Faculty Services Librarian

Position: Faculty Services Librarian

Status: 12-month, Non-Tenure Track

Date: December 5, 2024

Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law invites individuals interested in serving in a Christian university environment to apply for a position as Faculty Services Librarian in the Lucille S. Beeson Law Library.

Qualified candidates will hold a Juris Doctor degree from an A.B.A.-accredited institution (or foreign equivalent) and a Master's degree from an ALA-accredited library school, or currently pursuing such a degree. In addition, qualified candidates will have demonstrated experience with legal research materials, techniques, and strategies, strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills, demonstrated ability to work both independently and in collaboration with others, and the ability to manage and work efficiently on multiple projects. Desired qualifications include professional experience in an academic law library and experience teaching legal research in the classroom or professional environment.

The Faculty Services Librarian will proactively support law faculty research, both for individual scholarship and for teaching. The role includes instructional responsibilities with a minimum teaching load of two classes each academic year, in-class research presentations as requested by faculty, and workshops. The selected candidate will also provide training and support to student research assistants serving law faculty, hire, schedule, and supervise law library assistants and student works patron service desk workers whose hours are primarily Mondays through Fridays during mornings and afternoons when the Faculty Services Librarian is normally on duty, and perform additional duties as required. The work schedule will be Monday through Friday during normal business hours.

Duties, Responsibilities, and Expectations:

• Coordinates and promotes library services to law faculty.
• Manages complex law faculty research projects and requests, including, but not limited to, coordinating acquisition and interlibrary loan requests for law faculty.
• Initiates and maintains regular contact with law faculty to stay current on specific research and teaching interests and requirements.
• Introduces law faculty and law students to legal information, bibliographic, and other resources available through the law library through workshops and individual training.
• Works with the dean's office and other law librarians to coordinate onboarding of new law faculty members regarding library services and resources.
• Teaches legal research courses as part of the law school curriculum, including responsibility for course management, assessment, grading, and student advising.
• Participates in the collection development process with particular emphasis on identifying resources that address needs identified by the faculty research profiles.
• Provides in-person and online reference services to all law library patrons, including development of tutorials and guides.
• Develops and delivers legal research presentations on a wide range of topics.
• Participates in law library orientation of first year law students.
• Participates in developing and keeping library policies current and administering such policies.
• Establishes and fosters relationships with law school and library colleagues through engagement in committee work and activities of law school, university, and professional organizations.
• Engages in special projects and performs miscellaneous duties as assigned.

Cumberland School of Law prides itself on its commitment to teaching and to ensuring not only the success of its students upon graduation but their recognition of the ethical obligations that flow from being an officer of the court and a servant of the community. The ideal candidate will thus demonstrate the ability and motivation to develop meaningful mentoring relationships with students both in and out of class.

Samford University ( samford.edu) is a leading nationally ranked Christian University. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th oldest institution in the U.S. and the largest privately supported and fully accredited institution for higher learning in Alabama. Located in the Birmingham, Alabama, suburb of Homewood, with 425 full-time faculty and more than 6,100 students representing 45 states and 16 countries, Samford is ranked #2 in the nation for student character development and #8 in the nation for the quality of career preparation provided to students as listed in The Wall Street Journal (2025). The University is dedicated to the promotion of rigorous academic inquiry in a Christian setting. The University seeks and prefers employee applicants of the Christian faith and offers competitive salaries with a generous benefits package. Samford University and the Cumberland School of Law embrace diversity in their faculty, students, and staff and encourage applications from those who would add to the diversity of our academic community.

Review of applications will begin January 6, 2025, and applications will be accepted until February1, 2025. Application materials should include a letter of interest, curriculum vita, Application for Faculty Position, and the Faculty Applicant Christian Mission Statement. Salary is dependent upon qualifications and experience. The successful candidate must pass a background check. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States, as Samford will not sponsor any employment visas for this position.

“Application for Faculty Position” can be found at:

https://www.samford.edu/departments/files/Human_Resources/application-for-faculty-employment.pdf

“Faculty Applicant Christian Mission Statement” can be found at:

https://www.samford.edu/departments/files/academic-affairs/Faculty-Applicant-Christian-Mission-Statement.docx

Please submit all materials in PDF format to:

[email protected]

Subject: Law School Assistant Professor of Law Application

For questions about the position please contact:

Gregory K. Laughlin, Law Library Director

[email protected]

In accordance with applicable federal and state laws, such as Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act and ADA Amendments, the University does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, race, color, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, religion, or any other protected status under federal, state or local law applicable to the University, in its education policies, programs, and activities, in its admissions policies, in employment policies and practices, and all other areas of the University. As a faith-based institution, the University is exempted from certain laws and regulations concerning discrimination.

Samford University is an Equal Opportunity Institution that complies with applicable law prohibiting discrimination in its educational and employment policies and welcomes application for employment and educational programs from all individuals regardless of race, color, sex, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or national or ethnic origin