Welcome to the Western Washington University on-line application process. Before you begin, please print out the job announcement; you may need to refer to it while completing the application. 

Head of Cataloging and Metadata Services

About the Position: Western Washington University seeks a collaborative leader to further develop and implement cataloging and metadata services at Western Libraries.  This is as permanent 12-month, tenure-track faculty position that provides leadership, strategic vision, and direction for fully integrating emerging metadata standards and linked data technologies into academic library cataloging practices.  Reporting to the Director of Scholarly Resources and Collection Services, the position facilitates the creation, maintenance, and enhancement of metadata across multiple discovery platforms and library systems, and provides leadership in working collaboratively with the Orbis Cascade Alliance (the Alliance). 

The Cataloging and Metadata Unit supports the academic programs of Western Washington University by ensuring intellectual control for books, journals, electronic resources, sound and video recordings, scores, microforms, maps, and other materials.  Signature collection areas include:  Archives, Children's Literature Interdisciplinary Collection, Map Collection, Mongolian and Inner Asian Studies, Music Library, Pacific Northwest Collections, and Special Collections.  Western is a member of the Alliance, which operates a shared Alma/Primo ILS for 39 member libraries.  Western Libraries staff serve in significant leadership roles in the Alliance collaborative workforce, working through committees to set policies, workflows, and best practices.

Western Libraries supports the University's mission to bring together individuals of diverse backgrounds and perspectives in an inclusive, student-centered university that develops the potential of learners and the well-being of communities.  As a public institution in a state where students of color make up a growing proportion of higher school graduates, Western Libraries is strongly committed to effectively serving our increasingly diverse student body.  We are proud that a growing number of students of color and other diverse students are making Western their school of choice, and we welcome applications from diverse candidates interested in this faculty position. 

About the College/Department: Western Washington University is a comprehensive state university that enrolls nearly 15,000 undergraduates, post baccalaureate and graduate students, employs over 600 FTE faculty, and consists of seven colleges and the graduate school. Spectacularly located, the Bellingham campus overlooks the Salish Sea and the San Juan Islands. Bellingham, a coastal community of approximately 83,000, about 90 miles north of Seattle and 55 miles south of Vancouver, B.C., is nationally recognized for quality of life, outdoor adventure, and environmental stewardship. 

As noted in the University’s mission statement:  Western Washington University serves the people of the State of Washington, the nation, and the world by bringing together individuals of diverse backgrounds and perspectives in an inclusive, student-centered university that develops the potential of learners and the well-being of communities.  The 2014 U.S. News and World Report college rankings named Western as the highest-ranking, public master's-granting university in the Pacific Northwest and third among top public master's-granting universities in the West. Western has been identified by the Chronicle of Higher Education as one of the nation's best college workplaces. More information about Western is available online: http://www.wwu.edu  

Position Responsibilities: The individual in this position oversees, develops, and assesses the cataloging and maintenance of bibliographic and metadata records for the Libraries scholarly resources; provides resource discovery expertise across a variety of formats; ensures the quality of metadata in the resource discovery tools; and develops innovative and effective approaches to metadata processes. The successful candidate provides leadership in furthering best practices, workflows, and policies for the shared ILS through committees and participation at the Alliance level; enables prompt and effective access to newly acquired scholarly resources; and, as a Library Council member, works collaboratively to realize the shared goals of the Libraries and its stakeholders. The individual supervises and manages the work of 6 staff FTE.

Required Qualifications: 
Applicants must address all required qualifications in their cover letter or vita

• MLS or MLIS from an ALA-accredited program or international equivalent
• Ability to lead projects and work collaboratively in team environments
• Evidence of building consensus among stakeholders with diverse social identities
• Expertise in national metadata content standards (e.g. RDA, PCC, AACR2, DACS, etc.) and MARC and non-MARC encoding/structural standards (e.g., Dublin Core, XML, EAD, etc.)
• Broad knowledge of cataloging and metadata workflows and services in an academic library
• Knowledge of best practices in applying metadata in a discovery system (e.g., CONTENTdm, Islandora) or institutional repository (e.g. Digital Commons)
• Familiarity with the linked data environment, including emerging library initiatives (e.g. BIBFRAME) and name identifier systems (e.g. VIAF, ORCID, ISNI)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Second Master's degree
• Supervisory experience in an academic library
• Experience working with multiple formats
• Experience working with resource management in Alma/Primo
• Evidence of fostering staff professional development and growth
• Record of professional service and scholarship in cataloging, metadata services or resource discovery
• Experience assessing library- or unit-wide services and programs
• Experience leading others through organizational change

Academic Emphasis: Cataloging and Metadata

Job Location: Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 

Salary: Commensurate with experience and qualifications 

Bargaining Union: United Faculty of Western Washington

Application Instructions and Requested Documents: To be considered for this position, application materials must be submitted via WWU’s Electronic Application System for Employment (EASE) at http://www.wwu.edu/jobs.   Please submit a cover letter specifically addressing the required and preferred qualifications, a curriculum vitae, and contact information for three professional references.  References will not be contacted without prior notification to the candidate.  Note: you will need to use Internet Explorer to utilize this online application system.

Other Information: For further information, please contact Ms. Connie Mallison, Search Committee Coordinator, by email at[log in to unmask]  

Job Posted: 4/18/2016

Closing Date: 5/25/2016

Recruitment #: 160202

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. In compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and parenting status), disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status or genetic information in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU's Policy on Ensuring Equal Opportunity and Prohibiting Discrimination and Retaliation. Inquiries may be directed to the Vice Provost for Equal Opportunity and Employment Diversity, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Equal Opportunity Office, Western Washington University, Old Main 345 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); [log in to unmask]

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3774 or 711 (Washington Relay).

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires.