Position: Research Analyst
Location: Arnold Porter

Full vacancy announcement available on AALL Career Center.

Description

The Research Services Department of Arnold & Porter has an opening for a Research Analyst to join our energetic, creative, and global service team. This position covers the hours between 9:00 am. – 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday-Friday, and can be associated with any of the following A&P offices: San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Houston, Denver, or Chicago.

Under the direction of the firmwide Research Services management team, Research Analysts respond to research and reference requests from attorneys, legal assistants and administrative personnel in all A&P offices and serve as liaisons to designated practice and industry groups. Research Analysts also assist with current awareness monitoring, curated news preparation, collection development, and other department activities.

Essential responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Collaborating with colleagues in the U.S. and abroad to perform legal, business and scientific reference and research using a variety of free and fee-based databases and web sites.
• Working with designated practice and industry groups to promote and raise awareness of research tools and services by offering targeted research and curated reports, orientations and training, and assistance with collection development by evaluating products and recommending changes.
• Assisting with current awareness services by developing requests, monitoring output and summarizing results.
• Contributing to the development of content for the intranet.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• MLS or equivalent from an ALA accredited school.
• A minimum of two (2) years of recent, professional level legal and business research experience, preferably in a law firm or other similar environment.
• Demonstrated ability to make cost-effective use of a wide range of print and online resources, including Westlaw, Lexis Advance, Law 360, Wolters Kluwer, and Bloomberg BNA.
• Comfortable using Microsoft Office applications, especially Word, Outlook and Excel.
• Familiarity with the Quest ticketing system a plus.
• Strong client service orientation.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, prioritizing multiple projects and assignments.
• Ability to analyze, cull and summarize search results.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Position: Senior Grants Management Specialist
Location: Office of Grant Policy, and Management, Institute of Museum and Library Services
Salary: $103,690 to $134,798

Full vacancy announcement available on USAJOBS.

Summary

The OGPM performs administrative business, policy, and analytical work involving: (1) the management, award, and obligation of funds for Federal assistance including grants, cooperative agreements, and other related assistance and services through discretionary and mandatory grants, using financial, administrative, business, and negotiation procedures and (2) the fiscal administration, termination, and /or closeout of grants and/or other assistance and agreement awards.

Responsibilities
If selected for the Senior Grants Management Specialist position, the incumbent will work collaboratively with program staff in the Office of Museum Services and the Office of Library Services to provide grant related assistance and services. This position is responsible for supporting the management of the Office of Grants Policy and Management (OGPM). Typical work assignments will include:

• Management, award, and obligation of funds for Federal assistance including grants, cooperative agreements, and other related assistance and services through discretionary and mandatory grants, using financial, administrative, business, and negotiation procedures
• Serving as a subject matter expert for awardee organizations, providing them with guidance and assistance in grants management matters and working with them to resolve compliance or grants management issues.
• Implementing and managing Federal grants and cooperative agreements in all IMLS programs
• Providing advice, interpretation, and guidance on statutes, regulations, internal policies, and procedures as they relate to awards in general and individual applications and grants.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Position: Production Specialist
Location: Library of Congress
Salary: $72,750 to $94,581

Full vacancy announcement available on USAJOBS.

Summary

This position is located in the Collections Division, Library Collections and Services Group.
The position description number for this position is 409883.
The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area.
The incumbent of this position will work a flexitime work schedule.
This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position.

Responsibilities
The Production Specialist is responsible for all production in the NLS recording studio of audio material intended for distribution to the patrons of the NLS Talking Book Program.

Assesses the content and organizes the audio files of recorded work that originates in the NLS recording studio, into navigable units. Converts into the standardized NLS talking book format, to be available for use on NLS digital audio players and online on the BARD website. Encrypts the material to restrict its access to only NLS patrons. This process requires a detailed knowledge of NLS Specifications 1201 (Narration), 1202 (DTB Mastering), 1203 (Construction of a DTB), without which knowledge, the production specialist will produce books which will fail the Quality Assurance process.

Converts many types of audio books that originate outside of the NLS recording studio in order to enhance the NLS collection online, including: Analog to Digital (ATD), Digital to Digital (DTD), shared masters, and commercial audiobooks into the standardized NLS digital talking book format.

Produces born digital talking books (DTBs), magazines, and resource materials, as well as converting older books to be added to BARD. This process requires a detailed knowledge of NLS Specifications 1205 (Protected DTBs) and 1208 (Preparation of Commercial Audiobooks)

Applies specialized knowledge of audio software support, sound engineering, and audio recording navigation mark-up format, incorporating both technical and artistic judgments. Performs all aspects of audio technical post-production work.

Analyzes book structure to determine optimal navigational markup and places navigational markers to maximize accessibility for the patrons while complying with NLS specifications. Conducts preliminary examination of magazines, determining appropriate playback structure and formatting for DTB players. Prepares project files using Hindenburg ABC for the recording process (if recorded in-house) or downloading and reformatting commercial books and/or magazines to meet NLS standards.

Converts and reformats previously recorded (analog or digital) NLS talking books to meet current Quality Assurance standards. Compiles finished recorded audio, then adds navigable markers using Hindenburg ABC for playback on DTB players. Runs validators and creates md5 checksums to guarantee data accuracy, encrypting DTBs for DRM compliance.

Archives all books and magazines produced in the studio by compressing them for long-term storage and uploads items to NLS servers, as well as entering and updating them in the studio’s database.

