Department: Hugh and Hazel Darling Law Library / UCLA School of Law
Rank & Salary: Salary and appointment level based on experience and qualifications:
- Associate Librarian / Step III – VII ($52,860 – $68,892)
- Librarian / Step I – III ($68,892 – $82,524).
The University of California Regents are considering implementing pay reductions, furloughs and/or other types of measures due to the state budget crisis. This position may be among those subject to any cost-cutting measures implemented at UCLA and is subject to bargaining with the University Council-American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT), the exclusive bargaining agent for librarians in the University of California System.
Position Availability: Immediately
Description of Library Unit: The UCLA School of Law has approximately 1,000 law students, 100 full- and part-time faculty, and more than 100 law school staff. The School has a varied and demanding curriculum, highly productive faculty, an extensive clinical and externship program, more than a dozen research centers and programs, an active Moot Court program, and 13 law reviews.
The Law Library serves the law school faculty and students as their basic library and study resource for teaching and research. The Law Library also supplies legal resources for other UCLA faculty, students, and staff. Heavy use of the Law Library is made by lay people and members of the bench and bar. The Law Library is one of the larger professional school libraries on campus and has 14 librarians (including this position) and 17 staff members. The library offers users an impressive collection that contains more than 567,000 bound volumes and documents, more than 20,000 microform titles, and access to more than 10,000 databases. The day-to-day functions of the Library have been divided into four sections, each headed by an Assistant Law Librarian: Access and Information Services, Bibliographic Services and Collection Management, Scholarship Support and RA Program, and Reference and Research Services. The Library also hires a large number of law students as research assistants, who are assigned to work on various projects for faculty. The Law Library has a beautiful facility that opened in the fall of 1998.
Position Duties: Under the general direction of the Director of Reference and Research Services, Reference Librarians provide a very high level of in-depth reference and research assistance to the UCLA Law faculty. This level of commitment offers the librarian an opportunity to work closely with a number of different faculty members. Reference Librarians also supervise faculty research assistants to help monitor faculty projects and provide guidance and expertise to students.
Reference Librarians teach legal research classes, including Advanced Legal Research, 1L instruction, and other workshops and classes given throughout the year. Reference Librarians also conduct library orientation programs, prepare research guides, and perform reference desk service, which includes staffing the reference desk one evening per week and on occasional Saturdays. Reference Librarians may be assigned to an area of concentration or to a project that varies according to library needs and the Librarian’s individual talents and interests.
Members of the public services staff, professional and paraprofessional, work in a team setting to provide a high level of service. Support offered to the Librarian in meeting these high expectations includes on-demand photocopying and document delivery services, technical support, generous funding for professional development, and, most importantly, very supportive colleagues.
Qualifications
- Master’s Degree in Library or Information Science OR significant graduate-level coursework toward such a degree OR equivalent education and experience (subject expertise combined with professional library education and/or experience) required.
- J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school required.
- Relevant work experience in an academic law library or professional legal experience required. Other substantial, related experience, degrees, or skills will be considered.
- Demonstrated competence in delivering legal research services and knowledge of legal bibliography and scholarly research.
- Firm commitment to law librarianship and to a high level of service for faculty and students in a demanding academic environment.
- Demonstrated ability to contribute to making the library hospitable and responsive to the needs of the Law School community, including excellent interpersonal, communication, problem-solving and mediation skills and the ability to work effectively with library colleagues, faculty, students, and library patrons.
- Ability to lecture effectively, teach in large and small group settings, provide individualized instruction, participate in curriculum development, and use a wide range of educational technologies inside and outside of the classroom.
- Ability to teach oneself new technologies, to create necessary documentation and other training tools, and then teach the technologies to a wide range of constituents.
- Demonstrated interest and proficiency in computer applications for legal research and ability to contribute to the development of web pages, online tutorials, and other digital learning mechanisms that educate students about library resources and services and support faculty who are increasingly incorporating electronic methods and aids in their teaching and research.
- Interest in and willingness to meet the criteria of, and to participate in, UCLA’s peer review processes for the advancement of those appointed to the Librarian series at UC.
General Information: Professional librarians at UCLA are academic appointees. Librarians at UCLA are represented by an exclusive bargaining agent, University Council – American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT). They are entitled to appropriate professional leave, two days per month of vacation leave, one day per month of sick leave, and all other benefits granted to non-faculty academic personnel. The University has an excellent retirement system and sponsors a variety of group health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans in addition to other benefits. Relocation assistance is provided.
Appointees to the librarian series at UCLA shall have professional backgrounds that demonstrate a high degree of creativity, teamwork, and flexibility. Such a background will normally include a professional degree from an accredited library and information science graduate program. In addition to professional competence and quality of services within the library in the primary job, advancement in the librarian series requires professional involvement and contributions outside of the library, University and community service, and/or scholarly activities. Candidates must show evidence or promise of such contribution.
Application Procedures: Anyone wishing to be considered for this position should apply to Amy Atchison, Director of Reference & Research Services, UCLA, Hugh & Hazel Darling Law Library, 1106 Law Building, Box 951458, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1458. Email applications are encouraged – send to atchison@law.ucla.edu. Applications should include:
- a cover letter describing qualifications and experience;
- a current resume detailing education and relevant experience; and
- the names and phone numbers of three professional references.
Candidates applying by August 17, 2009, will be given first consideration . UCLA welcomes and encourages diversity and seeks applications and nominations from women and minorities. UCLA seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce as a reflection of our commitment to serve the people of California, to maintain the excellence of the University, and to offer our students richly varied disciplines, perspectives, and ways of knowing and learning.
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