Law Librarian Blog

Canadian Association of Law Libraries Membership Survey Results

Key findings from the Canadian Association of Law Libraries' membership survey have been posted on the CALL website. Here's a sample:

Question 2. How is the profession of law librarianship changing? What do you see as the emerging challenges and opportunities? (Answered question: 109; Skipped question: 58)

Question 3. How is the workplace for law librarians changing? (Answered question: 107;   Skipped question: 60)

Responses to Questions 2 and 3:

• rapid evolution of technologies and explosion of information available in digital format – expectations for easy and more immediate access

• increasing end-user self sufficiency and sophistication - greater access to technologies and information by law practitioners – much of what they need is available via their personal computer – also results in decreasing direct contact with clients
• globalization – increasing complexity of issues, blurring of jurisdictional boundaries, increased ability to connect and share, greater interdisciplinarity
• challenging economic climate
• changing perceptions of the return on investment in library holdings, space and staff –investments being cut back
• growing potential of consortiums to expand access, contain costs and influence policy
• evolution of publisher and vender services – potential to by-pass the library
• increasing involvement of other disciplines in what has been library work
• challenges to attracting new professionals to the field
• opportunities abound in assisting with new forms of navigation through new forms of information
• changing scope of practice of law librarianship: traditional library work diminishing;   increased emphasis on online research; blurring of roles with information/knowledge management and other disciplines; new knowledge and competency requirements

I suspect AALL members would respond with similar answers. Hat tip to Library Boy. [JH]

Congratulations to AALL Award Recipients

The Marian Gould Gallagher Distinguished Service Award: Patrick E. Kehoe, American University and Elizabeth Ann Puckett, University of Georgia School of Law

The Joseph L. Andrews Bibliographical Award: William H. Manz, Rittenburg Law Library, St. John's University School of Law, Guide to State Legislation, Legislative History, and Administrative Materials (Hein 2008)

AALL Spectrum Article of the Year Award: Carl A. Yirka, Julien and Virginia Cornell Library, Vermont Law School, "The Yirka Question and Yirka's Answer: What Should Law Libraries Stop Doing in Order to Address Higher Priority Initiatives?" AALL Spectrum, July 2008

Law Library Journal Article of the Year: Sarah Hooke Lee, Northeastern University School of Law Library, "Preserving Our Heritage: Protecting Law Library Core Missions through Updated Library Quality Assessment Standards," 100 Law Library Journal 9 (2008)

Law Library Publications Award

Print Division: Tarlton Law Library, Jamail Center for Legal Research, University of Texas at Austin, Roy M. Mersky: An Oral History Interview

Nonprint Division: Law Library of Congress, Global Legal Monitor (GLM)

The AALL/Lexisnexis Call For Papers Awards Program

Open Division: Joseph A. Custer, University of Kansas School of Law, Wheat Law Library, "The Truthiness of Thinkable Thoughts Versus the Facts of Empirical Research" and Laura N. Gasaway, University of North Carolina School of Law, "A Defense of the Public Domain: A Scholarly Essay"

New Member Division: Mikhail Koulikov, New York Law Institute, "Indexing and Full-Text Coverage of Law Review Articles in Non-Legal Databases: An Initial Study"

Student Division: Theodora Belniak, University of Buffalo, The State University of New York, "The Law Librarian of the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries: A Figuration in Flux" and Jason Tubinis, University of Buffalo, The State University of New York, "A Law Librarian's Guide to the Economic Crisis"

AALL Public Access to Government Information Award: The Sunlight Foundation, Washington, D.C.

Robert L. Oakley Member Advocacy Award: Richard J. McKinney, Federal Reserve Board Law Library

Chapter Professional Development Award

One-Time Program: Law Librarians of Puget Sound (LLOPS), Librarians Mean Business: Lessons from the Boardroom

Excellence In Marketing Awards

Best Brochure: University of Minnesota, The University of Minnesota Law Library: Commitment to Excellence

Best Campaign: Law Library Association of Wisconsin (LLAW), 2009 LLAW Marketing Calendar

Best Use of Technology: Arizona State University, Ross Blakely Law Library, The Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law Faculty Scholarship Repository

Best PR Toolkit: Sacramento County Public Law Library, Public Relations Kit

Best New Product Award: William S. Hein & Co., Inc., Subject Compilations of State Laws (HeinOnline)

Hat tip to AALL Awards Announced. [JH]

Law Librarians of the Caribbean

Did anyone know that the 24th annual meeting and seminar of the Caribbean Association of Law Libraries was taking place?  The meeting was addressed by Barbados Attorney-General Freundel Stuart.  His comments suggest that any image problem law librarians have is not limited to the United States.  For example:

“In other words, few librarians are into branding, and are happy merely to impart knowledge to others and to be thanked for a job well done. This is not enough, however, if the profession is to attract more young persons into its ranks. It must be seen as both dynamic and rewarding.”

There is more.  Read the rest in the Barbados Advocate here.  [MG]

Reminder: Applications for the 2009 AALL Leadership Academy Due June 30

The AALL Leadership Academy, will be held October 16-17 in the Chicago area. Applications will be accepted May 1-June 30, and participants will be selected and notified by mid-August. Fellows will participate in pre-engagement exercises, have an opportunity to obtain a mentor, and receive ongoing leadership development opportunities. [JH]

CPE Solicits More Input on the AALL Competencies of Law Librarianship

Are the Competencies still relevant? (Yes) Are modifications needed. (Hell yes) Following the Continuing Professional Education Committee's moderated listserv discussion in April, CPE is now giving members the opportunity to continue the Compentiencies discussion on the AALL's Tool for Success in Today's Economy wiki. For more about the CPE project, see LLB Contributing Editor Rob Richard's interview of CPE Chair Julie Pabarja. [JH]

ALA TechSource's New Website Now Online

ALA TechSource has launched www.alatechsource.org, a new electronic archive and delivery platform for Library Technology Reports (LTR) and Smart Libraries Newsletter (SLN). For more, check out the announcement post on ALA TechSource Blog. [JH]

AALL's Slate of Candidates for Executive Board Announced

The 2009 AALL Nominations Committee has decided on the following slate of candidates.

Vice President/President-Elect

Darcy Kirk, Associate Dean for Library and Technology and Professor of Law, University of Connecticut School of Law Library, Hartford, Connecticut

Merle J. Slyhoff, Collection Development and Document Delivery Services Librarian, Biddle Law Library, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Treasurer

Diana C. Jaque, Head of Collection Development and Acquisitions, University of Southern California Barnett Information Technology Center and Call Law Library, Los Angeles, California

Susan Lewis-Somers, Associate Director for Public Services, Pence Law Library, American University, Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C.

Executive Board Member

Lucy Curci-Gonzalez, Director of Library Services, Kenyon & Kenyon LLP, New York, New York

Coral Henning, Director, Sacramento County Public Law Library, Sacramento, California

Robert H. Hu, Director and Assistant Professor of Law, St. Mary’s University School of Law Sarita Kenedy East Law Library, San Antonio, Texas

Ron Wheeler, Associate Director for Public Services, Georgia State University College of Law Library, Atlanta, Georgia

You can meet the candidates during an informal session at the 2009 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, July 28, from 1:15-2:15 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall at the AALL Member Services Booth. The election will be held November 2 - December 1, 2009, and successful candidates will begin their terms of office in July 2010. [JH]

Revising the AALL Competencies of Law Librarianship: An LLB Interview with Julie Pabarja, CPE Chair

The AALL Continuing Professional Education Committee (CPE) is in the process of revising the AALL Competencies of Law Librarianship. In April and May 2009 the CPE hosted a lively listserv discussion, available at http://share.aallnet.org/read/?forum=aall-cpe, for the purpose of soliciting input from AALL members respecting how the Competencies should be revised. This month Julie Pabarja, CPE Chair, kindly agreed to be interviewed by email to give us a better understanding of the Competencies revision process. The interview also reveals how innovative Web 2.0 technologies, including the Law Libraries and Librarians Ning (developed by Jim Milles and currently administered by Lyonette Louis-Jacques, Connie Crosby, Elizabeth Farrell, & Roger Skalbeck), and the AALL Tools for Success in Today's Economy wiki are enabling AALL members to participate in the work of the association.  Here is a lightly edited version of the interview:

LLB: What led the CPE to revise the Competencies at this time?

JP: Law librarians were discussing the AALL Competencies [of] Law Librarianship on the Law [Libraries and] Librarians Ning and questioning whether the language was still relevant today. A few members of the . . . (CPE) and the AALL Board are members of the Ning and noticed the discussions. The Board and CPE felt this was a good time to review the Competencies to see if any changes need to be made. The Competencies fall under the charge of CPE which is why this committee is handling the review process.

LLB: What role do the Competencies play in the work of AALL, and what Competency-related activities did the committee engage in prior to the April/May 2009 listserv discussion of the Competencies?

JP: The Competencies[,] which were approved in 2001[,] play an important role when program proposals are being submitted for the [AALL] annual meeting and when AALL members are applying for the AALL/BNA Continuing Professional Education grants. [Program and grant proposal evaluators use the Competencies to assess proposals, while AALL members use the Competencies to plan their professional development, including selection of AALL Annual Meeting programs to attend.—Editor’s note.]  Prior to the listserv discussion, CPE is unaware of any other activities related to the Competencies. This is the first time CPE [has reviewed] the Competencies since they were passed in 2001.

LLB: Each stage of the Competencies listserv discussion began with a CPE member’s posting several “leading questions” designed to spur discussion. How did the CPE develop these "leading questions"?

JP: CPE members reviewed the Competencies and identified keywords and points that would make good questions and get members thinking about the language. They also used keywords and concepts from what was specifically discussed on the Law [Libraries and] Librarians Ning.

LLB: What were the CPE’s major findings from the listserv discussion?

JP: The committee is still in the process of evaluating the comments. However, based on the listserv discussion, the existing Competencies appear to have been well written and many found them to still be relevant. There is no indication that members are asking for a major overhaul of the Competencies. CPE will be recommending minor language changes and possibly adding to the Competencies on skills that are also prevalent in our profession today.

LLB: What if anything most surprised you and/or the committee about the Competencies listserv discussion?

JP: When you do a listserv discussion, you hope that people will participate. The amount of people who signed up for this discussion and actively participated was a good surprise for the committee. CPE received a lot of really good, well-thought [out] comments that will be helpful as we go through the review process.

LLB: What are the next steps in the Competencies revision process, and what are the dates of upcoming important events in that process?

JP: CPE would like to continue the discussion on the Competencies and hear from law librarians who are interested but did not have a chance to contribute in the listserv discussion. CPE is offering another opportunity to discuss the Competencies on the AALL Tools for Success in Today's Economy wiki. . Members can post their comments and suggestions on the wiki as we continue the review process of the Competencies. Members are also encouraged to contact the CPE Chair or any CPE [] memberif they would like to discuss the Competencies. [Professor April Schwartz will become CPE Chair as of July 29.—Editor’s note.] Suggestions and comments will be accepted until the beginning of August.  CPE will review all the comments, recommend any changes, and submit them to the [AALL] Board for approval. The committee would like to see this review process completed by Spring 2010.

LLB: When do you expect a draft of the revised Competencies to be available to the AALL membership?

JP: We are unsure when a draft will be available. CPE hopes to take advantage of the wiki that is on AALLNET by posting [the committee’s] progress on there so that people can monitor and comment.  Members are also encouraged to check the CPE website for updates. To view the current Competencies, go to http://aallnet.org/prodev/competencies.asp.

LLB: Julie, many thanks for taking time to speak with us, and thanks to you and the CPE members for your great work on the Competencies, a very important resource for our profession.  We encourage AALL members to post their comments on the Competencies on the AALL Tools for Success in Today's Economy wiki.

[Robert C. Richards]

SLA Helps Unemployed Members

SLA's efforts include:

• New SLA membership category, which allows those making $18,000 or less to join or renew for just $35.

• Holding the line on conference costs, prolonging the early bird discount and, at its expiration, offering a second discount.

• Webinars and replays are free for the first time.

• SLA's Career Center offers a whole range of services, from resume posting to job listings to career advice-and it's free for members.

But according to the announcement, "one hard decision was that we will not offer further conference discounts to members who lose their jobs. We simply cannot afford to do this and pay the bills."

Hat tip to Law Librarians of Leisure, a great resource. See LLB's earlier post, Blog for Unemployed Law Librarians Recently Launched. [JH] 

Reminder: Mersky Spirit of Law Librarianship Award Nominations Due By June 1

If you know of an individual or group who is performing outstanding works of public service, please let the Mersky Spirit of Law Librarianship Award know. Nominations may be sent to the committee through Richard Leiter, either via email or in hard copy (Schmid Law Library, University of Nebraska Lincoln, PO Box 830902, Lincoln, NE 68583-0902). A cover letter should describe the person or group and the activity for which they are being nominated. Any supporting documentation such as brochures, testimonials, letters of reference, new coverage are are welcome, but not necessary. If additional information is required the committee will request it. The deadline for nomination is June 1.

The Award is funded through sales of The Spirit of Law Librarianship, (first and second editions are available) and by donations to the Mersky Spirit of Law Librarianship Award for Public Service Foundation. If you are interested in contributing to the Foundation, please send contributions care of Harry S. Martin III (Terry), Jamail Center for Legal Research, Tarlton Law Library, The University of Texas Law School, 727 East Dean Keeton Street, Austin, TX 78705.

AALL's A Day in the Life Photo Contest Winners Announced

Check out all the winners on announcement. Great fun and congratulations to all.

Here's the first place winner in the Most Humorous category. [JH]

Cask of Amontillado (with apologies to Edgar Allen Poe). An unidentified, but no doubt undeserving librarian, begs for mercy as LLM candidate Jerzy Bohdanowicz walls him behind 300 boxes that will someday be shipped to another library

Moderated Discussion on AALL Competencies of Law Librarianship Now Underway

The Continuing Professional Education Committee has launched a two-week moderated discussion on the AALL Competencies of Law Librarianship. Approved by the AALL Executive Board in March, 2001,   the purpose is to determine whether the Competencies remain relevant or whether modifications/updates to some sections are desirable and necessary.  All comments during the discussion will be considered by the Committee in their review of the Competencies. Questions may be asked by the Committee for clarification of posted comments.   
 
Schedule. During the first week (April 20 - 24), the discussion will focus on Competencies 1 (Core Competencies, 2 (Library Management), and 3 (Reference, Research, and Client Services). The focus of discussion for the following week (April 27 - May 1) will be on Competencies 4 (Information Technology ), 5 (Collection Care and Management), and 6 (Teaching). Registration page. [JH]

IALL Meeting in Istanbul, Turkey

The International Association of Law Libraries's (IALL) 28th annual course on international law librarianship will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, Oct. 11-15, 2009. Titled "Turkey in a Global Context: Law & Legal Information," it will examine: (1) Turkey's legal system & legal literature; (2) digital developments & the legal system; and (3) Turkey & the European Union. Registration opens in early May. I am unsure whether I will be able to attend. But I did attend IALL's 26th annual course held in Mumbai, India, in 2007 along with around 100 other law librarians from all over the world. I learned much and was impressed greatly with the course host, organizers, and participants. I am confident that this year's course will be just as instructive and impressive. [RLS]

Last Chance to Vote in AALL's Day in the Life Photo Contest

The deadline for voting in AALL's Day in the Life photo contest is 8:00 a.m. Central Time, Monday, April 20, 2009. So if you haven't already votied simply log in with your AALLNET members-only e-mail and password here. Winners will be announced at the 2009 AALL Annual Meeting in Washington. [JH]

March Issue of AALL E-Bulletin Now Available

From the Table of Contents for the March Edition:

• AALL Launches New Advocacy Toolkit for Members and Chapters
• Federal Bill Tracking Guide for March 2009
• AALL Applauds Attorney General Holder’s New Memo on Freedom of Information Act
• President Obama Issues Memos on Signing Statements and Scientific Integrity
• National Institutes of Health Public Access Policy Made Permanent
• Declassification Board Warns White House of Major Risks to Openness
• Sunshine Week Webcast Explores Obama’s Open Government Directive
• NOCALL/SLA Host Successful Sunshine Week Program
• Ohio Library and League of Women Voters Host Lively Sunshine Week Discussion
• Shining the Light: A Collection of Sunshine Week Reports and Readings

