Description
Description:
Penn State Dickinson Law invites applications for an innovative and collaborative Law Librarian to join the library team at the Law School’s University Park location. This is a tenure-track faculty appointment, with tenure administered through the Penn State University Libraries.
Founded in 1834, Penn State Dickinson Law is the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s first law school and one of the oldest in the nation. Fully accredited by the ABA and a member of the AALS since 1912, Dickinson Law’s mission is to educate and train lawyers equipped to excel in an evolving legal profession. The Law School is guided by core values of teaching, scholarship, service, and community, which define our mission and culture.
Position Overview
The successful candidate will provide expert legal research support, teach legal research to first-year law students, and collaborate closely with faculty, staff, and students to advance the Law School’s academic mission. This position offers the opportunity to engage meaningfully in the Law School’s clinics, outreach programs, and faculty governance.
Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:
- Provide reference and research assistance to law students, faculty, administrators, and the public (in person, via email, and phone).
- Serve as library liaison to various law school clinics and programs.
- Develop and implement outreach efforts to students, faculty, and the broader community.
- Teach introductory legal research in the required first-year curriculum and contribute to other instructional opportunities.
- Participate in collection development and resource curation.
- Create and maintain research guides (LibGuides) and other digital resources.
- Contribute to creating a diverse, inclusive, and student-centered library environment.
- Collaborate on library communications, including social media and website content.
- Participate fully as a member of the law faculty, including service on faculty committees.
Requirements
Qualifications
- Required: J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school (or equivalent non-U.S. law degree).
- Preferred: M.L.S. (or equivalent) from an ALA-accredited institution. Substantial experience in legal research may substitute for this requirement.
- Demonstrated knowledge of legal research databases and resources.
- Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced academic setting.
Faculty Rank and Tenure
This tenure-track position will be appointed at the rank of Assistant Librarian with tenure within the Penn State University Libraries. Candidates must demonstrate excellence in librarianship, an established record of scholarly research and publication, and significant service to the profession and institution. More information about faculty appointments and University Library tenure criteria is available here: UL-ACG07 Promotion and Tenure Criteria
As part of The Pennsylvania State University, Penn State Dickinson Law is committed to and is accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging. We embrace individual uniqueness, as well as a culture of belonging that supports equity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of inclusion in society, and provides opportunities for engagement intended to help all members of the community thrive. We value belonging as a core strength and an essential element of the university’s teaching, research, and service mission. Penn State’s Values can be found here.
This position is based in University Park, PA. The University prioritizes regular on-site presence to support full engagement in the campus community. Full-time, tenure-line faculty are expected to work on-site. Questions about work arrangements should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process.
All candidate materials must be submitted via the Penn State Career website. Interested candidates should upload a cover letter and a resume or CV, with a brief statement indicating how they would contribute to creating and maintaining an inclusive and respectful environment for all. A candidate’s application materials are expected to provide clear evidence supporting Penn State values and accessibility throughout their librarianship, teaching, research, and/or service.
See additional information on job, benefits, and the application process on the Job Posting.
