Reference and Instruction Librarian

Position summary

The Ford Library at the Fuqua School of Business is hiring a Reference and Instruction Librarian to join the Research Services Team. This professional library staff role is centered on delivering end-to-end research, reference, and instructional support for teaching and research, with a focus on data and online research tools. The position also helps Fuqua faculty bring library resources into coursework, develops learning content for students, and maintains web-based materials such as course reserves and guides.

Key responsibilities

In this role, you will provide front-line research assistance, support library outreach, and help faculty and students make effective use of library collections and services.

• Deliver reference help to users through phone, email, chat, and in-person interactions.
• Plan, schedule, and teach bibliographic and database instruction sessions throughout the academic year, including topics such as Bloomberg, career research, and business strategy.
• Review trial databases and share feedback with library leadership on user fit, usability, and cost considerations for the Fuqua community.
• Carry out additional research-related assignments as needed, which may include leading library tours and partnering with vendor representatives on database training.
• Work across the Ford Library and Fuqua teams to raise awareness of library resources and improve their use.
• Create instructional and research-support content for Fuqua courses using selected resources from the Ford and Duke Libraries in online guides.
• Reach out to Fuqua faculty and student groups to encourage use of library resources in teaching and learning.
• Prepare the library’s monthly newsletter featuring important resources, services, and initiatives.
• Help plan and staff outreach activities such as coffee breaks, tabling events, and similar engagement programs.
• Support course access for Fuqua faculty and students by managing stable links to licensed resources and locally hosted course materials.
• Build and maintain course pages where faculty can organize links to library content.
• Ensure students can access locally hosted content for academic purposes.

Required qualifications

• Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited library or information science program.
• At least two years of experience in an academic or research library setting, with responsibilities in reference service and instruction.
• Strong understanding of information resources and library services, especially reference and teaching support.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, along with solid analytical and problem-solving ability.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative team.
• High comfort level with computer-based technologies and the flexibility to learn new tools and platforms quickly.
• Strong commitment to exceptional customer service and ongoing professional development.

Preferred background

Experience working with business research databases in an academic business library or a professional business library is preferred.

Equal opportunity statement

Duke is committed to providing equal employment opportunity without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, sexual orientation, military status, or ethnicity. The organization emphasizes collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging, and expects all community members to help maintain a respectful and inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued.