Librarian II (Circulation Services) and Librarian II (Ref Services) at Prairie View A&M University, Prarie View, Texas

Salary: Starting at $41,328

Status:Full-time

Posted:08/15/12

Deadline:08/30/12

Librarian II (Circulation Services) & Librarian II (Ref Services)

Prairie View A&M University: (1) Librarian II (Head, Information Service Dept.) Primary duties include, but not limited to, administering the Information Service Department; creating and maintaining schedules for staff and student workers; creating and updating departmental policies and procedures; tabulating all department statistics; creating surveys, establishing and revising department mission and vision statements and setting departmental goals; determining research needs of patrons and providing assistance in locating resources and materials; providing supplemental research assistance to library patrons; performing collection development duties; assisting with Information Literacy program; sharing in the delivery and development of the library orientation sessions, library tours and research instruction classes; participating in the development, promotion and assessment of instructional services and programs. Required Qualifications: MLS from an ALA accredited program; three years of progressive supervisory experience; three years of reference service experience in an academic library. Second subject Master's preferred.  (2) Librarian II (Head, Access Services & Circulation): Primary duties consist of, but are not limited to, the administration and management of all access services and circulation operations; including library privileges, interlibrary loan, reserves, desk schedules, av/media, and development of circulation policies; subject liaison; collection development; and supervision of library assistants. Required Qualifications: MLS from an ALA accredited program; knowledge of circulation systems, interlibrary loan, reserves, and integrated library systems in general; demonstrated communication, management, supervisory, and organizational skills; three to five years of experience in library management and three year’s experience in Endeavor/ Voyager circulation department of an academic library. Second subject Master's preferred . Prairie View A&M University is a comprehensive university and a member of the Texas A&M University System.  Given its enrollment of over 7,000, and the addition of new degree programs, the university is experiencing phenomenal growth.  The John B. Coleman Library holds over 387,000 volumes with access to several thousand electronic periodicals. The Library is a member of both local and statewide resource-sharing consortia. Application Procedure: To review these job announcements in their entirety and to apply online, please visit us at: jobs.pvamu.edu. For assistance with the online application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at 936-261-1730 or jobs@pvamu.edu.

Information Specialist at Norris Medical Library, Los Angeles, California

Salary: $53,045 to $71,200

Status:Full-time

Posted:08/15/12

Deadline:11/30/12

Information Specialist

(Medical Education/Reference Librarian)  University of Southern California Requisition ID:  015109 GENERAL INFORMATION The University of Southern California Norris Medical Library seeks an innovative and energetic librarian to serve as Information Specialist and liaison to the Keck School of Medicine.  The Norris Medical Library is an academic research library serving the schools of Medicine and Pharmacy, the divisions of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, and the master programs for Public Health and Nurse Anesthesia.  The library has a strong emphasis on providing access to a wide variety of electronic information resources, and educating faculty, students, and staff through seminars on Internet resources, presentation software, database searching, evidence-based health care, mobile devices, and bibliographic management. The library contains 178,000 volumes and receives 2,968 current electronic journals. The library staff of 36.5 FTE includes 13 librarians/professionals. For additional information, see the library’s website, www.usc.edu/nml. The Information Specialist position engages actively with the faculty and staff of the medical school to develop and evaluate curriculum-based instruction and assignments in medical information retrieval and evidence-based medicine.  The librarian must be experienced in the use of emerging technologies and will instruct faculty and students on the use of devices and software.  This position collaborates with other Information Specialists in the Education and Research Services Division of the library to provide reference and consultation services and workshop instruction to the USC Health Sciences community. RESPONSIBILITIES Oversee library’s educational program for the Keck School of Medicine including the development and evaluation of course content, support materials and assignments. Works closely with faculty to integrate relevant library instruction at all appropriate points in the curriculum. Participate in Keck School of Medicine Curriculum Committee meetings and provide faculty workshops on the use of new and emerging technologies. Provide reference and consultation services to faculty, staff and students of the Health Sciences Campus. Serve on library and campus-wide committees in support of innovation and improvement of services. Participate in scholarly, professional, and service activities that enhance education and library programs. QUALIFICATIONS Masters in Library Science or equivalent degree. Minimum 1 year of professional library experience in an academic health sciences library; Prefer 3+ years experience. Knowledge of adult learning principles and experience in providing in-person or online instruction. Experience using health science information resources and conducting literature searches. Experience and facility with using current and emerging technologies. Excellent oral and written communication skills Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment. Demonstrated initiative and ability to manage multiple projects. STATUS/SALARY This position is in a continuing-appointment track, the USC Libraries’ equivalent to tenure.  Rank and salary commensurate with experience and qualifications. BENEFITS 37½ hour week; 22 days vacation; sick leave; disability plan; retirement plan (TIAA/CREF and other options); tuition assistance; medical, dental and life insurance; credit union; group auto and homeowner's insurance available. How To Apply Applications must be submitted via USC’s online faculty application website: https://jobs.usc.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=65953 As part of the application, candidates must upload in Word or PDF a cover letter and curriculum vitae. For more information about this position, contact Daniel Grande, USC Norris Medical Library, (323) 442?1130, email dgrande@usc.edu.  USC values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity in employment. Women and men, and members of all racial and ethnic groups are encouraged to apply.

