Associate Museum Librarian, Systems & Information Technology

About the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.

Since its founding in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as the audiences we engage. Our staff members are art lovers who are passionate about working toward a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring art museum in the world.

At The Met, every staff member – from security officers to researchers to scientists and beyond – lives by our core values of respect, inclusivity, collaboration, excellence, and integrity. 

Respect: Engage one another with collegiality, empathy, and kindness, always.

Inclusivity: Ensure that all are and feel welcome and valued.

Collaboration: Reach across boundaries to exchange ideas and work together toward our shared mission.

Excellence: Lead the cultural world in quality and expertise—and inspire curiosity and creativity.

Integrity: Hold ourselves to the highest moral standards, admit when we fall short, and then evolve. 

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

The Systems and Information Technology Librarian performs essential service-focused activities in Watson Library’s collaborative environment. As a member of the library’s systems team, the position serves as the primary administrator of the Sierra integrated library system (ILS) and ensures its optimal performance and continuous development; administers the library’s Linux servers and AWS cloud infrastructure; develops and maintains Python- and SQL-based Sierra API integrations; contributes to ILS reporting and data visualization; and participates in managing the library’s hardware and software applications. This position helps ensure the reliability, security, and ongoing development of library systems and services, and plays a key role in evaluating emerging technologies.

The successful candidate will work collaboratively with library colleagues to identify opportunities to improve access to the collections and develop strategies to enhance productivity and streamline workflows. They will work directly with both vendors and the Museum’s Information Systems & Technology team to coordinate the maintenance and support of the library’s hardware and software. As a member of the library’s research assistance team, this role will provide reference and research support for library patrons. There will be opportunities to work with the Digital team to enrich library services across the Museum. 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

• Manages the maintenance and ongoing development of the library ILS (Innovative Interfaces Inc.’s Sierra); serves as primary contact with the vendor; coordinates with the library systems team for installing new releases, troubleshooting, and documentation; oversees configuration and access tables; maintains passwords and authorizations; and resolves problems relating to records, access, and functionality.
• Administers the Library’s cloud infrastructure (AWS: S3, EC2, Lambda, IAM, SNS) for content delivery, shared access, and automation, in coordination with the Head of Systems and Museum IS&T.
• Supports information-security practices for library systems, including periodic security reviews of departmental access, hardening of patron-facing forms and accounts, coordination with vendors on incidents.
• Maintains the Library’s externally hosted web server and serves as the Library’s primary administrator of the Museum’s content management system (currently Sanity), including page migration, content updates, user research, and coordination with Digital.
• Develops and maintains Python and shell scripts, SQL queries, and lightweight web applications designed to automate or partially automate processes to extract, transform, and load library data, record loading, and reporting workflows.
• Works closely with vendors providing link resolvers, proxy authentication, authorities processing, cataloging services, digital repositories, and interlibrary loan systems; monitors, ensures optimal performance, and resolves technical support issues when appropriate.
• Communicates regularly with library and museum staff on technology-related issues; works collaboratively with Digital and IS&T; provides regular updates on the status of ongoing projects, new equipment and services, and the resolution of technology issues. Provides staff training on all upgrades and enhancements and their implications for improving access, workflows and processes; assesses the value of new software and features.
• Collaborates with library staff and vendors to identify, format, and coordinate the batch loading of vendor-supplied records into the online catalog.
• Collects and reports system-generated statistics and provides management and statistical reports on systems operations. Prepares and distributes local documentation as necessary; advises on the library’s information technology budgets and negotiates and arranges for the purchase of appropriate products and services.
• Develops and maintains library data products and dashboards in PowerBI, including the library’s public-facing dashboard; collaborates with library staff on data modeling and reconciliation (OpenRefine, SQL).
• Coordinates the lifecycle of library workstations, peripherals, scanners, and printing equipment — including deployment, OS upgrades (e.g., Windows 11 rollout), replacement, and decommissioning — and ensures their ongoing effective use.
• Works as a member of the Digitization Team to plan, implement, and support projects that advance the creation of digital collections.
• Provides research support and scheduled reference service (including 3-4 weekend shifts per year required).
• In collaboration with Library team, contribute to blog, library newsletter, and outreach efforts.
• Other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s Degree in Library or Information Science required, with a bachelor's degree or experience in Art History preferred.
• Five years of relevant technology experience required; two or more years’ experience managing an ILS required, Innovative Interfaces preferred.
• Demonstrated competency in computer science, programming, information security, or cloud architecture preferred.
• Knowledge of HTML/CSS, XML/XSL, Microsoft Excel, and web design required.
• Knowledge and experience working with content management systems required. CONTENTdm, TMS, and Sanity experience preferred.
• Demonstrated project management experience required; experience with tools such as Jira and Slack preferred.
• Experience creating and manipulating library metadata, utilizing API Services, writing relational database queries using SQL, and scripting and/or using programing languages, particularly Python, JavaScript and Linux Shell, required.
• Experience administering a Unix/Linux operating system using the command line interface required.
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills with a commitment to data-informed decision-making processes required.
• Experience and commitment to public services including reference and instruction. Ability to work both collaboratively and independently, in a service-driven environment; strong awareness of end-user needs as related to library systems and web platforms required.
• Experience building production data dashboards and reports in PowerBI (or comparable platform) preferred.
• Familiarity with cloud-hosted services and basic AWS concepts (S3, IAM, EC2, Lambda) preferred.
• Awareness of information-security fundamentals and willingness to participate in security reviews, system hardening, and end-user security training preferred.
  

• Pay Range: $95,000.00 - $105,000.00 / Annually

The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.

Location Requirements

At time of employment, employees are expected to be located within commuting distance of the Museum. “Commuting distance” means that they are located in one of following states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania (the “Tri-state and PA” areas), and be able to commute to and from the Museum in a single day.

Benefits Offerings

The Museum provides competitive compensation, and generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees. Note: Benefits Offering may differ based on Employee Status.

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
• Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Account (pre-tax income for eligible health care expenses)
• Commuter benefits (pre-tax income for parking or mass transit expenses)
• Free financial-planning services
• Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs
• 25% discount for staff in Museum shops
• A subsidized staff cafeteria
• Access to the Museums Council pass, which grants free admission to various museums and cultural institutions

We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the desired attributes for a role. If much of this job description describes you, then please apply for this role.

The Met is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, The Met will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed in this process, please contact [email protected].  

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.