Coordinates with Audio and Braille Production and Content Quality Assurance Sections for special projects. Assists with the timely releases of converted commercially recorded audiobooks into the NLS collection, by obtaining the recorded audio material, determining navigational structure, addressing post-production needs, and providing assistance in moving files to the server in order to be released on the BARD website on the same day as their commercial release.

Works with all NLS sections to provide high standards of customer satisfaction according to NLS specifications. Provides technical expertise to other NLS sections in audio and DTB related issues.

Advises, trains, and assists network libraries in digital recording and DTB production, upon request, coordinating and supporting network library production;

Coordinates with the Content Quality Assurance Section to address patron requests in a timely manner.

Provides technical feedback to Collections Division regarding various audio book production issues, by attending meetings, serving as in-house experts, and providing written reports and analyses of new and emerging technologies, consistently and professionally.

Tests playback of final audio of recorded books and/or magazines before being uploaded to Quality Assurance for review and uploading the completed product to NLS servers.

Assists Channel Design and Deployment Section with the testing of new technologies and new recording software intended for use by other producers in the Network Library System.

Facilitates narration of complex titles including experimental formats and assists in the development of concepts to enhance accessibility of images, including audio and tactile approaches.

Supports technical aspects of format conversion, e.g. music or Marrakesh titles, to NLS format and assists in creating potential new formats, such as Text-to-Speech or ePUB titles for proof of concept and pilot use.

Coordinates and collaborates with other NLS departments, including the Music Section, Reference Section, Network Services, and Audio and Braille Production with the planning and execution of special projects and new procedures.

Conducts tours of the NLS Studio for new employees, library groups, and visitors from around the world.

Position: Librarian (South Asian)
Location: Library of Congress
Salary: $87,198 to $113,362

Full vacancy announcement available on USAJOBS.

Summary

This position is located in the Southeast and South Asia Section, Asian and Middle Eastern Division, Acquisitions and Bibliographic Access Directorate, Library Services.
The position description number for this position is 058500.
The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area.
The incumbent of this position will work a flextime, compflex, or maxiflex work schedule.
This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position

Responsibilities
Independently catalogs a full range of material. Offers solutions on how to describe bibliographic elements that are not covered by cataloging rules, or require interpretation. Searches entries in automated and manual catalogs. Assigns headings to catalog entries. Selects and assigns classification numbers. Establishes personal and corporate names and uniform titles for inclusion in the name authority file. Establishes and recommends subject headings for inclusion in the subject authority file and classification schedule. Creates and revises bibliographic records, authority records, and classification schedules. Performs content designation of bibliographic and authority records. Performs research in the cataloger’s reference collection, online databases, the world wide web, and the collections of the Library. Resolves problems and inconsistencies in the cataloging process. Identifies items which do not require cataloging (e.g., duplicates); items which are out of scope; and items for which a record already exists.

Organizes and coordinates assignments that involve complex and novel or obscure problems and/or special requirements. Analyzes material to determine its relationship to the existing collections, for proper main entry, and the need for added entries. Analyzes material to determine subject content. Identifies areas for improvement in established methods. Performs detailed analyses and evaluations of cataloging requests. Prepares reports, analyses, and other documents related to information and research efforts. Examines proposals to create or change subject headings to insure conformity. Assists in the preparation of memoranda, guidelines and correspondence in response to inquiries regarding application of cataloging rules and subject heading and classification matters.

Assists in collection development for assigned countries, languages, and/or subjects. Reviews a wide variety of brochures, catalogs, journals, and other sources for new items and sources for possible acquisition. Assists in collection development for assigned countries, languages, and/or subjects. Reviews a wide variety of brochures, catalogs, journals, and other sources for new items and sources for possible acquisition and makes specific recommendations to fill in gaps and enhance existing collections. Examines incoming shipments to select items appropriate for the collections, consulting others only for the most difficult decisions. Examines recommendations for acquisition to identify processing and custodial requirements, and to ensure conformity with or approve deviation from established guidelines. Participates in formulating plans for changes and improvements to collection development policies.

Independently acquires a variety of materials in all formats from assigned countries and/or in assigned languages. Assists in planning and implementation of special acquisitions projects. Applies extensive knowledge of library functions to modify standard library practices related to acquisitions of a wide variety of library materials. Contacts dealers, subscription agents, vendors, overseas offices, domestic and foreign government agencies, exchange partners, and/or donors, to obtain information, negotiate price or other terms of acquisition, coordinate the acquisitions process, and resolve unusual problems. Determines appropriate source and method of acquisition of recommended items. Participates in annual budget preparation. Prepares approval plan renewals, including notification of new budgeted amounts. Conducts vendor evaluation. Researches and recommends new sources of acquisitions and/or access. Assures that purchase orders and invoices are represented by correct bibliographic identification and correct coding in the acquisitions system, including resolution of unusual recordation problems. Assures that materials ordered or received are new to the collections. Determines availability of funds and recommends reallocation when necessary. Resolves problems and inconsistencies in the acquisitions process. Performs research in on-site reference sources, online databases, the world wide web, and the collections of the Library.

Establishes and maintains professional relationships with librarians and other specialists in order to share resources and information as well as to coordinate workflow within the library. As a consultant, recommends changes in procedures, workflows, and tools. Recommends solutions or resolves important issues when precedents do not apply.

The staff member develops plans to implement training goals and to assure achievement of learning objectives. Provides initial intensive instruction and ongoing training of staff, reviewing and revising the work as needed. Recommends additional aids to meet the needs of the training program. Resolves problems that arise in the training program. Adapts current methodologies and guidelines to accommodate unique training situations.