Visiting Cataloging Specialist

Job Title

Visiting Cataloging Specialist

Department

Steward and Sustain

Worker Type

Temporary (Fixed Term)

Pay Type

Salary

Benefit Eligible

Yes

Job Description Summary

The Visiting Cataloging Specialist will support high-priority initiatives to reduce cataloging and processing backlogs, improve access to distinctive collections, and advance the organization and description of political papers, archival materials, and special collections. Working closely with library staff the successful candidate will organize, describe, and make accessible a broad range of unique materials, including Slavic-language collections, political papers, literary and cultural archives, and visual and ephemera collections such as postcards and trade cards. The position may support work across several distinctive collections, including the Andre de Saint-Rat Collection, the Wil Haygood Collection, political and public policy collections, Slavic-language holdings, and major visual collections such as postcards, posters, and trade cards.

Job Description

Essential Duties:

• Perform cataloging, processing, and descriptive work for a wide range of library, archival, and special collections materials.
• Support efforts to reduce cataloging and processing backlogs and improve access, discovery, and usability of distinctive collections.
• Organize, arrange, and describe archival and special collections materials, including political papers, literary and cultural archives, and Slavic-language holdings.
• Create and maintain metadata, finding aids, and related descriptive tools in accordance with relevant standards and best practices.
• Assist with digitization, digital access, and related workflows that enhance the discoverability and use of collections.
• Collaborate with library staff to support research, teaching, outreach, and project-based collection priorities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in history, library and information studies, area studies, literature, languages, or a related field by date of appointment.
• Advanced reading proficiency in Russian, including the ability to understand written Russian materials for cataloging, processing, and description work.
• Demonstrated experience or training in cataloging, archival processing, special collections, or metadata creation.

Consideration may be given to candidates with:

• Master’s degree in library and information science, history, archives, museum studies, area studies, or a related field.
• Experience with special collections, archives, rare books, or distinctive research collections.
• Experience performing original or complex copy cataloging.
• Ability to read and understand one or more additional Eastern European languages, such as Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Polish, or Bulgarian.
• Experience creating or editing finding aids.
• Experience with digitization workflows, digital collections platforms, or visual materials metadata.
• Experience working with political papers, literary archives, or multilingual collections.
• Familiarity with relevant standards and practices such as RDA, MARC, DACS, and EAD.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work accurately and effectively with complex, detailed materials.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a project-based environment.