Job Details

Head Law Librarian - Essex Law Library, Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries (Salem)

Position Summary: Administers all activities and supervises staff of a Trial Court Law Library. Plans, manages, and maintains a law library collection. Performs professional duties including acquisition, cataloging and reference. Ensures legal information needs of library users are met. Directs staff activities and participates in system-wide activities such as long-range planning, electronic library services, special projects and other library and court services related work as required.

Supervision Received: Works under the direction of Manager of Law Libraries.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Conducts reference interviews to determine library needs.
• Locates, retrieves, and disseminates relevant legal or information resources in response to reference questions.
• Assists court staff and patrons in the use of library resources, both hardcopy and electronic databases.
• Evaluates, develops, acquires, and maintains library’s collection.
• Classifies and catalogues library resources.
• Selects and deselects material to maintain an up-to-date library with consideration of local needs.
• Collaborates with assigned courts for Court Consolidation Law Book program. Ensures all necessary filing is complete and treatises are up to date.
• Arranges available space for new and archive material.
• Contributes to the upkeep of the library system’s website; monitors webpages to display current information.
• Ensures library has daily coverage and assists with coverage for other libraries.
• Purchases supplies and new legal materials; stays current with new publications.
• Maintains calendar of electronic service commitments.
• Trains and develops staff; intervenes with problematic patrons.
• Accepts and proves incoming standard orders of legal materials.
• Checks for interlibrary loan requests.
• Provides outreach to courts and public entities in the form of public speaking, workshops, seminars, webinars, online presentations and PowerPoint presentations.
• Tracks purchases using budget control log and creates spreadsheets to track increases to titles to prepare budget for next fiscal year.
• Keep track of changes to law for the "Law About" Pages for which they are assigned.
• Serves on committees within the law library department.
• Interviews applicants for law library positions.
• Performs other duties as required.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements: Education and Experience
• Graduate Degree in Library Science or Law Degree, from an accredited college or university
• Five (5) years of professional law library related work experience
• Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered for meeting minimum qualifications.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Knowledge of:
• Legal databases and resources
• In-house and remote print materials
• Cataloguing
• Library of Congress classification system
• Material selection
• New legal development
• Interlibrary loan procedures
• Webinar and PowerPoint tools
• Online presentations
• Collection maintenance

Skill in:
• Long range planning
• Training staff
• Organization and prioritization
• Verbal communication and organization
Ability to:
• Stay current with new publications
• Monitor existing webpages
• Ensure daily library coverage
• Run overdue reports
• Conduct workshops and seminars based on subject matter expertise

Supervisory Responsibility: This position serves as a supervisor to the Circuit Law Librarian and Law Library Assistant.

Working Conditions: Work is frequently performed in office or similar indoor environments.

Physical Demands: This position requires sedentary work:
Lifting and/or exerting up to 30 pounds of force occasionally, a negligible amount of force frequently, and/or or constantly having to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met .

Full/Part Time

Full Time

Education

MLS/Masters

Salary

$91,176.02  / year

Closing Date

July 15, 2026

How to Apply

Please apply at https://trialcourtjobs.mass.gov/jobs/head-law-librarian-essex-law-library-salem-salem-massachusetts-united-states

Posted

2026-07-03 |  Quick link to this job