Law Librarian

Dakota County, Minnesota; Apple Valley (MN); On-site; USD 66,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Work-life balance

Paid time off

Legal retirement benefits

Job summary

Dakota County Law Library seeks a qualified librarian to staff the satellite Law Library at the Galaxie Library. The role involves assisting patrons with legal information, guiding research, and promoting essential legal resources to the community.

The incumbent will also provide outreach, ensure the collection stays current, and collaborate with district court staff to serve pro se users. A Master’s in library science and at least two years in legal resources are required.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in library and informational science and a minimum of two years' experience in legal resources.

Responsibilities

• Staff the Law Library satellite location and assist users in locating legal information.
• Provide professional instruction to patrons on effective use of legal resources and court forms.
• Maintain currency of the collection and identify trends in legal information for the community.

Skills

Legal research

Reference services

Education

Master's degree in library and informational science

Job description

POSTING TYPE: Open Competitive

DEPARTMENT: Law Library

HOURS: Full-time

PREFERRED HIRING RANGE: $65,638 - $82,048

SALARY RANGE: $65,638 - $102,560 (Grade 107)

LOCATION: Apple Valley

UNION: None

CLOSE DATE: Friday, September 11, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.

Incumbent is primarily responsible to staff a law library satellite location in the Galaxie Public Library. Services provided include assisting users in finding needed legal information, offering legal research instruction, and providing outreach to promote use of essential legal resources. Market and promote law library services. Ensure the collection of legal references and resources is current. Related duties as assigned.

Who We Are

Dakota County is Minnesota’s third-largest county and home to more than 400,000 residents. We strive every day to achieve excellence public service, with a focus on four values: Service, Integrity, People, and Innovation.

Dakota County aims to create an environment that is welcoming and inclusive of diverse people, backgrounds, and experiences. Our goal is to have a workforce that is reflective of the communities and individuals we serve. We promote an equitable and culturally aware work environment where everyone can be their authentic selves.

• Master's degree in library and informational science AND a minimum of two (2) years' experience in legal resources.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience working in a public library.

These examples do not include all possible tasks in this work and do not limit the assignment of related tasks in any position of this classification. Regular attendance according to the position's management approved work schedule is required for all positions.

1. Conduct customer interviews to determine users' needs/requests for legal reference and legal research services.
   • Analyze customer's question to determine type and amount of information needed and appropriate available sources.
   • Identify and provide legal research titles and resources to meet needs of individual users or groups.
   • Evaluate customer's proficiency to conduct legal research using either print or online resources.
   • Determine availability of information sought, including availability of needed resources in the Hastings Judicial Center Law Library.
2. Provide professional instruction to customers on effective use legal resources (including court forms), library facilities, and equipment.
   • Evaluate customer's proficiency to determine level of instruction necessary.
   • Determine particular legal subject matter or procedural information needed.
   • Determine public demand for instructional materials.
   • Inform Galaxie public librarians about basic legal resources; instruct in legal research as needed.
   • Participate in training sessions offered by public librarians to explain public library policies and procedures.
   • Teach legal research instruction classes to the public.
3. Manage currency of collections and identifies trends among court users and the general public for legal information. Reviews professional literature in law librarianship to stay abreast of new resources and services.
   • Determine appropriateness of legal resources for satellite law library and the community it serves.
   • Recommend the purchase of books, AV materials, periodicals and databases to enhance the overall law library collection.
4. Provide outreach services to court users and legal researchers in the community.
   • Determine need to communicate with district court staff to better serve pro se clientele.
   • Respond to requests from the County Law Enforcement Center.
   • Facilitate Family Court Self-Help Center sessions with pro se users and volunteer attorneys.
5. Market and promote law library services to the public.
   • Develop and support Law Library webpages.
   • Develop promotional and/or instructional materials for court users, judges, court staff, and attorneys.
   • Establish appropriate contacts to promote library materials to the community at large.
6. Primarily staffs the Law Library satellite in the Galaxie Library. Rotates regularly at the reference desk in Hastings Judicial Center Law Library.
   • Provide assistance to coworkers as needed to cover for absences.
   • Determine essential duties to be performed in absence of supervisor.
   • Follow established priorities of workload distribution.
   • Instruct public librarians to refer legal related queries to the satellite law librarian.
7. Pursues professional development through networking and continuing legal education (CLE) opportunities.
   • Attends appropriate educational workshops.
   • Contributes expertise to library, professional, and countywide committees.
8. Assist Galaxie public librarians as needed.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: 1 through 8

• Knowledge of professional law librarian, legal reference and research methods and materials.
• Ability to prioritize and complete tasks and projects.
• Strong service orientation and comfortable working with a diverse user population which includes the general public, judges, law clerks, government officials, and members of the bar.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of community and legal referral agencies
• Ability to coordinate programs among diverse court users and professional groups.
• Ability to work independently or in a team environment

Work Environment

The work is sedentary and requires no special physical demands. The work involves minimal risks and observance of safety precautions typical of office settings. The work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate-controlled office. May require occasional travel.

Benefits

• Comprehensive and affordable medical, dental, vision, and other benefits
• Excellent work-life balance
• Generous paid time off (accrual rate starts at four weeks per year)
• Eleven paid holidays and one floating holiday each year
• Pension with a generous employer contribution
• Ability to work from home some of the time

Selection Process

• We assign you a score based on your qualifications.
• Top scoring candidates are referred to the hiring manager for interview consideration.
• We conduct interviews and reference checks before extending an offer.
• We extend an offer and conduct background checks.