Employment Opportunity — Head Law Librarian

The Faculty of Law invites applications from outstanding candidates for the position of Head Law Librarian of the Gérard V. La Forest Law Library. This tenure-track position is expected to be filled at the rank of Librarian IV. The administrative aspect of the appointment is for a five-year term and is subject to renewal. The appointment takes effect on July 1, 2007.

UNB-Fredericton, located in New Brunswick’s beautiful capital city, is a comprehensive university offering a variety of degree programs, many of which now have a law-related component. UNB’s Faculty of Law has been ranked consistently as one of the country’s very best undergraduate law (LL.B.) programs. The Gérard V. La Forest Law Library serves the legal information needs of law students, faculty and staff as well as the rapidly increasing law-related requirements of the larger UNB community and adjacent St. Thomas University. The law library is integrated fully into the daily life of the law school and is a highly respected partner, collaborator and innovator in the educational experience of our law students and in the teaching and research roles of our law faculty. It is the largest law library in New Brunswick and serves the legal profession and the public as well as the university community.

Reporting to the Dean of Law, the Head Law Librarian is responsible for all facets of law library management. Representative responsibilities include but are not limited to: planning, development, and delivery of high quality library services and complementary print and electronic collections; continued development of technology-rich library facilities and the selection and implementation of technology upgrades; budget preparation and rationalization within an ever-changing institutional funding environment; strategic and productive collaboration with teaching faculty, university administration, and the other campus libraries with respect to faculty-wide and campus-wide initiatives; applying emerging trends in academic law librarianship to the challenges of the collaborative university environment; supervision of two professional librarians and six FTE support staff, including information technology staff; consulting on complex legal research inquiries and serving as back-up to staff for reference service as required; collaborative decision-making with the technical services librarian with respect to the efficient operation of the technical services unit; service on appropriate faculty, campus, and library-related committees; and contributing actively to law librarianship through professional affiliations, publishing, and collegial networking.

Qualifications include a MLS/MLIS degree from an ALA accredited institution plus several years of relevant experience in a law library. The successful candidate will be an energetic team player with a collaborative, service-oriented, “users-first� approach to academic law librarianship. The ideal candidate will demonstrate: strategic planning capabilities within a university-based law school environment; experience in law library collection development and rationalization that supports growth and enhancement of both traditional and electronic collections in response to the evolving needs of faculty teaching and research; superior knowledge of printed and electronic legalmaterials and legal research methods; budgeting and financial portfolio accountability; experience with planning, acquiring, and managing various types of emerging technologies appropriate for use in a law library; facilities planning and management skills; ability to meet deadlines; ability to hire and manage professional and support personnel; a thorough understanding of legal cataloguing and classification, including the ability to supervise employees using the KF Modified library classification scheme; experience in administration and decision-making with respect to the implementation and management of SIRSI UNICORN or a similar sophisticated integrated library system (ILS); multi-tasking capabilities and excellent organizational skills; and effective written and oral communication skills in English.

Librarians are members of the Association of University of New Brunswick Teachers collective bargaining unit. Step in grade upon appointment will be subject to experience and qualifications. An attractive package of benefits, including pension, health insurance and tuition benefit for self and dependants, is available.

Applications will be assessed beginning February 19, 2007, although later applications may be considered. A full application consists of a curriculum vitae, a brief statement of relevant professional experience and interests, and names, postal and e-mail addresses and telephone numbers of at least three referees sent to

Philip Bryden
Dean
Faculty of Law
University of New Brunswick
PO Box 4400
Fredericton, NB  E3B 5A3
Telephone: (506) 453-4627
Fax: (506) 453-4604
E-mail: bryden@unb.ca

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Applicants should indicate current citizenship status. Position is subject to budgetary approval.

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK IS COMMITTED TO THE PRINCIPLE OF EMPLOYMENT EQUITY

Posted January 12, 2007