Libraries

Attention: who wants to work at Snell?

  Snell Library has recently posted two open positions for hiring. Both are full time positions that all may apply to. Below are descriptions of the positions. 1. Advancement and Marketing Assistant, Northeastern University Libraries Help us to grow! This position assists with advancement and marketing efforts of the University Libraries. Major responsibilities include setting up appointments with donors, making thank you calls, drafting correspondence to donors and alumni, coordinating tasks, communicating with advancement and marketing staff across campus, running database reports, and assisting the department head with priority projects. S/he will also be responsible for payroll and monitoring departmental expenditures and the department budget. In addition s/he will hire, train, and supervise 1-2 coops and 3-6 work study students. Other responsibilities include collaborating with the Programming & Communications committee and managing coop students on marketing and programming projects such as author talks and panel discussions.         Qualifications   This individual must have excellent written and verbal communication skills, very strong interpersonal abilities, a positive attitude, and be detail oriented. S/he should feel comfortable picking up the phone and calling anyone. S/he should be able to prioritize, manage multiple projects, and to meet project deadlines. S/he must be able to work independently and in teams, possess decision-making abilities and problem-solving skills, and effectively supervise others. S/he should be flexible, adaptable, and creative. Eagerness to grow and learn is a plus. Experience with client relations, sales, or advancement experience is preferred. Two+ years computer experience working with databases, word processing programs, and generating reports is necessary. Experience with SalesForce is a plus. Budget experience is preferred. Bachelor’s degree is required. Flexibility in work schedule is required (some evening and weekends). If you have questions about this position at Northeastern, please contact: Maria Taesil Hudson Carpenter Director of Advancement, Marketing & Communications Northeastern University Libraries 617.373.2821 o 857.719.8009 c m.carpenter@neu.edu 2. Digital Library Developer Are you interested in applying your technical skills in an academic environment? Do you think about the future of libraries, scholarly publishing, and digital information management systems?  Do you enjoy working with dedicated colleagues and solving interesting problems?  If so, consider applying to be our Digital Library Developer! As part of a new Digital Library Management department, the Digital Library Developer will develop and maintain the core technical infrastructure for a comprehensive digital library/repository service.  The successful candidate will work closely with colleagues in the Libraries and in Information Services and will play a leading role in designing the primary architecture, workflows and applications for Northeastern’s digital repository service. Typical duties include: working with open-source and commercial applications to develop an OAIS compliant infrastructure that supports the ingestion, storage/preservation, and distribution of digital assets.  The Digital Library Developer will be responsible for designing, developing, testing and deploying new technologies, tools and resources to extend and enhance digital content and services, developing application programming interfaces (APIs) to facilitate multiple submission and access pathways; and collaborating with IS colleagues to implement appropriate identity management and authentication policies. Qualifications Qualifications for this exciting position include: –    Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and four to six years of significant development experience in an object oriented development environment such as Java. –    Strong working knowledge of Java, SQL, XML/XSL. –    Experience with web programming frameworks such as PhP, Rails, or Django. –    Demonstrated experience with Unix, Unix utilities, device handling, data storage, and basic UNIX administration. –    Knowledge of current web development standards and cross platform compatibility and accessibility techniques. –    Experience with Open Source software. –    Excellent oral and written skills. –    Strong interpersonal skills; ability to work successfully in a collaborative environment. –    Experience with IT in a higher education setting desirable. Additional Information Questions about this position or Northeastern’s digital library program should be sent to Patrick Yott at p.yott@neu.edu. To apply for these jobs: If applying from the Careers @ Northeastern site: 1. Click on the ‘Add to My Positions’ button; 2. Click on the ‘View My Positions’ button; 3. Click on the ‘Apply for Positions’ button; 4. Follow the instructions on how to complete ‘The Application Process’. Important: remember that these jobs will be listed under the heading “College/Area: Libraries” If applying from an external job site: 1. Copy the following URL and paste it into a new browser window: https://psoft.neu.edu/psc/neuhrprdpub/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/NEU_HR.NEU_JOBS.GBL 2. Find the position(s) you are interested in applying for and follow the instructions available on the Careers @ Northeastern site. Please contact only the aforementioned staff if you are interested in applying; feel free to refer friends outside of Northeastern who may be qualified/interested. Furthermore, spread this blog post around! -Damon G

Short-takes: A new look at librarians

Over the weekend, I read this interview with Marilyn Johnson, about her new book, This Book Is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All. Johnson, author of The Dead Beat, follows up her chronicle of obituary-writers with an account of librarians. She even mentions book cart drills, which I’ve learned about from our own Debbie Pennino! I think librarians and library users might get a kick out of the piece.

Welcome to Snell Snippets!

It is delightful to spread the word that Northeastern University Libraries now has a blog (you’ve got it, right here!), with a talented team of bloggers.  These bloggers aim to share with you insightful ponderings about information and society, digitial initiatives, leadership in libraries, research sources, reading picks, and much more.  We also want to hear from you!  Please join us in this online conversation.  So, watch this space! Be well and go well, Maria Carpenter, Northeastern University Libraries

Italy, Multiculturalism and Libraries

Italy Italy, (along with most European countries), has experienced an influx of immigrants in last few years, and with that there have been some ongoing (and escalating) tensions down racial and ethnic lines.  This has also been reflected in the election of an increasingly conservative government.   While this recent New York Times article certainly demonstrates a mixed outlook, I was pleased to see that the reporter interviewed two Italian librarians who were trying to promote cultural diversity in their country and the ways in which libraries and art organizations are uniquely positioned to do that.   

What are original editions worth?

At nearby Margaret Clapp Library at Wellesley College, students have been able to pore over the 1566 printing of Copernicus’s On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres.  It’s the third such “threshold work” for science-the Library has first printings of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species and Isaac Newton’s Principia Mathematica-in the Wellesley collection.  Reading about this acquisition made me think: How different is the experience of reading a first or second printing?  Does more power lie in the text, or the book? What sort of impact does it have on a student’s study?