Date:	November, 2014
Reports to (Job Title):	Chair, Fine Arts
Jobs Reporting (Job Titles):	None
Department:	Fine Arts
Location:	Main Campus
Grade:	USG 6 35 hr/wk

Primary Purpose

The Visual Resources Curator oversees the daily operation and long-term development of the Fine Arts Visual Resources Centre and its collections and provides resources, technical instruction, reference, and research assistance to support the teaching activities of the department.

Key Accountabilities:

1. Maintains, builds and provides access to the resources contained in the Visual Resources Centre:

Ensures that the department’s collection of digital images, slides, DVDs, magazines and books responds to the needs of the department’s programs, and develops these collections as required to meet those needs;
Monitors sources for purchase or donation of visual material; builds the collection of high quality images through purchase and through in-house copy-photography, digital scanning and image editing, in accordance with current copyright legislation;
Maintains the online password protected database of the Fine Arts image collection;
Maintains membership in relevant associations (e.g. Visual Resource Association (VRA)); participates in professional activities and maintains contact with other visual resources professionals to remain aware of current developments and standards in the field and in electronic visual information storage, retrieval and preservation;
Develops in-house cataloguing policies and standards;
Photographs and archives student art and department events for teaching, historical records and departmental publicity.

2. Ensures visual resources are available through systematic cataloguing and classification:

Catalogues books using the Library of Congress system;
Catalogues digital images and slides using a modified version of the Simon and Tansay Slide Classification System;
Catalogues the video collection using an in-house system;
Undertakes research to ensure accurate records and authority files, and to maintain professional cataloguing standards such as the Anglo American Cataloguing Rules (AACR2), Library of Congress Classification system (LLC), Getty Union List of Artists Names (ULAN), and the Simon and Tansey Universal Slide Classification System;

3. Provides reference and research assistance to patrons of the Visual Resources Centre, including occasional bibliographic instruction:

Generates searches of database records as requested by faculty or students to retrieve visual or historical information;
Informs and assists users regarding the content, organization and availability of visual materials;
Provides reference assistance and instructs users in image research techniques;
Assists faculty in sourcing, ordering, and clearing copyright of images for faculty research and publication;
Provides users with computer and technical assistance, in collaboration with the Digital Technician; provides instruction in the use of film and flatbed scanners, digital cameras, photo-editing equipment, classroom computers, and projection equipment;
Maintains digital and slide projection equipment as necessary.

4. Provides instruction in the form of workshops to undergraduate and graduate students as an essential part of the professional practice component of the department’s pedagogy:

Teaches skills for proper photo-documentation of art work;
Teaches cataloguing and archiving of art work;
Offers instruction in image maintenance and preservation standards for artists.

5. Maintains the Fine Arts website to the high standard required in a visual arts context:

Updates Fine Arts website, including news items, upcoming events, faculty profiles, current exhibitions;
uploads graduate and faculty artwork;
Updates and maintains Fine Arts Facebook page, including upcoming events, faculty profiles, current exhibitions;
Works with Waterloo Content Management System (WCMS) to ensure website accessibility standards are met.

6. Provides general duties associated with the Visual Resources Centre and function:

Hires and supervises part-time student assistants (data entry, scanning, filing);
Maintains the Visual Resources Centre’s budget; prepares a summary of expenditures for the Chair at the end of each academic year as well as monthly p-card reconciliations;
Provides images of artworks or department activities when requested for university promotional activities.

Position Requirements

Education:

Undergraduate degree in art history; degree in Library Science is a definite asset.

Experience:

Several years’ practical experience in the field including direct experience applying cataloguing standards, managing visual databases, digital imaging; professional skills in photography.

The Visual Resources Centre includes an estimated 33,500 digital images, 2,000 DVDs, 60,000 slides, 2,200 books, 10 magazine subscriptions. The Centre contains a reading room, 3 DVD viewing stations, a light table, cameras, tripods, lights, scanner.

Technical:

MS Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Other

Intermediate

Other (software and organizational systems)

Access or other database: advanced

Library of Congress cataloguing system (Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules)

Photoshop: advanced

Digital Asset Management Systems (MDID): intermediate

Nature and Scope

Interpersonal Skills:

Internal contact is with faculty, students, Chair, other staff within the department and on campus to exchange or provide information, and respond to specific requests for resources;

External contact is with suppliers, visitors to the department, typically to obtain, clarify and discuss information.

Level of Responsibility:

Technical support/training;

The job has specialized work with minimal supervision and provides guidance to others.

Decision-Making Authority:

The job requires collaboration with faculty and research for material for classroom and other use; the role provides technical support and training for faculty and students. Determines and purchases images to expand resource collections and selects appropriate software as required.

Physical and Sensory Demands:

Physical demands: Extensive sitting and walking; repetitive and/or precise hand/finger

movements;

Sensory demands: Dealing with distractions in the environment; precise visual attention required;

Requires exertion of physical or sensory effort resulting in slight fatigue, strain or risk of injury.

Working Environment:

Office-based; occasional on-site photography.