Librarian (Catalog) at DC Public Library, Washington, District of Columbia

Salary: Not Specified

Status:Full-time

Posted:08/15/12

Deadline:09/27/12

Librarian (Catalog)

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC LIBRARY DC Public Library is going through transformation.  Many wonderful things are happening here.  If you enjoy a rewarding work environment where your hard work can truly make a difference, come join us!  All positions require excellent customer service skills, commitment to public service and the willingness to learn and embrace change.  LIBRARIAN (Catalog)  MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., MEMORIAL LIBRARY  The position serves as a Catalog Librarian, performs complex cataloging and classification for all formats. Including searching on OCLC, editing using AACR2/RDA, exporting records, editing records on catalog. Catalogs and classifies titles in all formats that are not in OCLC.  Includes determining subject content and appropriate subject headings, assigning Dewey number and cutter, adding record to OCLC and exporting record to online catalog, requiring a knowledge of the content of the collection(s), an ability to generalize and interpret subject content and requiring a thorough understanding of the scope, authority, arrangement and format of various reference tools, cataloging rules and systems of bibliographic notation and format. QUALIFICATIONS: A Master’s degree in Library Science from an ALA accredited library school and a minimum of two years’ experience in cataloging, computer skills a must and knowledge of Microsoft Office is required.  To apply or for additional details, visit our website: www.dclibrary.org

Video Content Management Specialist (Assistant Librarian)

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JOB DETAIL

Job Opening ID

73317

Working Title

Video Content Management Specialist (Assistant Librarian)

Job Title

ASST LIBRARIAN

Work Location

Ann Arbor Campus
Ann Arbor, MI

Full/Part Time

Full-Time

Regular/Temporary

Regular

FLSA Status

Exempt

Organizational Group

Univ Library

Department

Library Info Tech - DLPS

Posting Begin/End Date

8/13/2012 – 8/31/2012

Career Interest

Primary

How to Apply

Email a cover letter and CV as attachments to libhumres@umich.edu, addressed to:

Jane Havens

Head of Library Human Resources

3026 Shapiro Undergraduate Library

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1185

For further information, call 734-764-2546 between 8:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M., Monday-Friday.

Job Summary

The University Library seeks a dynamic and innovative librarian to play a supporting role in the establishment of a new campus-wide video content management system (VCM), and to aid with the migration of content from the Library's existing digital asset management system to the new system. THIS POSITION IS A TWO-YEAR TERM APPOINTMENT.

Responsibilities*

Responsibilities

The VCM Specialist will report to the manager of BlueStream within the Library's Digital Library Production Service (www.lib.umich.edu/lit/dlps/). The initial implementation and campus deployment of VCM is a collaboration between ITS and the Library, with Library activity centered in the Learning and Teaching division and DLPS. Primary responsibilities will include:

Campus VCM (50%)

* Gaining familiarity with the new VCM system, intended uses, and users.

* Working in close coordination with collaborators within the unit and across the Library, participate in the establishment of Library provided, patron oriented, services that utilize the VCM.

