The George Washington University Law Library seeks a qualified librarian for its Head of Legal Technology & Instructional Services position to begin as early as September 15, 2023. As a member of the library’s dynamic, collaborative Instructional Technology Services team, the librarian in this position has primary oversight for the Office of Legal Technology & Instructional Services. This position leads the development and delivery of services supporting the integration of library resources into the curriculum, the curation and use of the library’s growing electronic resources collection, the use of scholarly communication technologies and services, and the undertaking of digital initiatives. As the subject specialist for legal pedagogy and technology competency, this position works to improve student success by embedding the library in online teaching and learning spaces, integrating librarians into the face-to-face curriculum, and supporting faculty adoption of technologies to achieve learning outcomes.
Essential duties and responsibilities: Oversees, coordinates, and/or performs activities of the Office of Legal Technology & Instructional Services, which includes coordination of workflow, training and evaluation of staff, and oversight of personnel issues.
Instructional Services:
- Serves as subject matter expert for law pedagogy, legal technology, and related topics; creates an overall strategic vision to improve the student experience through the integration of technology into the curriculum, integrates Law Library services and instructional programs into Law School initiatives with a focus on legal practice technologies
- Oversees the integration of library resources and academic technologies including technology competencies into the curriculum and learning spaces; participates in identifying, implementing, and supporting technology-driven solutions and strategies to enhance the Law School’s teaching and learning experience; stays abreast of technology-focused learning trends and best practices in law schools including technology-related pedagogy as well as technologies used in law practice; develops library-focused reusable learning objects and modules for course site development; partners with Law School faculty and programs on the adoption of tools and techniques to improve teaching and learning; supports faculty with the adoption and integration of instructional technologies to achieve pedagogical outcomes
- Develops and delivers programming on technology competencies, the use of existing and emerging legal technologies, and provides guidance on building technology competencies
- Serves as liaison for Bloomberg Law, Lexis, and Westlaw online research services account managers and student representatives, coordinates their activities at the law school, performs password management for these research systems and communicates developments regarding these services with library colleagues and law school offices
Scholarly Communications:
- Coordinates department activities to identify, develop, and promote strategic scholarly communication services and programs; provides outreach, education, and training; identifies and implements best practices in documenting and strengthening access to the Law School’s intellectual output; provides vision and expertise on scholarly visibility and impact and online identity management; oversight of the online repository process for Law School scholarship and archives including data entry; supports staff, student, and faculty posting to content management systems such as CampusPress and open-access scholarship-sharing networks (SSRN) and digital commons (BePress)
- Oversees library’s digital initiatives such as digital content creation, online exhibits, and web publishing; oversees content sharing via the library website, LibGuides, and the law school portal; ensures search engine optimization, accessibility and security compliance for all library managed online platforms
- Coordinates department efforts to identify, implement, and support web-based and digital marketing strategies and services; provides guidance to faculty, staff and students on using content management systems managed by the library such as Drupal, Springshare, CampusPress, social media, and digital signage; provides guidance on system functionalities and use of graphics and formatting; performs content editing
Electronic Resources:
- Provides vision and expertise to develop and maintain the electronic resource collection; leads interdepartmental library efforts to select, implement, maintain, and provide access to electronic resources, including collaboration with Burns Law Library colleagues, GWU campus libraries, and electronic resource vendors
- Leads review of electronic resource licenses, manages license compliance issues, and evaluates resource usage-based feedback, web analytics, and vendor-supplied statistics
- Oversees department efforts to create user awareness of the electronic collection, manage authentication for access to electronic resources, and improve end-user support services; coordinates gathering, analyzing, and formatting of usage data from the proxy server and vendor/publisher-supplied data for library reporting and decision-making
Other:
- Monitors the Library’s ticketing systems and responds to user inquiries
- Drafts and implements procedures and practices
- Creates and contributes to research guides, bibliographies, instructional recordings, and other finding aids and publications
- Participates in reference and research services, including reference desk duties and the faculty liaison program
- Participates on library, university, and consortia committees
- Performs other duties as assigned
Minimum Qualifications:
- Graduate degree in library or information science (e.g., MLS) from an ALA-accredited institution or completion of degree requirements by the time of appointment
- JD, LLB, or LLM from an ABA-accredited institution or completion of degree requirements by the time of appointment, and
- Minimum of three years of post-graduate degree experience working in law libraries, including a demonstrable history of supervisory duties or potential for rapid growth into supervisory duties
Preferred Qualifications:
- Knowledge and understanding of trends and best practices relevant to legal education and legal technology competencies
- Knowledge of pedagogical trends employed by law schools, learning management technologies, digital objects, and digital content creation
- Demonstrated knowledge of instructional design theory
- Experience with scholarship repositories, scholarly impact metrics, content management systems, desktop publishing software, search engine optimization and web analytics tools, and knowledge of online publishing standards
- Experience with web design and proficiency with web authoring software, including experience with emerging technologies and use of browser plug-ins and applications
- Experience with SaaS; online product technology/setup, including proxy server functionality and authentication protocol; web browser and operating system configuration; web design (HTML, CSS, Javascript); and content management system administration
- Experience with Ex Libris Alma electronic resource management and AlmaAnalytics
- Demonstrated basic or general knowledge and understanding of trends relevant to any of the areas of the department
- Demonstrated ability to promote teamwork and collaboration with the goal of fostering an efficient and positive service role for the library; to form a strong rapport with colleagues, law faculty, and law students
- Experience in providing general legal reference assistance
- Reference experience in a law library environment
- Demonstrated superior customer service skills
- Writing skills and oral communication skills that demonstrate the ability to convey information clearly and accurately with customers, colleagues, and supervisors
- Demonstrated organizational and time management skills
- Demonstrated attentiveness to detail
- Demonstrated ability to work well independently and as part of a team
Established in 1865, the George Washington University Law School is the oldest law school in the nation’s capital. The Law School is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a charter member of the Association of American Law Schools. GW Law is an urban campus located in downtown DC’s Foggy Bottom neighborhood, near to a vibrant mix of museums, restaurants, government and international organizations, the White House, and more. Additional information about the Law School can be found at https://www.law.gwu.edu/.
The Law Library supports the curricular and teaching requirements of the Law School, the research and publication needs of the law faculty, and the study and research needs of the law students; and provides to the scholarly community at large access to a research collection of material about the law and its history. Additional information about the Law Library can be found at https://www.law.gwu.edu/library .
Please note that initially the librarian in this position will be required to work at the university's Foggy Bottom campus in Washington, DC; the ability to work remotely in the future will be assessed and determined by the supervisor in accordance with Law School and University policies.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Please complete an online application, available at https://www.gwu.jobs/postings/103761 , to include uploading a resume and cover letter and providing contact information for three professional references. Review of applications will begin September 1, 2023, and continue until the position is filled. Only complete applications will be considered.
Employment offers are contingent on the satisfactory outcome of a standard background screening.
The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.