Job Description
Position Summary
A member of the Westminster Law Library’s management team, reporting to the Associate Dean of Law Library and Information Science, the Head of Technical Services is responsible for the technical services operations of the Westminster Law Library, including acquisitions, cataloging and metadata services, and e-resource management. This position currently has supervisory responsibility for the technical services work of a part-time staff member and student workers trained to assist with technical services. This position assists in the management of the law library’s day-to-day operations as part of a four-person library management team, along with the Associate Dean, the Assistant Director, and the Head of Access Services, and involves key areas of responsibility such as strategic planning, assessment, communication, personnel development, technological needs, and resource allocation.
This position may be filled by either a faculty or staff member, depending on the qualifications and preference of the selected candidate.
A candidate appointed to a position in the University Libraries faculty series will require a JD degree (or its equivalent) and a commitment to regular teaching in the law library’s Certificate in Legal Research program and the Sturm College of Law. Positions in the University Libraries faculty series are eligible for a long-term contract and are subject to the University of Denver’s “Policies and Procedures Relating to Faculty Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure” (https://www.du.edu/sites/g/files/lmucqz251/files/2019-09/apt_june_2019.pdf).
Essential Functions
- Plan, coordinate, oversee, and actively participate in the day-to-day technical services functions of the law library, including acquisitions, cataloging and metadata services, and e-resource management. This includes setting new policies, procedures, and workflows, as well as regular evaluation of the effectiveness of such services.
- Participate in the law library’s management team, along with the Associate Dean, the Assistant Director, and the Head of Access Services, who collectively manage the law library’s day-to-day operations.
- Supervise the law library staff dedicated to technical services (currently one part-time staff member and student workers trained to assist with technical services).
- Lead the law library’s continuing implementation of a next-generation library management system, including better configuration and utilization of the acquisitions and cataloging modules.
- Work closely with the Associate Dean in areas such as technical services planning, budgeting, monitoring, and assessment. This includes regular financial tracking, reconciliation, and forecasting.
- Lead the law library’s collection development team, collection development meetings, and collection-related projects, and engage in regular evaluation of the law library’s collection and collection priorities.
- Work with the Associate Dean on contract negotiation and review relating to the acquisition of new resources and the renewal of existing licenses.
- Stay abreast of new developments in library technical services.
- Provide high-quality service at a combined circulation and reference desk.
- Engage in regular law library marketing and outreach with an eye toward possible partnerships within the larger university and the local legal community.
- Serve on relevant University- and unit-level committees.
- Perform other duties, as assigned.
FOR A FACULTY APPOINTMENT ONLY:
- Teach in the law library’s Certificate in Legal Research program, an optional legal research training program reflected on student transcripts that currently supports three different legal research certificates (basic, specialized, and international).
- Teach a law school course, preferably in an area of advanced or specialized legal research.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The following skills are critical to success in this position:
- Experience in original and copy cataloging and bibliographic maintenance.
- Knowledge of recent developments and emerging trends in library technical services.
- Proficiency in next-generation library systems, especially Ex Libris’ Alma.
- A strong commitment to innovation, including comfort with technology and proficiency in a variety of library-related and other relevant technologies or a demonstrated potential for rapid growth into such skills.
- Strong analytical/problem solving skills pertaining to the organization and accessibility of legal information.
- Proficiency in tracking, analyzing, and projecting financial information or a demonstrated potential for rapid growth into such skills.
- Supervisory skills or a demonstrated potential for rapid growth into such skills.
- The ability to work both independently and as a team member.
- The ability to establish and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships, both inside and outside the law library.
- Excellent time management and organizational skills.
- Attention to detail, timeliness, and dependability.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- A strong customer service orientation.
- The ability to work flexibly with faculty, students, staff, a diverse research community, and legal information vendors.
- Knowledge of professional librarianship concepts, principles, and practices in technical services.
- An ability to work evenings and/or weekends, as necessary.
FOR A FACULTY APPOINTMENT ONLY:
- Legal research proficiency, including knowledge of key legal research sources and how best to use them in a variety of formats.
- Strong presentation skills in both one-on-one and group settings, or the demonstrated potential for rapid growth into such skills.
Benefits & Additional Compensation Info
The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.
Benefits
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit, and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.
Additional Info & Requirements
Requirements
Required Education and Qualifications
- MLS in library & information science or equivalent from an ALA-accredited institution.
- Experience working in technical services.
FOR A FACULTY APPOINTMENT ONLY:
- JD (or equivalent) from an ABA-accredited law school.
Preferred Education and Qualifications
- Prior work experience in an academic library.
Physical Demands
- The ability to lift 20 pounds.
- The ability to unpack and shelve books.
- The ability to push carts of books.
The Community
The University of Denver Sturm College of Law is a national leader in experiential legal education, a recognized innovator in legal pedagogy, and the home of multiple nationally recognized programs, including a Top 10 program in legal research and writing. Housed in a state-of-the-art, LEED Gold facility on the campus of the University of Denver, the Westminster Law Library supports cutting-edge faculty research, trains students in legal research across multiple subject matter areas, and familiarizes students with a range of technologies relevant to modern-day legal practice.
HR Info
Please include the following documents with your application:
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- Contact information for three (3) professional references
The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. The University of Denver prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age (40 years and over in the employment context), religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital status, veterans status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the university’s educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended in 2008; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For the university's complete Non-Discrimination Statement, please see nondiscriminationstatement.
All offers of employment are based upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.
Application Deadline
For best consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) on April 3, 2023. Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled.
Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through Jobs@DU (https://jobs.du.edu) to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted. Once within the job description online, please click New Resume/CV at the bottom of the page to begin the application.
Staff position posting (#495998): https://jobs.du.edu/en-us/job/495998/head-of-technical-services-westminster-law-library
Faculty position posting (#496000): https://jobs.du.edu/en-us/job/496000/head-of-technical-services-westminster-law-library
Note that there is only one position, but it may be filled as either a staff position or a faculty position, depending on the qualifications and preferences of the selected candidate.
If you have questions, please contact the Search Committee Chair, Catherine Dunn, at cmdunn@law.du.edu.