Head Librarian

---

The Ministry of the Attorney General is seeking a values-driven leader with a people-first focus to champion a workplace culture that is inclusive, respectful and client service focused to lead the Ministry's Law Library and Legal Information Services ensuring that all legal information resources fully support the needs of the legal staff across the Ministry.

About Us
The Legal Information Services / Library Services Unit supports Ministry staff in meeting their legal information needs by providing specialized legal research support and projects; hosting virtual and in-person training on legal research tools and skills; and procuring and managing access to online and print legal resources in a sustainable and fiscally responsible manner.

The Ontario Public Service (OPS) Leadership Behaviours defines what it means to be a leader:
• We are responsible for being leaders that demonstrate authenticity, accountability and courage.
• We are innovative by embracing positive disruption, having a future mindset and by developing each other, every day.
• We are collaborative by leading with a common purpose, being inclusive and driving people centered outcomes.

Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Anti-Racism
The OPS is an innovative, responsive, and accountable public service that works hard to be diverse, anti-racist, inclusive, accessible, merit-based, respectful and equitable. Diversifying leadership teams is a top OPS priority with the goal to achieve parity with the Ontario labour force by 2025 for the most underrepresented groups (Indigenous, racialized and persons with disabilities) in leadership positions.

The OPS invites all interested individuals to apply and encourages applications from Indigenous and racialized individuals, and persons with disabilities.

The OPS is an accessible employer and we offer accommodation in all aspects of employment, including the recruitment process. Visit the OPS Anti-Racism Policy and the OPS Diversity and Inclusion Blueprint to learn more about the OPS commitment to advancing racial equity, diversity and inclusion.
 
The OPS offers employment accommodation across the recruitment process and all aspects of employment consistent with the requirements of Ontario'sHuman Rights Code. Refer to the application instructions below if you require a disability-related accommodation.

---

About the job

In this challenging role, you will:
• Plan and administer the law Library and Legal Information Services for the Ministry, provide library and legal research services.
• Cultivate a work environment that promotes a collaborative, diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace.
• Plan, develop, coordinate and implement the operation of a major specialized provincial library or archive including: formulating library/archive strategies, setting objectives, priorities and standards, and establishing and implementing internal library/archive policies and procedures.
• Lead the research and analysis of library/archive best practices, and identifies opportunities for improving and streamlining collections and services for optimal client benefit; anticipates/verifies client requirements and priorities through surveys and statistics.
• Be responsible for the management of a team of Librarians and the overall management of human resources planning.
• Responsible to develop the library/archive financial and space plans and budgets; acquiring and managing facilities and equipment (e.g. computers, and information processing technologies); and develop and implemented automated systems wherever possible.
• Lead a ministry wide Library Committee to consult with and inform them of legal information issues ensuring that information needs of staff are being met.
• Coordinate the acquisition and circulation of online, internet, print, legislative materials, electronic resources and the cataloguing of library and legal information materials for the Ministry.
• Manage procurement and tendering activities, the preparation of Request for Proposals (RFPs), the negotiation of contractual agreements, the monitoring of vendors' service level/performance, and manages the client/vendor relationship, to ensure effective service delivery.

---

What you bring to the team

Leaderships Skills:

• You have leadership experience and the ability to inspire, engage, motivate, develop and mentor staff to deliver on results in a rapidly changing environment.
• You are a collaborative leader and have incorporated the principles of inclusion and diversity across all elements of your management style.
• You have excellent management and leadership skills to manage staff, set work priorities and standards, evaluate performance, identify staffing needs, make hiring decisions, recommend discipline where required, and promptly address employee relations matters.
• You have demonstrated success in fostering an environment of continuous improvement, creativity and excellence.

Specialized Knowledge:

• You have extensive knowledge of library and information science as well as automated information systems usually attained through a graduate program such as Masters of Library Science (MLS) or Masters of Information Science (MIS).
• You have thorough knowledge of the theories, principles and practices of legal libraries and legal information services including legal research methods and sources.
• You can apply knowledge of Canadian, American and Commonwealth legal and political systems in order to meet the needs of a specialized client group.

Stakeholder Relations and Communication Skills:

• You can establish working relationships with clients, staff and library committee members.
• You have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• You have experience delivering training programs for employees in the use of legal research tools and provide reference service in the absence of the Reference Librarian.
• You have experience developing and delivering communications products to a large and diverse stakeholder group.
• You can advise senior management on issues affecting the delivery of library services and legal information services.

Technical Skills:

• You have experience using online legal databases to locate information in a cost-effective manner (e.g., Quicklaw, Westlaw, Next Canada, ProView, HeinOnline, and ICLR).
• You have well-developed management and administration skills to operate and develop new or existing library programs and services.
• You have financial management skills and a thorough understanding of budgeting, procurement, and accounting processes to plan and control the library services budget, expenditures, financial reporting and forecasting.

---

Additional information:

Note:

• In accordance with the Ontario Public Service (OPS), Employment Screening Checks Policy (ESCP), the top candidate(s) may be required to undergo a security screening check. Refer to the above to determine the screening checks that are required for this position.
  
  Required security screening checks along with your written consent, will be sent to the Transition and Security Office (TSO), Talent Acquisition Branch (TAB), HR Service Delivery Division (HRSDD) to evaluate the results. If applicable, the TSO, with your written consent, will request and obtain any additional employment screening checks that were not obtained directly by you.
  
  A record under the Criminal Code and/or other federal offence record(s) does not automatically mean you will be ineligible for the position. The employment screening check(s) will only be reviewed and evaluated by the TSO for the purpose of making a security clearance decision. The details of an individual's employment screening check(s) will be considered in specific relation to the duties and responsibilities of the position being filled. Employment screening check records will be maintained by the TSO and kept strictly confidential.
• T-AG-176053/22

---

Language requirements and assessment:
All external Ontario Public Service (OPS) job ads are posted in English and French. Check the "position(s) language" section at the top of each job ad for the language requirements. For all roles, candidates are assessed in English, the business language of the OPS. If the position is bilingual (English/French), you'll also need to pass a French-language proficiency test.

Exigences en matière de langue et évaluation:
Toutes les offres d'emploi externes de la fonction publique de l'Ontario (FPO) sont affichées en français et en anglais. Consultez la section « Langue du ou des postes » en haut de chaque offre d'emploi pour connaître les exigences linguistiques. Pour tous les postes, les candidats sont évalués en anglais, la langue d'affaires de la FPO. Si le poste est bilingue (anglais/français), vous devrez également passer un test de compétences linguistiques en français.