Other Related Activities (10%)

* Participating in the concurrent pilot effort in DLPS focused on the digital preservation of moving images by sharing relevant expertise.

BlueStream Migration (40%)

* Gaining familiarity with the existing BlueStream system, how it is used, and who depends on it.

* Assisting the manager of BlueStream in executing a plan to migrate completely away from the current system to the new VCM or other options by June 30, 2014.

* Understanding the needs of stakeholders and the impact of migration. Helping to ensure continuity of service throughout migration. Communicating with stakeholders about process and progress.

* Helping to determine logical migration destinations, and paths, for BlueStream content, taking into consideration the potential pitfalls that lead to loss of data.

Required Qualifications*

* ALA-accredited Master's degree in library or information studies or equivalent advanced degree and experience.

* Demonstrated experience with digital media formats and their use in library settings, especially video. This includes archival and access formats for streaming.

* An understanding of issues related to the preservation of digital formats is required.

* An aptitude for quickly mastering technical topics.

* Familiarity with the operation of content management and digital asset management systems.

* Strong organizational and project management skills.

* Excellent oral and written communications skills.

* Demonstrated ability to work effectively with culturally diverse faculty, students, and staff.

Desired Qualifications*

* Knowledge and experience in the management, digitization, and preservation of moving image recordings.

* Experience with video content management and digital asset management systems similar to UM's BlueStream, and Kaltura.

* Programming experience with Perl, Python, or Ruby is beneficial though not required.

Additional Information

Benefits, Rank, and Salary

It is anticipated that the position will be filled at the Assistant Librarian level; final rank and salary are dependent on experience and qualifications. Librarians receive 24 days of vacation a year, are eligible for 15 days of short-term sick leave a year with provisions for extended benefits, and are provided opportunities for professional development and travel.

Further information regarding benefits can be found atbenefits.umich.edu/b...tgroups/faculty.html.

THIS POSITION IS A TWO-YEAR TERM APPOINTMENT.

Retirement Options: TIAA-CREF and Fidelity Investments options available.

Application Deadline

Review of applications will begin on August 31, 2012 and continue until the position is filled.

U-M EEO/AA Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Nine Reasons to Save Public Libraries

By Emmily Bristol

Credit: Flickr (Creative Commons)

While the War on Women and Chick-fil-A might be getting all the juicy headlines lately, there’s another issue quietly smoldering in the background noise of this election season. It’s buried under all the campaign rhetoric and doom-and-gloom forecasts about the economy.

Our public libraries are not just threatened this election season. They’re fighting for their lives — and with them, the livelihoods and well-being of hard-hit communities all over the country.Library districts in California, Illinois, Ohio, Nevada, Texas, Washington, and more have measures or proposals to slash budgets in 2012. California alone is looking at 50% budget cuts. Where I live, the library district is facing a 30% budget cut, which will close at least two branches. According to the American Library Association, 23 states are looking to cut library budgets in the most recent fiscal year.

But I have yet to see a demonstration to save the libraries. Or read national news coverage about the potential collapse of one society’s most valuable resources. Indeed, it wasn’t by accident that our nation’s founding fathers established the first American lending library.

But the truth is that the state of our public libraries is a kind of litmus test of not only our economic health but that of our democracy, too. After all, libraries are the free, democratization of education, unbiased research, and uncensored enlightenment.

It was President John F. Kennedy who made this plea for the sanctity of our libraries:

"If this nation is to be wise as well as strong, if we are to achieve our destiny, then we need more new ideas for more wise men reading more good books in more public libraries. These libraries should be open to all except the censor. We must know all the facts and hear all the alternatives and listen to all the criticisms. Let us welcome controversial books and controversial authors. For the Bill of Rights is the guardian of our security as well as our liberty."

