Law Library Director Search
The University of North Dakota School of Law is currently inviting applications for the position of Director of the Thormodsgard Law Library. The position is open due to the retirement of Gary Gott, who had served as the Library's Director since 1986.
A detailed job description follows. (pdf version)
DIRECTOR, OLAF H. THORMODSGARD LAW LIBRARY
The University of North Dakota School of Law invites applications for the position of Director of the Olaf H. Thormodsgard Law Library. The Director is the chief administrative officer in the law library, reporting directly to the Dean of the Law School. The Director also serves as a tenure-eligible member of the law school faculty.
Responsibilities
The Director is responsible for managing library resources and services to diverse library constituencies and therefore must be an effective personnel and resource manager who can work well with these constituencies and successfully advocate for both the short- and long-term goals of the library. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to hold a leadership position within the law school and possess a record of excellent law library administrative experience as well as proven success or the promise of success in teaching, scholarship, and service. Responsibilities include providing resources to support the teaching and scholarship needs of the law faculty and students and other library patrons; budget management; staff development and personnel management; maintenance and development of the law collection; planning and implementing school-wide systems networking and technology applications; working collegially with faculty and staff; developing community outreach services; and working to continually improve library information services. The Director is expected to work closely with the University Libraries to ensure cohesive programs and services. The Director is also expected to meet the obligations of a tenure-eligible faculty member in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and service. The teaching component will include, but not necessarily be limited to, instruction in courses related to legal research.
Required
Candidates must have a JD degree from an ABA approved law school, an MLS or equivalent degree from an ALA-accredited institution, and a distinguished academic record. Candidates also should demonstrate excellence in their professional work after their academic credentials were earned. Experience in law library administration is required as well as a record or the promise of achievement as a teacher and scholar. The successful candidate must show the interpersonal and professional skills necessary to meet the responsibilities of the position and must be committed to excellence in meeting the informational needs of the faculty, students and other library patrons.
Other
Located in the heart of a beautiful campus in Grand Forks, the University of North Dakota School of Law is over a century old, a charter member of the AALS, and the state's sole law school. As such, it plays a vital role in the legal life of both North Dakota and the entire Upper Midwest region. The Thormodsgard Law Library is housed in a separate and modern four-story building that is connected to the School of Law on all four levels.
The mission of the Thormodsgard Law Library is to provide resources and services necessary to support the curricular, research, and service goals of the faculty and students of the University of North Dakota School of Law. The Law Library also serves as a source of legal information for the University of North Dakota community, the practicing bar, the bench, and other law-related professionals, governmental entities, and the general public.
The Thormodsgard Law Library collection contains more than 321,000 volumes, including 160,000 volume equivalents on microform and a growing audiovisual collection. It is the largest law library in the upper tier of the nation, between Minnesota and Washington State.
Its collection reflects the Core Collection as set forth by the American Bar Association and includes such resources as case reporters, statutes, constitutions, legislative process materials, administrative materials, restatements, treatises, periodicals, and selected non-legal resources. The materials in the collection are accessed through ODIN, the online catalog, as well as through index, citator, and digest services maintained in the library. A variety of electronic databases are available for law student and faculty research. The Chester Fritz Library, which houses the main University of North Dakota library collection, and the Harley E. French Library of Health Sciences, are both located near the School of Law. These libraries complement the law library collection and facilitate interdisciplinary research.
The Thormodsgard Law Library is named after Olaf H. Thormodsgard, who served as Dean of the University of North Dakota School of Law from 1933 to 1962.
To Apply
Candidates should submit a letter of interest, resumé and at least three references to:
Professor Gregory S. Gordon
Chair, Law Library Director Search Committee
University of North Dakota School of Law, Room 201
215 Centennial Drive Stop 9003
Grand Forks, ND 58202
gordon@law.und.edu.
Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled but those received by December 15, 2007, will receive first consideration. The position is expected to have a start date of July 1, 2008. The University of North Dakota is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and is committed to achieving excellence through diversity. It actively seeks and encourages expressions of interest and applications from women, persons with disabilities, and members of underrepresented populations.
