| The University of Iowa Law Library happily announces the creation of a new position. Reporting to the Director of the Law Library, the Assistant Director of Access and Collections will join two other Assistant Directors to provide creative, thoughtful, and enthusiastic leadership and operational oversight for one of the premier academic law libraries in the country. The ideal candidate will be excited to look at all of the operations under their purview with fresh perspective and consider how we might need to evolve to ensure our collection is known by and able to serve a broad and expanding patron base. They will encourage feedback and be excited by an organization eager for new ideas and committed to implementation. It might also be useful if you enjoy corn-based puns! The University of Iowa College of Law is deeply committed to a community of excellence, equity, and diversity and welcomes applications from women, underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities, LGBTQI+ individuals, and other candidates who will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives. Candidates who can contribute to these goals are encouraged to apply and to identify their strengths in this area. Iowa City is a community with something for everyone. Iowa City offers great access to the arts, sports, and nature. The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics provide a great health care system on the cutting edge of medical care. A UNESCO City of Literature and home to the renowned Iowa Writers' Workshop, Iowa City is a great place to be a librarian. Key Job Responsibilities Select, Acquire, Organize, Preserve, and Provide Information Resources and Services - In collaboration with the Stacks Coordinator:
- Oversees and develops plans and projects for physical aspects of the primary print collection
- Works closely with University Libraries staff on projects related to the materials housed or being shifted to shared offsite storage
- Serves as a member of the Selection Team and regularly analyzes and supports statistics related to shelving needs, access requests, and interlibrary loan
- In collaboration with College of Law staff, monitors and reports facilities issues
Advise, Consult, Instruct - Promotes the Law Library and its services, including leading tours and working with Admissions on highlights for student tour guides
- Takes part in research teaching support of the first year Legal Analysis, Writing, and Research program
- Teaches or co-teaches a credit-earning course each academic year
Operational Management - Understands the service needs for a broad patron population and acts as primary contact for those with unique requests
- Regularly consults with staff in the Dean's Office, the Registrar, the Office of Admissions, Public Safety, and others
- Ensures accuracy of information regarding hours, access, and the collection posted internally and externally
- Oversees and is able to perform circulation functions and acts as the final arbiter of complex or challenging issues
- Works with Circulation Managers and staff to create, revise, and implement policies and procedures; to evaluate workflows; to develop training plans; and to ensure accurate, accessible documentation
- Manages the Law Library's circulation module and maintains regular communication with systems administrators at the University Libraries
- In collaboration with the ILL Coordinator, ensures and regularly evaluates the proper functioning of the interlibrary loan operation
- In collaboration with the Circulation Managers and the Office of Student Services, ensures the equitable distribution and assignment of more than 400 library carrels
- Develops and implements ideas for marketing collections and services in collaboration with librarians, library assistants, and staff in Communications, especially via social media and digital displays
Service and Professional Development - Engages in library committees, teams, and community building efforts
- Participates in the College and University communities and serves as a positive, inclusive, and inquisitive library representative
- Actively participates in professional organizations related to job duties
- Seeks out and engages in training and skills development with an emphasis on emerging or sustained trends
Supervision/Leadership - Serves as a member of the Administrative Team, establishing policies and procedures, solving problems, identifying projects and training needs, and supporting a proactive, creative, collaborative culture
- Regularly reviews evolving needs of patrons and develops plans to meet those needs with emphasis on equity and fairness
- Hires, supervises, and develops staff and their skills
- Collects and reports all statistics within purview
- Serves on committees within the Law Library, College of Law, and University Libraries, as needed
Financial Responsibility - Tracks and reports on fees, fines, and other charges related to overdue and lost items
- Assists in development of and budget for Reserve items and other specialized circulating items (i.e. chargers, laptops, etc.)
- Develops recommendations and provide budget proposals related to areas of oversight, especially space needs for the collection and patron services
Position Qualifications Required - A Master's degree in Library or Information Science from an ALA-accredited institution or equivalent and a Juris Doctorate from an ABA-accredited institution or equivalent.
- A minimum of six years of library experience.
- Demonstrated understanding of DEI issues and ability to effectively interact with diverse populations
- Effective oral and written communication skills
- Commitment to patron services
- Ability to lead and work under pressure
- Highly organized and able to establish priorities
- Integrated library systems experience (Alma preferred)
- Interlibrary loan systems experience
Desired - Significant supervisory experience (full-time staff supervisory experience preferred)
- Experience with planning shifts or working with physical collection
- Experience mentoring or developing students or staff members
- Legal research instruction experience
- Experience teaching credit-earning courses
- Law library experience
- Experience with institutional social media engagement
Application Materials: - In order to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload a resume and cover letter and mark them as a "Relevant File" to the submission.
Job openings are posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended. Successful candidates will be subject to a criminal background check. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process. If you would like to nominate a candidate, please contact the chair of our search committee, Amy Koopmann, at [email protected]. The Search Committee will begin meeting in late March and will review applicants on a rolling basis. Though we hope to hire for an in-person start date of August 1, 2021, we will be flexible for an outstanding candidate. The University of Iowa is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment free from discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, religion, associational preference, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or status as a protected veteran. |
