Employment Opportunities at the Charles B. Sears Law Library

Student Assistants

Throughout the semester, the Law Library employs a number of student assistants in both work study and other positions. For a listing of Law Library departments and student employment contacts, with general job descriptions, please visit the "Law Library" section on the University Libraries Student Assistant Employment Opportunities page. Please note that applications are not available online but should be obtained at the appropriate department of the Law Library. Student positions which are currently actively recruiting applications are highlighted on the University Libraries Employment Opportunities page.

JD/MLS Graduate Assistants

The Law Library supports one graduate assistant position in the Information Services Department. Graduate assistants will gain a full range of professional experience in law library reference services, including in-depth knowledge of the legal research process and both print and electronic research sources, experience in serving multiple and diverse patron populations, and expertise in using bibliographic databases and the Internet to respond to reference questions and to fill Mercury requests. Graduate assistants will observe varying styles in responding to reference queries, and will have the opportunity to prepare their own research for publication.

The position includes 20 hours per week of service, including:

• Reference
• reference service as needed by library patrons
• work on legal bibliographies and webliographies, web-based research materials, and teaching materials for first year research and writing classes and other Law School classes
• Research
• Graduate assistants produce a research project in consultation with the Head of Information Services and the Law Library Director. Research projects may include: annotated bibliography, in-depth webpage, article for publication (print or web), or other professional product.
• Mercury Faculty Document Delivery Service
• assist with monitoring and filling faculty requests for library materials
• maintain statistics on the use of the service

Qualifications for the Law Library graduation assistant position include:

• enrollment in the joint JD/MLS program
  OR
  enrollment in either the JD or MLS degree program with complementary degree already completed;
• completion of the first year Research and Writing course
  OR
  completion of one or more Legal Bibliography courses in the MLS program;
• knowledge of legal research and the Internet;
• demonstrated ability to interact well with individuals;
• applicants must be available the week prior to the beginning of the starting semester for training.

For more information on graduate assistant opportunities, please contact Jim Milles, Law Library Directory, or Marcia Zubrow, Head of Information Services.

Faculty/Professional/Clerical Staff Positions

Faculty, professional, and clerical staff positions in the Law Library are posted on the University Libraries Employment Opportunities page and can also be searched at the UB Jobs website, the official job vacancies web site for the University. All applications must be filed through the UB Jobs Website.