Associate Director for Public Services and Administration - Law Library - School of Law

The University of California, Berkeley, School of Law (Berkeley Law) is one of the nation's premier law schools, located at one of the world's great universities. The Law Library holds one of the largest law collections in the world, housing an extensive collection of Anglo-American, international, foreign, and comparative law. The Law Library serves a faculty of more than 100, including tenured and tenure-track, clinical, adjunct, and visiting professors and lecturers; more than 1000 J.D. students; 250 LL.M. students; 150 Professional Track LL.M. students in the summer; graduate students from the School of Jurisprudence and Social Policy; more than 100 visiting scholars each year; as well as researchers from other scholarly and legal communities. These include members of the University of California community, private attorneys, and members of the general public. Berkeley Law is the home of the prestigious Robbins Collection, which specializes in religious and civil law, and includes rare books and manuscripts. The Law School has a wide variety of research centers, clinics, and student-initiated projects.

Position Overview

The UC Berkeley School of Law Library seeks an Associate Director for Public Services and Administration to serve as a senior leader within the Law Library. Reporting to the Associate Dean of the Law Library, this position combines administrative leadership with oversight of the Law School's research support program for the law school community.

The Associate Director provides overall administrative and personnel oversight for Law Library staff and librarians and oversees all aspects of the Library's Research and Administrative Services. The role ensures that departments and supervisors are operating in accordance with University policies, collective bargaining agreements, and sound management practices. The Associate Director guides managers through complex personnel processes, promotes consistency and fairness in supervision, and supports strong performance management and professional development across the organization. The position also works to ensure that daily operations are well coordinated and that services function effectively across units.

In addition, the Associate Director oversees the Library's research services program, working with librarians to ensure that faculty, students, and other members of the law school community receive high-quality, responsive research support. The role maintains clear service standards, aligns research services with the Law School's teaching and scholarly priorities, and collaborates with partners across the Law School and campus to support evolving research needs.

As a member of the Law Library's leadership group, the Associate Director works closely with the Associate Dean, the Associate Director for Collections and Operations, and the Associate Director for Digital Research Infrastructure. Together, this team shares responsibility for strategic planning, operational decision-making, and resource allocation. The Law Library's management model emphasizes cross-departmental collaboration, knowledge sharing, and a project-based approach that reduces silos and strengthens institutional support and participation. The Associate Director contributes to shaping the Library's vision and ensuring thoughtful implementation of next steps.

Duties

Library Administration

Under the general supervision of the Associate Dean of the Law Library, the Associate Director participates in all aspects of Law Library administration, including budget planning and personnel management. This role serves as part of the Law Library management team with the Associate Dean of the Law Library, the Associate Director for Collection Services and Operations, and the future Associate Director for Digital Research Infrastructure.

Senior Administration Responsibilities

The Associate Director (AD) for Public Services and Administration is the senior administrator responsible for ensuring effective public services operations and efficient library administration. Key responsibilities include:

• Coordinating the Libraries' strategic planning and organizational development programs and initiatives in collaboration with the Associate Director for Collections and Operations
• Engaging in space planning, in collaboration with the Associate Director for Collections and Operations
• In collaboration with others on the Law Library senior management team establishing goals and objectives for the Law Library, including planning, budgeting, resource allocation, and policy-making
• Coordinating the preparation of Law Library reports and ensuring the tracking and reporting of Public Services statistics
• Representing the Law Library on various Law School, campus-wide, and Library System committees and attending various meetings and functions

Human Resources Management

The AD provides leadership within the Law Library for human resources management, including hiring, reviews, and staff development. This role involves:

• Overseeing and advising on the recruitment, hiring, performance evaluation, and training of staff at all levels
• Promoting excellent management skills and developing a positive, inclusive, and equitable work environment (possibly serving as Equity Advisor for the Law Library)

Public Services Daily Operations

The AD assumes responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the Law Library's Public Services departments. This includes:

• Directing the activities, planning, assessment, and research and instruction efforts of public services units, including Reference and Access Services
• Supervising designated public services staff from public services units, including Reference, Access Services, and student workers, including providing training and supporting professional development opportunities
• Coordinating all reference and research services, and instruction as needed for the Berkeley Law community, including faculty, students, clinics, administration, and staff
• Participating in collection development with the Collection Development Committee
• Overseeing and coordinating all formal and informal instruction offered by the Law Library, including teaching (contingent upon appointment to an appropriate teaching title) Advanced Legal Research (ALR)

Adapting to Technology

The Associate Director plays a crucial role in adapting to technological advancements across all areas of the Law Library. This includes:

• Responding to changes in technology and their impact on services, research, operations, and instruction
• Evaluating and integrating new technologies to enhance Law Library operations, instruction, and research
• Staying informed about emerging technologies and assessing their applicability to Law Library services

Working Conditions

• This is a full-time, on-site position with occasional evening or weekend hours to support library operations
• Where feasible, this position may be able to work four days onsite and one day remotely
• The role may involve lifting, shelving, and moving library materials
• Work is performed with regular interruptions and shifting priorities

• Advanced degree ( such as JD, MA, PhD) or equivalent international degree).

• Minimum five years of experience in a law library or Academic research library
• Minimum two years of supervisory experience

• Degree in library science from an ALA-accredited institution
• Three years of experience with legal bibliography and legal research techniques in multiple formats.
• Experience with statistics, metrics, and assessment techniques that help the Law Library and the campus achieve their goals
• Strong analytical and conceptual abilities to anticipate and solve problems and initiate actions for effective management of a complex, multi-functional library
• Experience in managing programs, projects, and operations within a complex organization
• Ability to independently advance a project or function, collaborate as a team member, and interact successfully with all levels of staff within and outside the Law Library to ensure necessary cross-departmental collaboration and decision-making
• Experience with leveraging existing and emerging technologies to respond to changing needs in library services, internal and external library operations applications, and to enhance public services in areas such as legal research, reference, and instructional services
• Experience in administrative operations creating ongoing operational efficiencies
• Experience working in or managing in a collective bargaining environment
• Strong commitment to effective management practices, staff development, and morale
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills needed to ensure clear policies and procedures and strong cross-departmental communication and collaboration, and for effective written reports, such as performance evaluation documentation, annual public services reports, and mandatory compliance reports
• Ability to work effectively with staff in a multicultural and diverse environment
• Experience teaching legal research in formal or informal settings

• 3 required (contact information only)

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service, consistent with UC Regents Policy 4400 and University of California Academic Personnel policy (APM 210 1-d). These values are embedded in our Principles of Community, which reflect our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery and innovation, and our deep commitment to contributing to a better world. Every member of the UC Berkeley community has a role in sustaining a safe, caring and humane environment in which these values can thrive.

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

For more information, please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Unless stated otherwise, unambiguously, in the position description, this position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment