital asset management system for the ingest of VRA, EAD and MARC and Dublin Core records for photographs, maps, oral histories, manuscript collections, video and audio, musical scores and other archival content.
• Performs metadata normalization, batch metadata and asset ingests from legacy databases, write data transformation programs, assist with updates to WorldCat to maintain accuracy, generate reports.
• Develops and enhances automation scripts.

Discovery

• Coordinates with ITD staff and vendor working to build the library’s new digital archives website and integrate records via API into the library’s online public access catalog.
• Assists with indexing enhancements.
• Contributes to the development team maintaining a running list of enhancements and bug fixes for the digital asset management system and the website.

Vendor Liaison

• Serves as technical point person in the library’s relationships with DAMS vendor and other vendors as assigned. 

Training

• Trains staff and community partners as needed on new digital asset management system configuration tools and cataloging functions.
• Coordinates with Metadata Services and Marketing supervisors to establish staff procedures for creating metadata and ingesting digitized and born-digital assets.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree required.
• Experience with archival metadata and database management required.
• One year of experience working with cataloging automation processes and website development for libraries.
• Fluency with metadata schemas and crosswalk creation for library and archival materials required.
• Familiarity with archival digitization best practices preferred. Able to perform independently, be self-motivated, and juggle multiple tasks with a positive attitude.
• Ability to work well as a team member.
• Willingness to adapt to new technologies and processes.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Knowledge of website development (Drupal), and linked data.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• ALA accredited MLS/MLIS degree preferred.
• Previous experience with MARC and VRA formats, Microsoft Office Suite, Open Refine, MARC Edit, oXygen XML Editor, and fluency with ILS and DAMS with Recollect, Symphony and Vital preferred.
• Fluency with language spoken in Queens preferred.