Here are some reasons why our libraries are still the place where we as a nation will achieve our destiny:

1. The house of the 99%: The foundation of democracy is an educated electorate. When the economy is down, it is all the more vital that we the people have access to information, education, news… and now in modern times the internet, computers, and other sources of media tools as well. Libraries do that. For everyone.
2. Libraries build equity: Research shows that depressed neighborhoods and declining communities are not just culturally enriched by libraries. The institutions serve as a community focal point, like a town square, and communities that have that resource rebound.
3. Community hope chest: Libraries don’t just curate the Harry Potter series and lend copies of the latest blockbusters on DVD, they also house special collections based on the needs and unique identities of the communities they serve. The library district where I live houses a special collection on a World War II magnesium plant that helped turned the tide of the war (as well as establishing the second largest city in Nevada). That’s living history that gets lost without a public space to keep it alive.
4. Renewable resource: How much do you save by being able to borrow materials from the library? How helpful is it to have this resource — especially now that even retail bookstores, movie rental shops, and record stores are closing? There’s a calculator for that.
5. Literacy: Studies show (PDF) that children’s literacy is greatly improved by access to summer reading programs and preschool reading programs at public libraries. And children’s literacy is a building-block of adult literacy. When I was in college I interned at a non-profit that worked on illiteracy, targeting at-risk youth. I worked in their summer reading program at an elementary school with one of the lowest rates of economic depression in the state (Oregon). This meant that most of the kids who went to that school were enrolled in summer school — even if they were good students — simply because it was a cheaper alternative to child care. At the end of the program each child got to pick out one brand-new book to keep. For all but just a few of the children, it was the first book they ever owned. Maybe you don’t “own” the books at the library (although, as a tax-payer I would argue we do), but the libraries are a place where the socio-economic realities that push the starting line so far back for so many can be equalized. And that’s like a small miracle in the life of a child who has already had to learn how to be hard in the face of a world that cuts them no breaks. There are very few individuals who could buy every child a book and start them on the road to literacy. (And it’s been shown that access to books in childhood is one of thebiggest predictors of literacy.) But all of us together can buy a kid a building full of books. That is a miracle.
6. Leveling the playing field: Libraries offer vital resources for communities that might not otherwise be served or feel integrated. People learning English (or other languages), the elderly, deaf people, the homeless… the list goes on.
7. Safe space: In some communities, the public library may be the only free space available that is also a safe space. Young victims of bullying, kids who live with domestic violence, LGBT youth, and many more can find a safe place (and often a caring librarian) at the library. I know from personal experience — having spent time camped at my local library when I had no other safe place to go as a teenager.
8. Cultural touchstone: Many libraries showcase art — often by local artists. Likewise, the buildings themselves are often architecturally significant and enhance the beauty and character of the communities they serve.
9. Drop in or drop out: Libraries can also be a place that means the difference between a child’s success or failure in school. Many libraries offer tutoring programs, free classes, as well as access to volumes of information and technology that a kid might not have anywhere else. Believe it or not, even in these modern times there are kids who don’t have computers at home who need to type their papers for school. There are kids who can’t afford the expensive private tutor to get through Algebra. Libraries can make the difference to a kid teetering on the edge. And high school dropout rates have a direct correlation to the health of a community.

These days, there are a lot of people talking about how nobody reads anymore. But that’s just wrong. People are reading ALL THE TIME. People are on Facebook, on Wikipedia, on blogs… They are using e-readers to read virtual copies of books. They are downloading newspapers to their tablet devices. People still read. And people read books — with pages and paper and bindings — too. But the fact is, there’s all kinds of other stuff besides books that libraries do for people in our community every day. Book programs for shut-ins. After-school and summer programs for youth. Did I mention toddler story time?

But more than that, it may just be the last free space that is truly free and there for everyone — homeless, young, old, rich, poor, and any race under the sun. We are all welcome there. We are all equal there.

Doesn’t that seem like a space too valuable to lose?

More News at :http://ivn.us/2012/08/08/nine-reasons-to-save-public-libraries/

Digital Initiatives Librarian at Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia

Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
Salary: Starting at $48,000
Status:Full-time
Posted:08/06/12
Deadline:09/07/12
Digital Initiatives Librarian
Georgia State University Library seeks an enthusiastic, collegial, self-starter to serve as the manager of theDigital Archive @ Georgia State University, the University’s institutional repository, which highlights the research and scholarly productivity of members of the University community. The University Library administers the archive to collect, organize, disseminate, and preserve the digital scholarly output of Georgia State University faculty, students and staff.  The repository is hosted on the Digital Commons platform and currently includes ETDs, conference materials and journals.  The Digital Initiatives Librarian will be responsible for overseeing services related to the Library's institutional repository, including but not limited to: Identifying and recruiting new content, and editing existing content as needed Developing, implementing and evaluating marketing and promotion efforts Providing support for the library’s scholarly communication activities Raising awareness of Open Access to the GSU community Providing Library and University faculty with information, training and assistance in depositing materials into the Archive, including establishing and maintaining Selected Works author pages Analyzing policies, procedures and workflows to insure consistency and accuracy of metadata Supporting established institutional repository guidelines, including submission rules and the development of new communities and series Creating new guidelines as necessary  This position reports to the Associate Dean for Collections. Qualifications: REQUIRED: ALA-accredited Master’s degree in Library and/or Information Science Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills Familiarity with current trends and emerging issues regarding copyright, open access and scholarly communication as they relate to institutional repositories Knowledge of current metadata schemas, standards, and digital content management systems Coursework or experience resulting in knowledge of principles and practices governing institutional repositories Academic library experience Experience working directly with faculty at a research university Ability to meet requirements for promotion Ability to pass a background check  PREFERRED: Experience working with Digital Commons Project management experience Experience developing, implementing and evaluating marketing and promotion efforts Salary and Rank Minimum salary of $48,000 for 12 months.  Salary is commensurate with the candidate’s education and experience.  Appointment at a faculty rank, on a contract renewal basis.  Submit a cover letter addressing the above qualifications; resume; name, address and phone number of three references, including immediate supervisor.  Review of materials will begin September 7, 2012 and continue until the position is filled.  Send materials to:  Human Resources Coordinator University Library Georgia State University 100 Decatur Street, SE, Atlanta, GA  30303-3202 (404) 413-2700 liblao@gsu.edu Georgia State University is an equal opportunity educational institution/affirmative action employer strongly committed to cultural diversity.

Inside the Quest to Put the World's Libraries Online

The Digital Public Library of America wants to make millions of books, records, and images available to any American with an Internet connection. Can it succeed where others have failed?

Reuters

In his short story "The Library of Babel," Jorge Luis Borges imagines the universe as a "total library," whose 410-page books have achieved all possible combinations of letters and punctuation. No two books are the same. Some, of course, are gibberish. But others carry the answer to life's deepest mysteries. In Borges's library can be found every thought ever had, every turn of phrase ever uttered, every masterpiece penned by Shakespeare, and even the ones that he never got to write—simply stated, everything.

Borges's fearsome fantasy builds upon a centuries-old conception of the library as an enclosed instantiation of the universe's mighty sprawl. In Advice on Establishing a Library, a classic manual on the creation of a library, the 17th-century French scholar Gabriel Naudé argued that a library "erected for the public benefit ought to be universal," observing that "there is nothing which renders a Library more recommendable, then when every man finds in it that which he is in search of, and could no where else encounter." This sort of accumulation has sometimes come hand-in-hand with power, as the historian Jacob Soll has shown with his study of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the finance minister to the great French king Louis XIV who sought to establish a universal library and state archive because he believed it made a firm foundation for national intelligence.

From Colbert to Borges, and still onward from there: The fascination with completeness is as timeless as it is ingrained. In the last decade, the Internet has made the ambition of universality appear closer to realization than ever before: What is the Web, if not a vast collection, and an accessible one? But as with any new frontier, formidable challenges attend exciting possibilities—and nowhere has this been more apparent than in the efforts of the Digital Public Library of America, a coalition spearheading the largest effort yet to curate and make publicly available the "cultural and scientific heritage of humanity," with a focus on materials from the U.S., by harnessing the Internet's capabilities. The DPLA hopes to create a platform that will orchestrate millions of materials—books from public and university libraries, records from local historical societies, museums, and archives—into a single, user-friendly interface accessible to every American with Internet access. It will launch a prototype in April 2013. If successful, the resource has the potential to revolutionize the way information is organized and found online, to radically expand public access to knowledge, and to represent a sharp counterpoint to the model already offered by search-giant Google, whose "Google Books" program is now eight years old.

Read More News at: http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/07/inside-the-quest-to-put-the-worlds-libraries-online/259967/

Humanities endowment gives $1M for digital library

By BRETT ZONGKER – 

WASHINGTON (AP) — A nonprofit effort to digitize the nation's libraries and create a Digital Public Library of America won a $1 million federal grant Thursday from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The grant will help form a new nonprofit organization and create the technical platform to share digital content across the nation's many public libraries and archives. Digitizing books and building a system for libraries to contribute will take years, though, and millions more dollars from private partners, said endowment chairman Jim Leach.

The project is being spearheaded by Harvard University's library in Cambridge, Mass., with libraries across the country.

An independent board will be formed within two months to establish a new nonprofit organization that will coordinate with statewide library projects with the goal of launching a national prototype by April 2013. Its budget and funding plan are still being developed, though most funding likely will come from outside government, Leach said.

The digital library effort is designed to be free for everyone. It could include partnerships with private groups, such as Google Books, to tap into content that's already digitized. And it has the potential to enhance local libraries with more content beyond their physical walls, Leach added.

"This is a great progression in how knowledge is developed, how it is maintained and spread," he said. "The digital world is probably the greatest democratization in the spread of learning that has ever occurred."

Google's efforts to digitize books have at times been thwarted in court due to copyright laws. Those restrictions may also limit content for a digital public library.

"Copyright laws are very thorny, so one has to work within that dimension," Leach said.

The library effort is meant to complement the World Digital Library project being led by the Library of Congress and international partners. It also will integrate with the European Union's Europeana digital library collection.

Even as more content moves online, physical libraries have seen demand rise in recent years.

"The relevance of libraries appears to be increasing — and that's possibly counterintuitive to what one might think digitization would imply," Leach said. "Libraries are really centers of local culture."

___

Digital Public Library of America: http://dp.la

Source: The Associated Press

Government Documents Librarian (Librarian – Advanced) at New Mexico State Library

The Government Documents Librarian provides leadership and coordination of all aspects of the State Depository Porgram (State Publications Clearinghouse) and the New Mexico State Library State Documents Collections (print and virtual publications). Plans, organizes and directs activities to develop, collect, maintain and provide access to State Documents collections. Sets goals, develops and recommends policies. Works in conjunction with other state agencies in the course of coordinating the State Depository Library Program. Develops and implements training for state agencies and other clients. 

Requirement: Master’s Degree in Library Information Science from a program accredited by the American Library Association.

Salary: 34,049 - 60,528 USD/year

Experience: 2 - 5

Apply for This Job

Deputy Director, Public Services at Loudoun County (VA) Public Library, FULL-TIME

DEPUTY DIRECTOR, PUBLIC SERVICES

Loudoun County Public Library is currently seeking qualified applicants for the Deputy Director position. Loudoun County Public Library is the information center of the community providing access to innovative technologies and a full range of library resources for the citizens of Loudoun County. This position reports directly to the Library Director and is a member of the senior management team, working closely with the Director and the leadership team to develop and implement long-range planning for an evolving library system. The Deputy Director will also be responsible for enhancing the culture of the library system and preparing it for the changing landscape ahead. Specific responsibilities include: supervision of all public services units, including eight branches and outreach services; hiring, training, and evaluating branch managers and outreach services manager; developing and implementing customer service and branch operational standards for the system; cultivating community partnerships; representing the library in the community; and managing the library system in the Director’s absence. This position requires leadership qualities, managerial experience, and team building skills. The ideal candidate should be aware of the current and emerging trends and best practices in public library services, and can assist to establish, prioritize, and execute system-wide goals and objectives that amplify and support the mission of the system. This position requires a Master’s Degree in Library Science from an ALA accredited institution and 7 years of related professional level experience including considerable supervisory experience managing professional staff in a challenging environment and operational/administrative oversight experience. Successful candidate will undergo a criminal background, credit and DMV record check. (Hiring Range: $70,891-$102,110)

Requirement:  See listing.

Salary:  70,891 - 102,110 USD/year

How to apply:  #12-A310-294   Apply immediately.  Visit our on-line employment center atwww.loudoun.gov for more information and to apply. EOE.

Apply for This Job

Library of Congress to receive entire Twitter archive

By Michael O'Connell

Web Editor

Federal News Radio

The Library of Congress and Twitter have signed an agreement that will see an archive of every public Tweet ever sent handed over to the library's repository of historical documents.

"We have an agreement with Twitter where they have a bunch of servers with their historic archive of tweets, everything that was sent out and declared to be public," said Bill Lefurgy, the digital initiatives program manager at the library's national digital information infrastructure and preservation program. The archives don't contain tweets that users have protected, but everything else — billions and billions of tweets — are there.

Lefurgy joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Amy Morris Tuesday morning to talk about the library's digital mission.

Using new technical processes it has developed, Twitter is moving a large quantity of electronic data from one electronic source to another. "They've had to do some pretty nifty experimentation and invention to develop the tools and a process to be able to move all of that data over to us," Lefurgy said.

The Library of Congress has long been the repository of important, historical documents and the Twitter library, as a whole, is something historic in itself.

"We were excited to be involved with acquiring the Twitter archives because it's a unique record of our time," Lefurgy said. "It's also a unique way of communication. It's not so much that people are going to be interested in what you or I had for lunch, which some people like to say on Twitter."

Researchers will be able to look at the Twitter archive as a complete set of data, which they could then data-mine for interesting information.

"There have been studies involved with what are the moods of the public at various times of the day in reaction to certain kinds of news events," Lefurgy said. "There's all these interesting kinds of mixing and matching that can be done using the tweets as a big set of data."

One benefit for the Library of Congress in receiving this large data set is that it's been forced to stretch itself technologically.

"It's been difficult at times," Lefurgy said. "But we firmly believe that we have to do this kind of thing because we anticipate that we'll be bringing in large data sets again into the future. We don't know specifically what, but certainly there's no sign of data getting smaller or less complicated or less interesting."

The library's Twitter partnership comes amid a renewed push by the administration and the National Archives and Records Administration for federal agencies to better archive their own social media postings and emails as potential government records.

"We're basically in the same situation as the National Archives, only on a much larger scale," Lefurgy said. "We tend to have a much larger perspective in terms of what we collect."

Courtesy: http://www.federalnewsradio.com/?nid=239&sid=2658996

Director of Library Technology at Chicago Public Library, Chicago

Director of Library Technology
Chicago Public Library, Chicago, Illinois
Salary: Not Specified
Status:Full-time
Posted:07/19/12
Deadline:08/14/12
Director of Library Technology
The position of Director of Library Technology for the Chicago Public Library is open for application on the City of Chicago’s job application website. The job description and application instructions may be found atwww.cityofchicago.org/careers.  The closing date for this position is August 14, 2012.  If you have any questions regarding the application process, you may contact the City of Chicago’s Department of Human Resources at 312-744-4976. The annual salary for this position is $126,996.

Library Director at Altoona Public Library, Wisconsin, USA

Altoona Public Library, Altoona, Wisconsin
Salary: Not Specified
Status:Full-time
Posted:07/19/12
Deadline:
Library Director
The Altoona Public Library seeks an experienced and energetic Library Director. Qualifications: Applicants must possess a master’s degree in library science from an ALA-accredited institution. Five years of progressively responsible public library work experience. Salary: $45,000-$55,000 (negotiable) with an excellent benefit package. Please mail your resume, cover letter and three letters of reference by August 8, 2012 (4 p.m. CST) to Library Search Committee at 1303 Lynn Ave., Altoona, WI 54720

Digital Services & Emerging Technologies Librarian at Northwestern University, Chicago

Digital Services & Emerging Technologies Librarian
Northwestern University, Pritzker Legal Research Center, Chicago, Illinois
Salary: Not Specified
Status:Full-time
Posted:07/17/12
Deadline:08/10/12
Digital Services & Emerging Technologies Librarian
The Pritzker Legal Research Center of Northwestern University School of Law invites dynamic and innovative librarians with interest and talents in electronic resources management, cataloging and metadata, and the uses of technology in education to apply for the position of Digital Services & Emerging Technologies Librarian.  The position is full time, requires 2 years of professional library experience, and is available immediately. Applications will be accepted until Friday, August 10, 2012.  For a complete position announcement, or to apply, please visit www.northwestern.edu/hr/careers/, and search for “Digital Services” (position ID number 19517).
Apply for this job

