Position at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Visiting Preservation Specialist
Illinois Newspaper Project
(Academic Professional)
University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign

Position Available:  As soon as possible, after closing date.  This
is a full-time temporary Academic Professional appointment.  Annual
contract, renewable through April 30, 2007 (phase VII of the
Illinois Newspaper Project), with possible renewal through April 30,
2009 (contingent upon availability of NEH funding).

Duties and Responsibilities:  Reporting to the Principal
Investigator for the Illinois Newspaper Project, the Preservation
Specialist is responsible for local activities associated with
Illinois Newspaper Project preservation microfilming.  (The filming
is outsourced to a commercial vendor).  This includes retrieving
newspapers from UIUC collections for microfilming, evaluating the
condition of the newsprint, collating newspapers, and preparing
bibliographic and special targets.  In consultation with the
Principal Investigator, the Preservation Specialist will develop and
institute procedures for pre-processing of materials for the quality
control of completed film, and will be assisted in processing
outgoing and incoming materials by one or more student assistants.
The Preservation Specialist also contributes to the inventory and
cataloging work of the Project.  Travel within Illinois may be
required.

Under the guidance and direction of the Principal Investigator, the
INP Preservation Specialist will:

1) Supervise retrieval of newspapers to be microfilmed; 2) Evaluate
condition of newsprint to be microfilmed; 3) Collate newspapers for
shipment to the microfilm vendor; 4) Prepare and place bibliographic
targets and develop item-specific instructional materials for
vendors performing microfilming operations; 5) Supervise packing and
shipping of newspapers to microfilm vendor; 6) Maintain detailed
records of collation process for each newspaper title; 7) Compare
collation data with existing bibliographic records and reconcile
discrepancies of title, edition, publication place and date;  8)
Inspect completed microfilm for bibliographic completeness as well
as technical acceptability and return unsatisfactory reels with
appropriate documentation for refilming;  9) Verify billing from
vendor for completed microfilm; 10) Compile statistics for quarterly
reports; 11) Assist the Principal Investigator with the preparation
of progress reports; 12)  Supervise and train student assistants to
prepare material for shipment and monitor quality control of
incoming microfilm; 13) Visit field sites as required; 14) Inventory
newspaper collections at field sites as necessary and; 15) Perform
cataloging of newspapers in accordance with CONSER/USNP standards as
necessary.

Environment:  The University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign
is one of the preeminent research collections in the nation and the
world. With more than 10 million volumes and a total of 21 million
items, it ranks third among academic libraries in the United States
and first among public university libraries in the world. As the
intellectual heart of the campus, the Library is committed to
maintaining the strongest collections and services possible and
engaging in research and development activities---both of which
support the University's mission of teaching, research, and public
service. The Library currently employs approximately 100 faculty and
300 staff members. For more detailed information, please visit
<http://www.library.uiuc.edu/>www.library.uiuc.edu/ . The Library
consists of more than 40 departmental libraries that are located
throughout campus and administratively organized into eight
divisions. The Library Systems Office provides and supports the
information technology infrastructure for the entire University
Library. The University Library is organized in nine divisions,
containing 42 library units in twenty-one buildings. The Library
currently employs 380 faculty/academic professionals and staff, 125
graduate assistants, and 825 student assistants. The Library Systems
office staff consists of eight academic professionals, a secretary,
and several graduate and undergraduate students.  The Illinois
Newspaper Project is part of the U.S. Newspaper Program, a national
effort to preserve and catalog newspapers published in the U.S.  We
are currently in phase VII of the Project, focusing on inventorying
and cataloging U.S. newspaper collections in the southern and
southeastern portions of the state and on microfilming unique
Illinois newspapers held in the UIUC Library.

Qualifications: Required: Bachelor's degree; working knowledge of
OCLC; excellent organizational skills; ability to work
independently; excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work
collaboratively; ability to communicate clearly in writing and
orally; willingness and ability to drive and travel within Illinois
as needed. Preferred:  Masters of Library Science from an
ALA-accredited library school program; experience with the
preparation of serials and/or monographic material for preservation
microfilming; pre-professional or professional cataloging
experience; familiarity with AACR2 rev.,  LCSH, and CONSER;
familiarity with newspaper and microfilm formats; working knowledge
of MS Access and other Windows applications; supervisory experience;
knowledge of preservation microfilming protocols and issues.

Salary and Rank:  Salary is competitive and commensurate with
experience and credentials.

Terms of Appointment:  Twelve month non-tenure track appointment.
Twenty-four days vacation per year, 11 paid holidays; 12 days annual
sick leave (cumulative) plus additional 13 days (non-cumulative) per
year if necessary; health insurance, requiring a small co-payment,
is provided to employees (coverage for dependents may be purchased);
participation in the State Universities Retirement System, which
includes several private options, is compulsory upon appointment (8%
of staff member's salary is withheld and is refundable upon
termination); newly hired university employees are covered by the
Medicare portion of Social Security, and are subject to its
deduction.

Apply:  Send letter of application, complete resume and three
letters of reference to:

    Cindy Kelly
    Head, Library Human Resources
    University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign
    1408 W. Gregory Drive, Suite 127
    Urbana, Illinois 61801
    217-333-8168
    mokelly<-a t->uiuc< . >edu

The University Library welcomes applications from minority group
members and women. Electronic applications are acceptable initially,
but must be followed by a hard copy with signature.

Deadline: June 24, 2005. To ensure full consideration applications
should be received by the deadline date, however, the position will
remain open until filled.

The University of Illinois is an Affirmative Action - Equal
Opportunity Employer.


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 19:1
                 Distributed: Wednesday, June 15, 2005
                        Message Id: cdl-19-1-035
                                  ***