Cataloger III

Description LAC Federal is seeking a highly experienced Cataloger III – Senior Cataloging & Metadata Specialist to provide advanced cataloging, metadata remediation, and technical expertise in support of a major federal research library in the Washington, DC Area. The successful candidate will serve as a senior technical resource responsible for complex original and copy cataloging, foreign-language bibliographic description, serials remediation, and the enhancement of legacy records following SLA's migration to Ex Libris Alma. This position will support the modernization of extensive research collections, including scientific, historical, multilingual, and specialized materials, while ensuring compliance with established cataloging standards and improving bibliographic accuracy and discovery. The ideal candidate possesses exceptional expertise in RDA, MARC 21, OCLC, and Alma; demonstrated foreign-language cataloging proficiency; and the ability to independently resolve challenging bibliographic and metadata issues.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform advanced original and copy cataloging of complex monographs, serials, electronic resources, and specialized research materials using RDA, MARC 21, OCLC WorldCat, and established authority-control practices.
• Independently catalog materials in one or more foreign languages, including complex bibliographic description, subject analysis, original-script transcription, romanization, and authority verification.
• Serve as a senior technical resource for complex cataloging questions, unusual bibliographic materials, difficult authority-control issues, and nonstandard descriptive situations.
• Analyze, correct, and enhance legacy bibliographic and holdings records following migration to Ex Libris Alma, including UTF-8 encoding errors, diacritical inconsistencies, MARC 880 linkages, duplicate records, and incorrect bibliographic relationships.
• Perform complex serials cataloging and remediation, including successive-entry cataloging, title changes, mergers, splits, continuations, linking fields, ISSN verification, and holdings accuracy.
• Evaluate and upgrade older bibliographic records to current RDA and MARC 21 practices, ensuring consistency, accurate access points, and improved discovery across print and electronic collections.
• Conduct advanced authority research and metadata enhancement using LCNAF, LCSH, Library of Congress Classification, and other applicable controlled vocabularies and authority resources.
• Support large-scale metadata cleanup initiatives through record analysis, batch editing, normalization, and validation using Alma and approved metadata processing tools.
• Review complex bibliographic records prepared by other catalogers or remote foreign-language specialists, identify quality deficiencies, and recommend corrections to meet institutional standards.
• Collaborate with the Project Manager/Senior Serials Cataloger to develop and refine cataloging procedures, technical specifications, quality assurance standards, and production workflows.
• Support cataloging backlog reduction, inventory reconciliation, withdrawals, and collection maintenance by providing advanced bibliographic verification and resolving difficult record-level discrepancies.
• Contribute technical expertise to metadata modernization initiatives, including BIBFRAME readiness, linked-data practices, persistent identifiers, and improvements to bibliographic data interoperability.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS/MLS) from an ALA-accredited institution or equivalent internationally recognized qualification.
• Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible professional cataloging experience, including substantial experience with complex original and copy cataloging.
• Minimum of three years of advanced cataloging experience involving complex serials, foreign-language materials, specialized research collections, or significant bibliographic metadata remediation.
• Demonstrated advanced proficiency in RDA, MARC 21 bibliographic and holdings formats, OCLC cataloging tools, and established authority-control standards.
• Professional experience using Ex Libris Alma for bibliographic and holdings record creation, editing, import/export, or metadata remediation.
• Demonstrated ability to independently perform complex original cataloging, including subject analysis, classification, authority research, and resolution of incomplete or inconsistent bibliographic information.
• Demonstrated proficiency performing original and copy cataloging in at least one of the following target languages: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Persian/Farsi, Spanish, Italian, German, Hebrew, Greek, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Russian or another Slavic language, Thai, Burmese, or an applicable Ethiopian language.
• Ability to accurately interpret and transcribe bibliographic information in the relevant original language and script and apply appropriate romanization or transliteration standards.
• Demonstrated experience cataloging or resolving complex serials bibliographic records, including title changes, linking relationships, and holdings issues.
• Advanced working knowledge of Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), Library of Congress Classification (LCC), Library of Congress Name Authority File (LCNAF), and established bibliographic identifiers.
• Experience identifying and correcting complex metadata errors, including malformed MARC fields, incorrect access points, duplicate records, and inconsistent descriptive or holdings data.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound professional judgment, conduct complex bibliographic research, and maintain high standards of accuracy and consistency.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to explain complex cataloging issues to technical and nontechnical colleagues.
• Ability to work full-time on-site in Washington, DC, and meet applicable federal facility access requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ten or more years of professional cataloging experience in a major research library, national library, academic library, museum, or specialized scientific information environment.
• Professional cataloging proficiency in two or more target foreign languages, particularly Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Persian, Spanish, or Italian.
• Advanced experience with CONSER, PCC, BIBCO, and cooperative cataloging standards and practices.
• Demonstrated expertise in Ex Libris Alma metadata management, including normalization rules, import profiles, Alma Analytics, and bibliographic/holdings data validation.
• Experience supporting major library services platform migrations, especially from Horizon or another legacy integrated library system to Alma.
• Experience correcting Unicode/UTF-8 encoding problems, diacritical errors, non-Latin script inconsistencies, and MARC 880 field linkages.
• Experience using MarcEdit, OpenRefine, scripting tools, or other applications for batch bibliographic data analysis, transformation, and quality control.
• Familiarity with BIBFRAME, linked-data modeling, RDF, persistent identifiers, and emerging bibliographic metadata standards.
• Experience cataloging scientific publications, natural history collections, rare or specialized materials, and complex electronic resources.
• Experience providing technical mentoring, reviewing other catalogers' work, developing cataloging procedures, or serving as a subject matter expert on metadata quality.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit for extended periods while performing cataloging, metadata analysis, data entry, and computer-based research.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, stoop, and reach to retrieve, examine, and organize library materials from shelving and workstations.
• Ability to lift, carry, and move library materials and equipment weighing up to 25 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short Term & Long-Term Disability
• Training & Development

EEO Statement The company and its subsidiaries are an equal opportunity employer and celebrate the population of differences and does not discriminate in its hiring/hiring practices, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Nothing in this job specification restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Critical features of this job are described under various headings above. They may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons. The above statements are strictly intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees in this position. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.