Organization Overview: The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS) is a federally funded, independent organization; governed by an eleven-member Board of Trustees. PDS provides legal representation to individuals facing a loss of freedom in criminal, delinquency, and mental health matters in the District of Columbia but who are financially unable to obtain adequate representation. PDS's approximately 200 attorneys, social workers, investigators, and administrative and technical staff collaborate with each other to advance the PDS mission. PDS's main office is located at 633 Indiana Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. District of Columbia residency is not a requirement for employment. PDS is funded by federal appropriations, and all employees are entitled to participate in the federal health and life insurance plans, the federal retirement plans, and the Thrift Savings Plan. Transferring employees will receive recognition of creditable federal service for leave accrual and retirement purposes. Employment at the Public Defender Service is neither federal nor District of Columbia government employment, and all employees are at-will.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: The PDS COVID-19 vaccination policy requires as a condition of employment that all employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or receive from PDS a reasonable accommodation due to a disability or sincere religious belief. If you are offered a position and decide to join PDS, then before starting work at PDS you will be required either (A) to submit proof that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to your initial HR representative or (B) to request and receive an accommodation due to disability of sincere religious belief.

Division Description: This position is located in the Executive Division. The Executive Division staff are responsible for directing the administrative and personnel functions, including hiring and managing the attorneys and support staff; securing resources and developing policies and procedures to direct and enhance the legal practice of the organization; preparing and managing the PDS budget; and interacting with court and criminal justice agencies to advance the PDS mission and improve the overall quality of the criminal defense bar.

Responsibilities

The law librarian provides professional research and reference services to PDS staff attorneys, law clerks, and administrators, as well as to Criminal Justice Act (CJA) panel lawyers, clients, and duty day walk-ins (when needed) using primarily computer-based research resources. The position is a solo librarian and reports to the General Counsel. The law librarian's specific duties include:

• Managing the PDS Library, including purchasing new materials, updating the collection (including loose-leaf materials and pocket parts where necessary), and conducting an annual inventory;
• Organizing and providing to staff online and print access to legal treatises, collections of books, publications, and electronic resources;
• Providing access to and training on available online research services, such as Lexis, Westlaw, and BNA; Responding to specific research requests from staff and assisting with legal research, primarily in D.C. law, including legislative history;
• Circulating to attorneys by email the weekly opinions from the D.C. Court of Appeals;
• Working with other libraries to obtain materials to which PDS does not have in-house access;
• Updating and maintaining the PDS online card catalog;
• Developing, maintaining, and updating an online D.C. research database on frequently requested topics;
• Preparing the library budget and, with the General Counsel, evaluating and renewing as needed, contracts with electronic service providers such as Westlaw and LexisNexis;
• Managing and renewing subscriptions for periodicals and other materials;
• Developing and producing electronic reference and training materials, including research manuals and guidelines, and general information about D.C. law for attorneys and law clerks;
• Coordinating and conducting library user training and orientation programs for staff, law clerks, and CJA attorneys; and
• Recommending and implementing internal operating policies and procedures to meet the goals of the library program.

Work Schedule: This is a full-time term position eligible for remote work. Due to the pandemic, PDS is on a maximum telework schedule until November 2022. Beginning in November, we expect this position to shift to a more on-site schedule, with some remote work. The exact mix of in-person and remote work will depend on the needs of the agency and office space availability.

Conditions of employment

Additionally, proof of full vaccination against the COVID-19 virus is a condition of employment with the exception of those who apply for and receive a reasonable accommodation based on their health (disability) or sincerely held religious belief as reasons for not being vaccinated. To request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, please contact Anisha Trice, Human Resources Specialist at (202) 824-2227 or at ATrice@pdsc.org.

Qualifications

Minimum of one year of full-time professional library experience or equivalent. Excellent online research skills (including Lexis, Westlaw, and other online services) and in-depth familiarity with both print and electronic resources. Knowledge of library systems, trends and emerging technologies; ability to incorporate new ideas into research methods and shared services and strong customer service skills. Ability to work in a high demand, time-sensitive environment with the ability to respond to numerous research requests.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Rating: Your application package will be rated and ranked among other applicants based on your experience, education, training, and awards relevant to the duties of this position. Your rating can be lowered if your application package is not supported by the requested documents.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application package will be referred to a hiring manager for consideration, at which time you may be invited to participate in a selection interview.