Head of Reference, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Georgetown University -
Washington, DC,
US
Head of Reference
Date Posted: 2024-04-25
Job description
Located in a historic neighborhood in the nation's capital, Georgetown offers rigorous academic programs, a global perspective, exciting ways to take advantage of Washington, D.C., and a commitment to social justice. Our community is a tight knit group of remarkable individuals interested in intellectual inquiry and making a difference in the world.RequirementsJob OverviewThe Head of Reference manages all aspects of the library's reference department to ensure that the library provides high-quality professional research and information services to Law Center faculty, staff, and students, and other patrons. Reference programs include both physical and virtual reference services during scheduled desk hours; instructional services for the Law Center community; research consultations, research guides, and video tutorials for law students and other patrons; a faculty/librarian liaison program; a journal liaison program; and other outreach programs and library tours devoted to patron research needs.This position directly manages all of the activities of a reference department responsible for answering nearly 6,000 reference questions annually. These activities include training, developing, and evaluating academic professional staff, developing and implementing policies and procedures for the reference department and reference desk, coordinating the faculty/librarian liaison program and journal liaison program, overseeing the development and implementation of research instruction programs and services, and contributing to the development of the library's collection.The reference department serves the information and research needs of the entire Law Center community. As a team, the department actively supports the research and educational missions of the Law Center in U.S. law and non-legal topics by answering informational and research questions, offering individualized research consultations for students, maintaining research guides and video tutorials, performing research for faculty, and teaching legal research tools and strategies. In coordination with the Head of International and Foreign Law, this position oversees the formal classroom instruction of approximately 5,000 students in 150 classes each year. This includes close interaction with the Legal Practice and other faculty on guest lectures for first-year and upper-level students, as well as library-hosted training open to all students in JD, LLM, and other programs.Work InteractionsThis position reports directly to the Associate Director for Research and User Services. Currently, 6 FTE librarians report directly to the Head of Reference. In addition, fifteen percent of a staff position reports indirectly to this position.This position works closely with members of Library Research Services, International and Foreign Law, Access Services, and Content Acquisitions and Management. In addition, the Head of Reference interacts with diverse groups and individuals outside of the library, including the Legal Practice faculty and Office of Journal Administration.Work Mode DesignationThis position has been designated as Hybrid 4 Day. Please note that work mode designations are regularly reviewed in order to meet the evolving needs of the University. Such review may necessitate a change to a position's mode of work designation. Complete details about Georgetown University's mode of work designations for staff and AAP positions can be found on the Department of Human Resources website: and QualificationsRequired:* J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school.* Master's degree from an ALA-accredited school of library and/or information studies.* 5 or more years of law library experience (including supervisory experience).* Knowledge of law and/or legal materials.* Knowledge of standard library practices and procedures.* Knowledge of a wide variety of traditional and emerging legal research materials and techniques.* Strong oral and written communication skills.Preferred:* Academic law library experience.* Teaching experience.Please submit a cover letter and resume as a single PDF document. If you have questions about the position, please contact ...@georgetown.edu.Current Georgetown Employees:If you currently work at Georgetown University, please exit this website and login to GMS (gms.georgetown.edu) using your Net ID and password. Then select the Career worklet on your GMS Home dashboard to view Jobs at Georgetown.Submission Guidelines:Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at Georgetown University you must submit a resume for each position of interest for which you believe you are qualified. Documents are not kept on file for future positions.Need Assistance:If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please click here for more information, or contact the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Affirmative Action (IDEAA) at 202-###-#### or ...@georgetown.edu.Need some assistance with the application process? Please call 202-###-####. For more information about the suite of benefits, professional development and community involvement opportunities that make up Georgetown's commitment to its employees, please visit the Georgetown Works website.EEO Statement:Georgetown University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer fully dedicated to achieving a diverse faculty and staff. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and expression, and sexual orientation), disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.Benefits:Georgetown University offers a comprehensive and competitive benefit package that includes medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, retirement savings, tuition assistance, work-life balance benefits, employee discounts and an array of voluntary insurance options. You can learn more about benefits and eligibility on the Department of Human Resources website.