The University Library at the University of Michigan seeks a Digital Conversion Production Manager.

The Digital Conversion Production Manager oversees the Digital Conversion Unit (DCU) within the Digital Library Production Service (DLPS). The DCU is responsible for digital conversion of library collections, working with monograph, serial, newspaper, photograph, and manuscript collections. The DCU converts on average 5,000 volumes per year, and is committed to high-volume, efficient digitization. The DCU also works closely with the Scholarly Publishing Office (SPO) on digitizing materials to be published by SPO, and the DCU staff work closely with library selectors, archivists and special collections librarians in developing cost estimates for digitization projects.

The Digital Library Production Service (DLPS), a part of the University of Michigan University Library, is UM's key organization for creation, deployment and support of local digital library collections. DLPS, with over 20 FTE, including librarians, computing professionals, and support staff, provides production-level support for digital library collections in a number of subject areas and formats. Online collection resources include significant image-and text-based journal collections, art image collections, and a leading edge XML development effort. Staff members within DLPS assume responsibility for access mechanisms, data loading, security, accounting and billing mechanisms, as well as creation and conversion activities. DLPS provides these services to the University of Michigan as well as other institutions, and works with consortia such as the Digital Library Federation (DLF) and the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) to advance the development of sound digital libraries.

Under the supervision of the Head of DLPS, the Digital Conversion Production Manager supervises a unit of 6 professionals, including technicians for digital capture and conversion of textual materials and continuous tone images, along with part-time workers and student assistants, The incumbent is responsible for coordinating departmental priorities and long-range unit planning with the Head of the Digital Library Production Service.

Duties:

• Develops and maintains a productive and cost effective processing operation which is responsive to the needs of other library units and library users;
• Establishes and analyzes statistical measurements of productivity
• Plans and oversees development of new production formats and workflows based on emerging Library priorities
• Plans and implements effective quality control methods for ensuring accurate and reliable digital conversion.
• As part of the library's partnership with Google to digitize the library's collections, the incumbent performs analysis of specifications, and manages the digitization of materials not digitized by Google.

The DCU constantly strives to provide the most efficient, cost-effective and highest quality methods of digitization of library collections. The DCU works with units throughout the library system to digitize library collections, including rare and valuable materials, such as papyri, maps and rare books, as well as damaged library materials. The DCU monitors its quality control processes to reduce errors and provide high quality digital objects for the library's large online collections.

Further information on this position, with instructions for applying, may be found at http://www.lib.umich.edu/hr/employment/dcpm.html

More information on the Digital Library Production Service is available at: http://www.lib.umich.edu/lit/dlps

Perry Willett
Head, Digital Library Production Service
300 Hatcher North
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor MI 48109-1205
Ph: 734-764-8074
Fax: 734-647-6897

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