LEAD CATALOGER - University of Oregon : Job Details

Lead Cataloger

Apply now Job no: 534393

Work type: Faculty - Career

Location: Eugene, OR

Categories: Education, Library, Anthropology

Department: Libraries

Rank: Associate Librarian

Annual Basis: 12 Month

Salary: Associate Librarian: $63,000 - $76,000 -- Senior Librarian: $78,000 - $92,000

Review of Applications Begins

September 20th, 2024, Position open until filled.

Special Instructions to Applicants

To ensure consideration, a complete application must include:

1. A current resume/CV.

2. A cover letter demonstrating how your skills and experience meet the minimum and preferred qualifications for the position.

3. Three (3) professional references with contact information.

Motivated candidates will bring experience and innovative ideas regardless of meeting every preferred competency or qualification. Please apply if you meet some of the key qualifications and would enjoy working with the University of Oregon Libraries team to support innovation in cataloging and metadata services.

Department Summary

About the University

The University of Oregon is one of only two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities and holds the distinction of a very high research activity ranking in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO enrolls more than 20,000 undergraduate and 3,600 graduate students representing all 50 states and nearly 100 countries. The University of Oregon is guided by a diversity framework that involves a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. In recent years, the university has increased the diversity of its student body, as well as campus-wide efforts to build a welcoming, inclusive community. The UO's 295-acre campus features state-of-the-art facilities in an arboretum-like setting within the traditional homelands of the Kalapuya people. The UO is located in Eugene, a vibrant city of 157,000 with a wide range of cultural and culinary offerings, a pleasant year-round climate, and a community engaged in environmental and social concerns. The campus is within easy driving distance of the Pacific Coast, the Cascade Mountains, and Portland.

About the UO Libraries

The University of Oregon Libraries is an essential partner in the University of Oregon's educational, research, and public service mission. With five locations on the Eugene campus and branches at UO Portland and the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, the UO Libraries offer many flexible service- and technology-rich environments for our users' research, learning, and publishing needs.

The UO Libraries' mission is informing research and learning breakthroughs for Oregon. We strive to realize our vision of being a model for the enduring, positive impact that research libraries can have on their academic and civic communities. We do that with an unwavering commitment to our values. Learn more about the UO Libraries' strategic design, our values, and our goals at library.uoregon.edu/strategy

The University of Oregon Libraries is the only Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member in Oregon. We are also members of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, SPARC, Center for Research Libraries, DuraSpace, the Council on Library and Information Resources, the Coalition for Networked Information, EDUCAUSE, and other major organizations.

About Resource Description Services

Resource Description Services supports original and copy cataloging for all types of materials in a variety of languages, as well as metadata management and authority control for MARC and non-MARC collections. The department works closely with Collection Strategies, Special Collections and University Archives, Digital Scholarship Services, the Beach Preservation Lab, and others within the Libraries and UO campus to provide intellectual and physical access to collections, as well as cataloging and metadata solutions that support the management and discovery of scholarly resources. The department builds strong partnerships with external partners to lead advances in practice and to contribute expertise to regional, national, and international associations related to cataloging and metadata.

The department overseen by the Director of Resource Description Services includes Career Faculty Librarians, Officers of Administration, and Classified Staff. Key activities include: analyzing and describing the content of library resources for the public catalog; batch-loading records for e-resource collections; ensuring the quality of data in the Libraries' public catalog; creating and maintaining authority records to ensure consistency in name and subject access points; preparing physical materials for use; and withdrawal of material from the collection.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director of Resource Description Services, the Lead Cataloger position at UO Libraries offers an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional to lead and innovate in the areas of resource description and metadata management for monographs and integrating resources in a variety of formats.

In this key role, you will manage a team of three (3) classified staff. You will play an essential role in setting cataloging policies, standards, and best practices, while also creating original bibliographic and authority records, and enhancing existing descriptions. Your expertise will guide the training of library staff in cataloging, record maintenance and evaluation, and large-scale batch project management. You will also use and guide others in the usage of OCLC Connexion and Ex Libris Alma to meet both institutional and consortial needs.

We are particularly looking for a leader committed to embracing emerging developments and technologies, self-learning and professional growth, promoting equity and inclusion through anti-oppressive cataloging practices, and contributing significantly to the University's diversity value. Please join us in shaping the future of technical services in our library and making a lasting impact in our academic community.

We are aware that some people are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every preferred qualification in the job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the position and recognize that successful candidates may come from varied career paths, having gained skills and abilities outside of an institutional context. We encourage you to apply even if you don't believe you meet every one of our preferred qualifications.

Minimum Requirements

Minimum qualifications for rank of Associate Librarian:

* Master's Degree in Library/Information Science from an ALA-accredited institution or equivalent international terminal degree AND

* Six (6) years' post-MLIS or post-international equivalent progressively responsible cataloging experience in an academic or research library AND Two (2) years' post-MLIS experience directing and assessing the cataloging work of others in a supervisory role

Minimum qualifications for rank of Senior Librarian:

* Master's Degree in Library/Information Science from an ALA-accredited institution or equivalent international terminal degree AND

* Twelve (12) years' post-MLIS or post-equivalent international terminal degree progressively responsible cataloging experience in an academic or research library AND

* Two (2) years' post-MLIS experience directing and assessing the cataloging work of others in a supervisory role

Professional Competencies

* Knowledge of cataloging standards, practices, and products, including but not limited to LC classification, Library of Congress Subject Headings and other LC controlled vocabularies, MARC formats, RDA, AACR2, LC-PCC Policy Statements, BIBCO Standard Record.

* Proficiency in cataloging a variety of materials or formats.

* Ability to prioritize tasks and optimize workflows to ensure goals and objectives are achieved.

* Effectively motivates, coaches, develops, and evaluates employees, including preparation and maintenance of training materials.

* Excellent interpersonal skills including oral, written communication, and presentation skills; shows tact and diplomacy while maintaining open, honest, dialogue with coworkers and campus partners.

* Working knowledge of one or more Western European languages.

* Working knowledge of non-MARC metadata schemes and evolving standards, data models (such as BIBFRAME), and Linked Open Data.

Preferred Qualifications

* Experience working with batch processes and tools to analyze, remediate, and process metadata in batch.

* Experience with OCLC Connexion and integrated library systems.

* Experience creating and maintaining local cataloging policies and procedural documentation.

* Experience in project management.

* Experience with ExLibris Alma and Primo VE.

* Experience with a national cooperative cataloging program such as PCC (NACO, BIBCO, or SACO).

All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

The University of Oregon is proud to offer a robust benefits package to eligible employees, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. For more information about benefits, visit

The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the ADA. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please contact us at [email protected] or 541-###-####.

UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy (including pregnancy-related conditions), age, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including family medical history), ancestry, familial status, citizenship, service in the uniformed services (as defined in federal and state law), veteran status, expunged juvenile record, and/or the use of leave protected by state or federal law in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by UO policy. Questions may be referred to the Office of Investigations and Civil Rights Compliance. Contact information, related policies, and complaint procedures are listed here.

In compliance with federal law, the University of Oregon prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and services. The Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at