Acquisitions Librarian, Duke University, J. Michael Goodson Law Library

Posted August 11, 2023

Reporting to the Associate Director for Administration & Scholarship, the Acquisitions Librarian oversees the operations and staff of the Acquisitions/Serials department in Duke Law School’s J. Michael Goodson Law Library. This position provides management of the collections budget and various additional funds, and plays a key role in the Library’s collection development and financial forecasting. This position is also expected to play a leading role in the Law Library’s migration to a new integrated library system, a campus-wide project scheduled to go live in 2024. This position is expected to be primarily in-person, with some opportunity for remote work.

Core Responsibilities

Lead and manage Acquisitions/Serials departmental operations.

Coordinate activities and work of two full-time Acquisitions/Serials staff.
- Train, supervise, and evaluate performance of Acquisitions/Serials staff members.
- Hold regularly scheduled meetings with staff to communicate priorities, as well as Law Library and Law School matters.
Develop, implement, manage, and document policies and procedures to efficiently and accurately carry out Acquisitions/Serials operations.
Collect and report annual and as-needed acquisitions statistics for Library Director and administration.

Manage appropriated, restricted, and endowment funds for Library acquisitions.

Regularly review order/financial transactions and financial reports for accuracy, timeliness, and problem resolution.
Create and run regular and as-needed financial and statistical reports for Library administration.
Prepare annual reports for Library restricted and endowment funds.
Coordinate Library donor communications and reports with Library administration and Law School Alumni & Development office.

Oversee acquisitions of Library collection and electronic resources.

Supervise ordering, receiving, invoicing, and claiming of Library material in all formats.
Serve as primary point of contact with Library vendors/publishers, including investigation of prospective vendors and negotiation of terms.
Manage Library approval plans, evidence-based acquisition (EBA) collections, and standing orders, in coordination with Assistant Director of Access and Collections.
Coordinate acquisition of Library electronic resources, including setup of trial access, negotiation of license terms, and troubleshooting of access issues.
Participate in Library’s Collection Development team.
Coordinate distribution of selection materials, including curation of print and electronic publisher subscription services and catalogs.
Support team in item selection and collection review process.

Represent Acquisitions/Serials department to other departmental units and organizations.

Participate in Library Technical Services, Collection Development, and Scholarship team meetings.
Represent the Law Library in university-wide groups involving acquisitions, accounting, and serials functions.
Coordinate acquisitions portion of planned campus-wide Integrated Library Service migration.
Participate in professional organizations concerned with developments in Library acquisitions and serials, both locally and nationally.

Assists with other library projects and initiatives as assigned.

Required Education, Experience, and Skills:

M.L.I.S. or equivalent graduate degree from an ALA-accredited program.
Experience with managing organizational budgets.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a collegial environment.
Excellent problem solving, analytical, organizational and project management skills.
Strong service orientation and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Demonstrated effective oral and written communication skills.

Preferred:

Experience working in an academic library setting.
Experience supervising staff members and/or student workers in a professional setting.
Demonstrated experience coordinating and managing projects.
Experience with integrated library systems and/or ILS migration projects.
Experience working with legal information vendors and publishers.

Salary and Benefits: Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience. Duke University offers a competitive benefits package. All Duke librarians are eligible for continuing appointment and promotion under Duke University’s ranking system for professional librarians as well as support opportunities for ongoing professional development. Employer may assist with relocation costs.

Position Availability: Start date is negotiable.

How to Apply

Application Instructions: To apply, please submit a cover letter, CV/resume, and contact information for at least three professional references at https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/25100. Applications will be reviewed as received. Please contact Shauna Bangura ([email protected]) with any questions related to this position.

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual’s age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.