Metadata Assistant Jobs in Maryland (NOW HIRING)

Job Title: Cataloging and Metadata Librarian

Employment Type: Part-Time - 25 hours per week
Customer Agency: Library of Congress (LOC) – supporting (NIST) Research Library and Museum

Employment Status: Contingent Upon Contract Award
Work Location: Hybrid
Place of Performance: Rockville, MD
Work Authorization: Must be authorized to work in the United States.
Security Requirement: Candidates must comply with Library of Congress federal records handling requirements and complete required LOC records management training.

Position Overview

The Cataloging and Metadata Librarian will support the Library of Congress (LOC) FEDLINK Program in providing cataloging and metadata services to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Research Library and Museum. The librarian will perform original and complex cataloging, copy cataloging, metadata creation, and digital repository preparation for scientific publications, technical reports, museum collections, photographs, and archival materials.

The successful candidate will collaborate closely with the NIST Federal Point of Contact, Contractor Project Manager, and library staff across the Resources, Access & Data, Outreach & Marketing, and Museum & Archives teams to ensure high-quality bibliographic records, metadata consistency, and accessibility of NIST's scientific and technical information resources.

This position requires extensive experience with MARC21 cataloging, Ex Libris Alma, OCLC cataloging environments, metadata transformation tools, and modern cataloging standards including RDA, AACR2, and BIBFRAME. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional analytical skills, strong attention to detail, and the ability to independently manage multiple cataloging and metadata projects while maintaining high quality standards.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform original and complex cataloging in MARC21 format for NBS/NIST publications and materials in multiple languages and formats.
• Perform copy cataloging for newly acquired print and electronic resources using established cataloging standards.
• Catalog and assign descriptive metadata to museum objects, photographs, archival materials, and digital collections.
• Create, edit, and maintain bibliographic and authority records within the Ex Libris Alma Integrated Library System (ILS).
• Prepare digital publications, image files, and associated metadata for ingest into digital repositories designated by the NIST Research Library and Museum.
• Perform metadata creation, editing, validation, and maintenance for scientific and technical information resources.
• Apply current cataloging standards including MARC21, RDA, AACR2, BIBFRAME, LCSH, and LCNAF.
• Utilize OCLC Records Manager, OCLC Connexion, WorldCat, and WorldShare to perform original and copy cataloging.
• Use MarcEdit and other metadata tools to manipulate, edit, and validate bibliographic records.
• Perform metadata transformations using XML, MARCXML, XSLT, command-line scripting, batch scripting, regular expressions, and related automation tools.
• Conduct quality assurance and quality control reviews of bibliographic records, metadata, and digital objects to ensure compliance with cataloging standards.
• Identify, diagnose, and resolve cataloging inconsistencies and metadata errors.
• Support maintenance and operation of the cloud-based library services platform.
• Assist with metadata enhancement and linked data initiatives supporting emerging library technologies.
• Participate in project kickoff meetings, recurring status meetings, and technical discussions with NIST representatives and project leadership.
• Prepare and submit monthly progress reports summarizing completed work, ongoing activities, issues encountered, proposed resolutions, and hours worked.
• Perform additional cataloging and metadata activities as assigned by the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR).

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in Library Science (MLS) or Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) from an accredited institution; equivalent professional library experience may be considered in lieu of the degree.
• Minimum five (5) years of professional experience performing metadata and technical services work in a library environment.
• Demonstrated experience performing both original and copy cataloging using MARC21 bibliographic standards.
• Hands-on experience with the Ex Libris Alma Integrated Library System (ILS).
• Experience using OCLC Records Manager, OCLC Connexion, OCLC WorldCat, and WorldShare cataloging environments.
• Experience applying:
• • MARC21 Bibliographic and Authority Formats
  • Resource Description and Access (RDA)
  • Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, Second Edition (AACR2)
  • BIBFRAME
  • Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)
  • Library of Congress Name Authority File (LCNAF)
• Experience working with XML, MARCXML, and other metadata schemas.
• Experience performing metadata transformation using command-line scripting, batch scripting, XSLT, and regular expressions.
• Experience preparing metadata and digital objects for ingest into digital repositories.
• Demonstrated experience performing metadata quality assurance and bibliographic quality control.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting a Federal Government library, research library, or scientific information center.
• Experience supporting the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) or other federal research organizations.
• Strong understanding of current cataloging theory, metadata practices, and emerging linked data initiatives.
• Experience cataloging scientific, technical, engineering, government, archival, or museum collections.
• Experience preparing publications, image files, and archival materials for institutional or digital repositories.
• Experience maintaining cloud-based library management platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to consistently apply cataloging standards across large and diverse collections.
• Experience resolving complex cataloging and metadata issues using professional cataloging judgment.

Preferred Certifications

Candidates possessing one or more of the following are highly desirable:

• RDA (Resource Description and Access) Cataloging Training
• OCLC Cataloging Training or OCLC Cataloging Certification
• Ex Libris Alma Administration or Alma Cataloging Training
• BIBFRAME or Linked Data for Libraries Training
• Advanced MARC21 Cataloging or Metadata Management Training
• XML, XSLT, or Metadata Transformation Training