Position Description

Assistant Director for Access and Collections

Goodson Law Library

Duke University Law School

6/3/2026

Duke University School of Law seeks an experienced librarian and collaborative leader to join its talented and innovative library team in providing outstanding access, collection, research, reference, and instructional services in support of the Law School’s teaching, scholarship, and service missions in U.S., foreign, international, and comparative law.

Reporting to the Associate Dean of Information Services and the Director, the Assistant Director for Access and Collections provides leadership for the Law Library’s access services, collection management, and collection development programs. As a member of the Law Library’s senior leadership team, the Assistant Director contributes to strategic planning and daily operations while advancing the teaching, research, and service missions of Duke Law School.

This position is primarily on-site, with the possibility of some remote work, consistent with Duke University and Goodson Law Library policies and operational needs.

Preferred start date is August 31, 2026, and negotiable. Applications received by July 6, 2026, will receive priority consideration, and applications will continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

To apply, please submit the following application materials:

·         Curriculum Vitae (C.V.)

·         Cover Letter or Statement of Interest (up to 2 pages)

·         A list of three professional references, including each reference's name, title, and contact information

Responsibilities

Leadership and Administration

Participate actively in strategic planning, decision-making, and day-to-day management as a member of the Law Library leadership team.

Supervise, mentor, and support the professional development of both the Access Services Librarian and the Collection Strategies Librarian.

Model collaborative, transparent, and accountable leadership practices that promote trust, engagement, and professional growth among library staff.

Foster a positive and inclusive workplace culture through effective communication, constructive feedback, mentorship, and shared responsibility for achieving organizational goals.

Monitor, analyze, and report annual statistics and assessment data related to collections, access services, and library operations to support strategic planning and decision-making.

Serve on library committees, task forces, and working groups, and engage in collaborative initiatives within the Law School, Duke University, and professional organizations.

Collection Development and Management

Provide leadership and oversight for the Law Library’s collection development program, including the selection, evaluation, retention, and weeding of print and electronic resources.

Implement principled collection management practices that align with institutional priorities and user needs.

Foster collection development expertise across the library by training, mentoring, and collaborating with librarians and staff to identify collection needs, evaluate resources, and support evidence-based collection management decisions.

Develop systematic methods to monitor trends in faculty scholarship, legal research, and the legal publishing industry effectively and consistently to inform collection decisions.

Access Services

Direct and evaluate access and collection services operations, including circulation, course reserves, interlibrary loan, stack maintenance, preservation, and related functions.

Oversee access, preservation, and stewardship of the Law Library’s rare book collections.

Ensure efficient, user-centered delivery of services that support teaching, learning, and research.

Research, Reference, and Instruction

Provide advanced reference and research support to Duke Law faculty, students, administrators, staff, and members of the broader Duke community.

Participate in the faculty liaison program and serve on the reference desk rotation, including occasional Sunday shifts during the academic year.

Support law journals, clinics, centers, and academic programs through liaison activities as needed.

Teach legal research courses and workshops, including the first-year J.D. and LLM Legal Research and Writing programs and, depending on qualifications and interest, upper-level legal research courses for academic credit. Research Services Librarians who teach at the Law School hold non-tenure-track faculty appointments within Duke Law School at the rank of Lecturing Fellow or Senior Lecturing Fellow.

Additional Responsibilities

Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned in support of the mission and strategic priorities of the Goodson Law Library and Duke Law School.

Required Qualifications

·         J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school or equivalent

·         M.L.I.S. or equivalent graduate degree from an ALA-accredited program.

·         Minimum of five years of professional experience in a law library environment.

·         Demonstrated experience in teaching legal research effectively.

·         Supervisory experience in a related professional setting.

·         Demonstrated success in personnel management, project management, and organizational leadership.

·         Demonstrated commitment to user-centered service.

·         Demonstrated success as a collaborative, accountable, and people-centered supervisor with a commitment to staff development, mentorship, and professional growth.

·         Proven ability to provide clear, constructive, and timely feedback; support employee performance and development; and foster a culture of trust, transparency, and continuous improvement.

·         Demonstrated emotional intelligence, sound judgment, and a willingness to take ownership of decisions, address challenges directly, and work collaboratively to achieve organizational goals.

·         Strong commitment to equitable leadership practices, open communication, and creating a positive, respectful, and inclusive work environment.

·         Excellent communication, interpersonal, and collaboration skills.

·         Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.

Preferred Qualifications

·         Experience in foreign, international, and comparative law research is strongly preferred; candidates without substantial experience should demonstrate aptitude, initiative, and a commitment to developing expertise and providing research support in these areas.

·         Minimum of three years’ experience supervising full-time employees preferred.

·         Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a diverse population of students and scholars, including J.D. and LL.M. students and research scholars from a variety of educational, professional, and cultural backgrounds.

·         Experience leveraging AI and other emerging technologies to improve library workflows, enhance patron services and collections, and increase operational efficiency. Demonstrated curiosity about technology trends and the ability to evaluate and implement innovative tools in a responsible, user-centered manner.

Salary and Benefits