Library Services Manager at Arcadia Public Library, Arcadia, California

Library Services Manager
Arcadia Public Library, Arcadia, California
Salary: $84,132 to $105,060
Status:Full-time
Posted:07/18/12
Deadline:08/17/12
Library Services Manager
Under administrative direction, the Library Services Manager assists in the direction, management, supervision, and coordination of the City Library’s programs and activities; supervises, plans, and administers programs and services; coordinates assigned activities with other City departments, divisions, and outside agencies; provides highly responsible and complex administrative support to the Director of Library and Museum Services and oversees Library operations in the absence of the Director of Library and Museum Services. Please visit the City of Arcadia's website at www.ci.arcadia.ca.us for  full job description. Final Filing Date: FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012 AT 4:00 P.M.    A City application is required and may be obtained at the Human Resources Division or by calling (626) 574-5405.  Resumes may be attached to the City application but will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City application.  Application materials may also be downloaded from the City’s website at www.ci.arcadia.ca.us.  E-mail or faxes will not be accepted. In addition to the City’s application, applicants must submit the Supplemental Application. Failure to submit with the application will result in disqualification from the recruitment process.

Value of Academic Libraries Summit White Paper

ACRL has released a new white paper, “Connect, Collaborate, and Communicate: A Report from the Value of Academic Libraries Summits,” which reports on two invitational summits supported by a National Leadership Collaborative Planning Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The report is freely available on the ACRL website (PDF).

As part of ACRL’s Value of Academic Libraries Initiative, a multiyear project designed to assist academic librarians in demonstrating library value, ACRL joined with three partners – the Association for Institutional Research, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and the Council of Independent Colleges – to sponsor two national summits held November 29 – December 1, 2011. The summits convened senior librarians, chief academic administrators and institutional researchers from 22 postsecondary institutions for discussions about library impact. Fifteen representatives from higher education organizations, associations and accreditation bodies also participated in the summit discussions and presentations and facilitated small group work.

The report – co-authored by Karen Brown, associate professor at Dominican University, and ACRL Senior Strategist for Special Initiatives Kara Malenfant – summarizes broad themes about the dynamic nature of higher education assessment that emerged from the summits. From these themes, the report presents five recommendations for the library profession:

1. Increase librarians’ understanding of library value and impact in relation to various dimensions of student learning and success.
2. Articulate and promote the importance of assessment competencies necessary for documenting and communicating library impact on student learning and success.
3. Create professional development opportunities for librarians to learn how to initiate and design assessment that demonstrates the library’s contributions to advancing institutional mission and strategic goals.
4. Expand partnerships for assessment activities with higher education constituent groups and related stakeholders.
5. Integrate the use of existing ACRL resources with library value initiatives.

“Beyond these recommendations, the report also articulates a framework for future action,” said Megan Oakleaf, co-chair of ACRL’s Value of Academic Libraries committee and associate professor at the Syracuse University School of Information Services. “This will be a guiding document for furthering the discussion at national and local levels.”

Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe, co-chair of ACRL’s Value of Academic Libraries committee and associate professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, concurs observing that “We expect the report will serve as a resource for academic librarians and others on campus who are committed to helping their colleges and universities assess and advance their missions.”

“ACRL’s ‘Plan for Excellence’ identifies the value of academic libraries as a top priority for the association, and results just in from the 2012 membership survey show that demonstrating library relevance is the top issue of concern for our members,” added Joyce L. Ogburn, ACRL president and university librarian and director of the University of Utah Marriott Library. “ACRL has already taken steps to continue this crucial work by submitting a grant proposal to design, implement and evaluate a team-based professional development program to strengthen the competencies of librarians in campus leadership and data-informed advocacy.”

For more information on the report, listen to a podcast conversation with Hinchliffe and Oakleaf.

Source:  http://www.acrl.ala.org/acrlinsider/