UMKC School of Law

Leon E. Bloch Law Library

Director of Electronic Services & Communications

Job Description

General Description:

The Director of Electronic Services and Communications (“ESC Director”) will serve as both a reference law librarian and information communications officer for the law school. The ESC Director facilitates the flow of information through the law school, local bar and alumni communities, builds and strengthens relationships among those communities, and leverages the value of the law school and library as information organizations. It is anticipated that the director’s anticipated duties will include:

• providing reference and instructional services (particularly with respect to electronic databases and online services) including innovative teaching and creation of web and print guides and tutorials
• with the director and network manager, maintaining and reviewing licenses and polices for electronic services, databases and software at the law school
• participating in collection development and other public services functions (particularly with reference to electronic media)
• advising law faculty, administration, and librarians on the advances, benefits, costs, and uses of communications and education technology in the classroom to facilitate improved learning and teaching and for course administration, and providing training for such technology
• evaluating how information is presented at law school and law library websites including information architecture, site navigation, usability, ADA compliance, etc.
• in collaboration with the School's Advancement Director and Faculty Advancement Committee, producing newsletters, electronic communications, web postings and other publications to the alumni, local bar, and law school
• overseeing the school’s multi-media specialist and functioning as a liaison between the university’s IS department (including the law school’s network manager and microcomputing specialist) and the law library, faculty and administration.

The ESC Director will report to the Dean of the Law School and the Director of the Law Library. In addition, the ESC Director will work with the Associate Director of the Law Library in the coordination of all aspects of the provision of reference services and other public services.

Required Qualifications:

The successful candidate must be able to engage and win the confidence and trust of a diverse range of administrators, faculty, and librarians. People skills are an imperative. He or she must have a law degree from an accredited US law school, Masters Degree in Library Science, excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills, and teaching ability, maturity, professionalism, vision, and management ability. Previous library work required.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience practicing law and providing service related activities to bar associations. Experience with instruction, management (this is an entry-level management position), information and knowledge management, education technology, usability design, information architecture, and professional or academic publishing. Significant computer and networking experience may be helpful, but the principal need is someone who can work with specialists in these fields.

Equal Opportunity Statement

It is fundamental policy of the University of Missouri-Kansas City to provide equal opportunities regardless of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or Vietnam Era Veteran status, in all educational employment and contracting activities. The University of Missouri-Kansas City is committed to a policy of affirmative action in the recruitment of students and in hiring of faculty and staff.