Assistant Professor & Coordinator of Cataloging and Metadata

Position Summary:

Do you enjoy working in collaborative library environments? Are you interested in a tenure track faculty position at a university that's small enough to really get to know people and make connections, but large enough to have the resources you need to succeed? The University of Dayton Libraries are looking for a Coordinator of Cataloging and Metadata to lead and support our cataloging and metadata work, foster collaboration, and help shape the future of library discovery and access. Apply today!

This is a 12-month, full-time, 35 hours per week, tenure track faculty position at the rank of assistant professor with an anticipated start date of February 1, 2027. The University of Dayton offers a strong benefits package, including tuition remission for self and immediate family, 22 vacation days, and 17 University holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. Reporting to the Director of Collections Strategies and Services, the Coordinator of Cataloging and Metadata coordinates and manages the development, implementation, and evaluation of metadata (MARC and non-MARC) workflows that support the discovery and curation of the Libraries collections, including both print and digital content, across all divisions of the University Libraries.

About the University Libraries Collections Strategies and Services Division

The Collections Strategies and Services division manages the lifecycle, budget, organization, and accessibility of the university's digital and print collections, including acquisitions, electronic resource management, cataloging and metadata, discovery tools, and collection assessment. Faculty and staff in the division utilize library platforms such as Alma and Primo to support resource management, discovery, and access.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinates cataloging and metadata operations across the University Libraries, including creation, transformation, remediation, maintenance, enhanced cataloging, and original cataloging for diverse collections and formats, including rare books.
• Oversees cataloging and authority control activities to ensure compliance with local, consortial, and national standards, including RDA, LC-PCC Policy Statements, and Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) guidelines, while contributing to the national authority file through NACO.
• Supervises, trains, and provides guidance to library staff performing cataloging/metadata activities in the division (currently 2 FTE).
• Applied fluency with existing and emerging metadata standards, tools, best practices, and AI technologies, as well as developments in interoperability, with a focus on standards such as Dublin Core, BIBFRAME, and MARCXML and the evolving role of AI in metadata creation, enrichment, and management.
• Coordinates the development, implementation, and maintenance of metadata strategies, profiles, standards, and good practices for describing the Libraries'' distinctive digital content.
• Provides metadata expertise for projects involving digital collections, system migrations, metadata remediation, and selection of appropriate metadata crosswalks between systems and standards.
• Serves as a collections liaison to assigned departments and serves on the liaison team.
• Manages the Roesch Library book donation workflow and maintains accurate donation records.
• Collaborates with the state-wide consortium to focus on cataloging and metadata as it relates to integration between shared systems and local systems, authority work, database integrity and impact of displays and searching of metadata on end users in shared or integrated systems by serving on the OhioLINK Database Improvement and Discoverability Policy Team.
• Serves on current and emerging cross-divisional teams within the Libraries, such as the Digital Stewardship and Sustainability Team and Collections and Scholarly Communications Team as appropriate.
• Contributes to the implementation of the Libraries' and University's strategic priorities, including inclusive excellence.
• Conducts research and disseminates the findings through publication in peer-reviewed journals, major national meetings, and other venues.
• Serves on various library, University, and professional committees.

University Libraries

Consisting of the Roesch Library, the internationally recognized Marian Library, and University Archives and Special Collections, the collective University Libraries are home to over 2 million print and digital materials. The University of Dayton is a proud charter member institution of OhioLINK, a widely acknowledged innovative leader among library consortia that collaboratively shares resources and services in medical, music, art, and academic library institutions throughout the state of Ohio. The Libraries at UD serve as a central hub of campus intellectual and cultural life and underwent a successful renovation directly informed by campus and community needs. Supporting over 400,000 visits annually, the dedicated Libraries faculty and staff are deeply engaged in and committed to furthering the mission of empowering learning, scholarship and creative expression.

The University

Grounded in its Catholic, Marianist tradition, The University of Dayton is a comprehensive university offering 70 majors to undergraduates, and 50 programs (12 doctoral) to graduate students. UD provides education to develop the whole student and is committed to social justice and experiential learning. UD enrolls approximately 9,000 students, including 6,900 full-time undergraduates. It is one of the nation's largest Catholic universities and one of the largest private universities in Ohio.

At the University of Dayton, we value inclusive excellence because we recognize that diversity, equity and inclusion are fundamental to academic and institutional excellence. Inclusive excellence requires a comprehensive, cohesive and collaborative alignment of infrastructure, resources and actions. We strive to be active, intentional, and sustain engagement with and celebration of diversity in every dimension of institutional life. Because we seek a workforce with a wide range of perspectives and experiences, we encourage all candidates to apply.

The City of Dayton

Located in Dayton, Ohio, our university offers more than just a rewarding career. With a burgeoning downtown area, Dayton boasts extensive green space and over 350 miles of biking/hiking trails, with ample opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. With a low cost of living, you can enjoy a comfortable lifestyle while pursuing your passion for mental health and teaching. Additionally, Dayton''s dynamic arts scene offers a rich cultural experience. It''s a great place to live, work, and thrive. Go to Destination Dayton Dayton for more information.

Minimum Qualifications:

• MLS, MLIS, or MSIS from an ALA-accredited institution.

• At least one year of successful professional experience in cataloging, including:

• Cataloging rare books or special collections materials, including original and complex copy cataloging.

• Knowledge of cataloging and classification practices, standards, and schema such as MARC, RDA, LCSH, and PCC standards (BIBCO, NACO).

• Knowledge of Ex Libris Alma and OCLC Connexion.

• Experience with one or more of the following XML-based standards: Dublin Core, EAD, MARCXML, OAI-PMH, VRA Core, METS, and PREMIS.

• Excellent written communication skills.

• Articulated ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment with a strong service orientation.

• Articulated ability to support the University of Dayton's commitment to the principles of inclusive excellence.

• Potential for excellence in librarianship, research, and service.

Preferred Qualifications:

While not everyone may meet all preferred qualifications, the ideal candidate will bring many of the following, and we are committed to helping our future colleague develop these preferred skills:

• Demonstrated ability to plan, initiate, and implement projects, workflows, and services.
• Supervisory or team leadership experience.
• Familiarity with linked data principles and BIBFRAME.
• Knowledge of book and book publishing history.
• Experience supporting collection development and acquisitions, including evaluating and selecting resources and responding to faculty requests for print and electronic books.
• Awareness of critical concerns in the field, including bias in resource description and access practices, as well as the ethical implications and potential biases of AI in metadata and cataloging practices.
• Experience fostering inclusive excellence in the workplace, including working with and supporting individuals from culturally and socially diverse communities.
• Effective interpersonal communication skills.
• Effective oral communication skills.
• Commitment to breadth of education including educating the whole person in the Marianist tradition and a commitment to social justice and service to the community, university and profession.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

To apply please submit:

• Cover letter describing how minimum and preferred qualifications are met.
• CV.
• Statement addressing inclusive excellence and how that informs your work.
• Contact information for 3 professional references who may be contacted later in the process,
• Unofficial transcripts. Please scan into one document for upload.

Candidates invited to a campus interview will be expected to deliver a presentation about a topic specified 2 weeks in advance.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. The University does not provide work visa sponsorship for this position.

Posting closes at 11:55 PM EST November 9, 2026.

Closing Statement:

Informed by its Catholic and Marianist mission, the University is committed to the dignity of every human being. Informed by this commitment, we seek to increase diversity in all of its forms, achieve fair outcomes, and model inclusion across our campus community. The University is committed to policies of affirmative action designed to increase the employment opportunities of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans in compliance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1973.