About Duke Law

Reference Librarian

Duke University School of Law Library

The Duke Law Library is seeking an experienced reference librarian to join our team of skilled law-trained professionals working in a research-oriented, technologically innovative environment. In addition to teaching legal research and other reference responsibilities, the position will coordinate the Library's Faculty Research Assistants Program and participate in special projects, including an exciting new initiative in empirical legal research, in support of faculty teaching and scholarship.

Responsibilities:

Reference Librarians at Duke work as a team of skilled and experienced law-trained professionals to:

  1. provide extensive reference and research services to a sophisticated and research-oriented faculty and student body;
  2. work actively with assigned faculty to monitor research interests and support teaching and scholarship;
  3. train and work with student research assistants and student journal editors;
  4. teach first year legal research within an integrated legal research and writing course, and conduct research workshops, advanced research classes and instruction in other forums
  5. author research guides and other instructional and promotional materials in print and electronic formats;
  6. participate in developing the library=s web presence; and
  7. participate in collection development.

The Reference Librarian will have primary responsibility for the Library's Faculty Research Assistants Program. The Research Assistants Program provides law students opportunities to work on research projects with faculty, under librarian supervision. As coordinator, the librarian will recruit, hire and train students, schedule their work hours, solicit projects from faculty, assign students to projects, and connect each student with the librarian and faculty-member with whom he or she will work on a specific project.

Reference librarians are encouraged and supported in seeking opportunities for professional growth and educational involvement.

Qualifications and Experience:
Required: U.S. MLS and JD degrees from accredited institutions, or non-U.S. equivalents.
Preferred: Law library reference experience.
Candidates should have knowledge of current information technologies and publishing formats, database and Internet searching proficiencies and a mastery of basic legal research sources and techniques using both print and electronic materials. The ideal candidate will have excellent oral and written communication skills, a strong service orientation, interest in working with an active research oriented faculty, interest in new and emerging technologies, a commitment to continuous improvement and innovation and the ability to work in a collegial and cooperative environment. Legal reference, research, and teaching experience desirable.

Salary and Benefits: Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Duke University offers a very competitive benefits package. All Duke librarians are eligible for continuing appointment and promotion under the University's ranking system. Reference Librarians are non tenure track members of the Law School faculty at the rank of Lecturing Fellow.

Available: Immediately. Preference given to applications received by February 4, 2008. Applications by email are strongly encouraged.

To apply, send a letter expressing your interest in the position along with a current résumé and the names of three references to:

Melanie Dunshee, Deputy Director and Lecturing Fellow
Duke University School of Law
Box 90361, Durham, NC 27708-0361
Email: Dunshee@law.duke.edu
Phone: (919) 613-7119

Duke University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.