Law Library Director

Description

Job Posting: San Diego Law Library Director

Location: San Diego, California 
Position: Full-Time 

Salary Range:  The anticipated starting salary range for this position is $160,000 - $180,000. The actual pay offered to a candidate will depend on a variety of factors including the candidate's experience, education, and skills. 

Application Deadline:  December 2, 2024 

 About Us: 
At San Diego Law Library we are at the forefront of legal research and information delivery. As a public law library, we proudly serve not only the legal community but also the general public. Our mission is to provide equal access to reliable legal materials, ensuring access to justice for all individuals. The San Diego Law Library operates under California Business and Professions Code sections 6300-6363. It is funded through a portion of state court civil filing fees, with supplemental funding via grants and donations.  We are seeking an innovative and forward-thinking Law Library Director to lead our team into a new era of legal information services. 

Position Overview: 
The Law Library Director reports to a nine-member Board of Trustees, manages a full-time staff of approximately 16, and oversees a multimillion-dollar budget. The Director will be a visionary leader responsible for managing our well-respected Public Law Library, driving its strategic direction, and ensuring its operational excellence. This role demands a dynamic individual who can adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape of legal information, including the impact of technology and challenges of funding, while navigating the complexities of county and state regulations. The Director will also ensure that the Library continues to serve the general public, which comprises roughly 75% of our patronage, by promoting access to justice through relevant legal resources and strategic partnerships, in line with our "Law Made Public" mission. 

Key Responsibilities: Operations: Responsible for overall management of Library, including personnel, budgeting, facilities, technology, and the print/electronic collection. Identify and act on opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the library. Evaluate, create, and consistently enforce library policies and procedures. Work with the County regarding facility maintenance and long-term building needs.  

Leadership & Team Management: Lead a professional team of law librarians, IT professionals, and support staff, fostering a collaborative and forward-thinking work environment. Communicate goals and expectations clearly and consistently. Use project management skills to lead cross-departmental projects. 

Innovation & Adaptability: Develop and implement innovative strategies to enhance library services, incorporating emerging technologies and adapting to industry changes. 

Public Service & Access to Justice: Ensure the library provides access to reliable and relevant legal materials for the general public, promoting access to justice for all community members. 

Community Partnerships: Maintain and build relationships with key community stakeholders to provide services and resources to the community and expand the law library reach and impact. 

Budget Management: Create, manage, and balance a substantial budget, ensuring financial resources are allocated effectively and financial processes and procedures are in place to meet annual audit requirements. 

Governance & Advisory: Guide and advise the nine-member governing board with expert information, anticipate, and proactively bring recommendations to facilitate decision making. Provide timely and necessary financial and library status updates to the Board of Trustees.  

Legal Compliance & Navigation: Oversee the library’s compliance with state, county, and local district laws, regulations, and policies that apply to county law libraries.  

Political Acumen: Serve as a liaison with the county board of supervisors, state legislators, and other government officials. Represent the library’s interests in legislative matters, advocate for funding and resources, and ensure positive relationships with key stakeholders. 

CalPERS Retirement System Management: Administer and manage employee benefits within the CalPERS retirement system, ensuring compliance with its regulations and effectively navigating its requirements for staff retirement planning. 

Strategic Vision: Anticipate future trends in legal information delivery, including the integration of artificial intelligence and other technologies, to keep the library at the cutting edge of legal research and resources. 

Continuing Education: Continues professional development in library, legal, and technology fields. 

The Director may be required to perform other duties as assigned by the Board of Trustees to support the organization’s goals and operations. 

Requirements

Qualifications: 

Educational Background: A Juris Doctor (JD) degree and Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) preferred, but comparable and relevant skills, education, and experience will be considered. 

Experience: Minimum of 7 years in a leadership role managing professional teams in a law library setting, preferably in a public law library. Including experience navigating Human Resources issues.  

Skills: Proven ability to lead and manage a diverse team, strong financial acumen for budget management and audit compliance, and a track record of innovative thinking and adaptability. 

Legal & Government Knowledge: Expertise in navigating state, county, and local laws that affect county law libraries, and experience liaising with government officials and legislators. 

Public Service Commitment: Demonstrated dedication to providing accessible legal resources to the public and promoting access to justice.  

CalPERS Experience: Experience with the CalPERS retirement system or similar retirement system is highly desirable, including managing employee benefits, retirement planning, and ensuring compliance with its policies and regulations. 

Legal Community: Experience working with the legal community and understanding of legal research, legal practice, and technology developments, continuing legal education and related information needs of the legal community.  

Information Management: Knowledge of library management principles and theories, including collection development, organization of knowledge, reference and online services, and relevant legal and ethical topics. 

Why Join Us? 

Impactful Work: Play a key role in shaping the future of legal research and information delivery while ensuring access to justice for the public. 

Innovative Environment: Work in a dynamic and supportive atmosphere that values creativity and forward-thinking. 

Benefits: 

Benefits include CalPERS retirement system, 457(b) deferred compensation plan, choice of several medical, dental, and vision plans, Flexible Spending Account, public transportation/parking allowance, opportunity to attend professional continuing education training/conferences, and paid holidays. For full-time employees working a 40-hour work week and employed less than 5 years, vacation is accrued at 4.62 hours per pay period (15 days annually) and sick leave is accrued at 4.00 hours per pay period (13 days annually).   

How to Apply: 

Interested candidates should submit a resume, a cover letter detailing their experience and vision for the role and contact information for three professional references to [email protected] 

The San Diego Law Library is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need. 

Join us in transforming legal information services, promoting access to justice, and leading the way into the future!