Take note of the bills AALL is supporting: OPEN FOIA Act of 2009 (S. 612), Reducing Information Control Designations Act (H.R. 1323) and Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2009 (H.R.1507). [RJ & JH]

Webinar on AALL Membership Set for March 17

AALL is conducting a one-hour webinar on membership benefits, services, and opportunities for members on March 17, 2009 starting at Noon (Eastern). Registration must be completed by March 13. The webinar will be conducted by

• Julia O'Donnell
  AALL Membership Marketing and Communications Director
• Hannah Phelps
  Membership Services Coordinator
• Chris Siwa
  AALL Web Administrator
• Mary Alice Baish
  Government Relations Director

Seeking Nominations for the 2009 Roy M. Mersky Spirit of Law Librarianship Award for Public Service

Each year, the newly re-named Roy M. Mersky Spirit of Law Librarianship Award for Public Service Committee honors one law librarian or law library organization for his or her service to the community. Please help us recognize law librarians by nominating a worthy individual who has made a meaningful contribution to a social or charitable cause or concern. A review of past award recipients shows the variety of charitable work that may be recognized.

The award, established in 1991 by Roy M.  Mersky, former director of Tarlton Law Library at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, and Richard Leiter, director of the Schmid Law Library at the University of Nebraska, was created in order to give special recognition to individual law librarians who might not otherwise be recognized by their peers for their important work. The award was established in lieu of accepting royalties from their book, published in 1991 by the Fred B. Rothman Company (now a division of the Wm. S. Hein and Co. Inc.), The Spirit of Law Librarianship. The second edition was published in the spring of 2004 by Alert Publications Inc.

Award recipients are selected from nominations submitted to the Award Selection Committee, which consists of Professor Leiter; Donna M. Tuke, Publisher, Alert Publications; Dick Spinelli, Senior Vice President, Wm. S. Hein & Company; and, Professor Terry Martin, Interim Director, University of Texas, Tarlton Law Library. Ordinarily, the previous award winner will also serve on the section committee. 
The award will be presented to the recipient at a reception during the 2009 AALL Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.

An award will be given only when an outstanding individual is nominated. The committee encourages nominations from anyone with information regarding individuals who might fit the profile of an award recipient. Please help us to recognize the people who represent a special dimension of the ‘Spirit of Law Librarianship.’

The deadline for nominations is June 1. To make a nomination, please contact: Professor Richard Leiter, Schmid Law Library, University of Nebraska College of Law, Lincoln, NE 68583-0902; rleiter@unl.edu; 402/472-5737; fax: 402/472-8260.

Reminder: Deadline for Shaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians Rapidly Approaching

The application deadline for 2009 FCIL Schaffer Grant for Foreign Law Librarians is March 1, 2009. Details here. [JH]

Get Ready for Ed2Go(at)AALLNET

From the AALL E-Newsletter:

AALL is proud to announce it is adopting a new, powerful, state-of-the-art learning technology, which will provide a new learning gateway to all AALL members.

The new Ed2Go @AALLNET site will provide members with:

• Online access to the AALL Annual Meeting program recordings, as well as archived Webinars, audio recordings, and video recordings
• Continuing educational program handouts distributed electronically, adding convenience in an environmentally-friendly way
• Advanced search capabilities, which will allow you to focus on your key areas of interest with maximum flexibility to find the materials where and when you need them
• Online profiles so you can keep track of the continuing education programs in which you participate and determine areas where you need more education

Stay tuned for more news about when the Ed2Go @AALLNET site will be available.

AALL Day in the Life Photo Entries Due Feb. 28

You still have time to submit your photos for the AALL Day in the Life of the Law Library Community Photo Contest. Photos should be submitted in the following categories with one winner chosen from each category and one overall winner honored:

• Librarians as Information Evaluators and Managers
• Librarians as Expert Researchers
• Librarians as Teachers and Trainers
• Librarians as Trailblazers in New Technology
• The Artistry of Librarianship
• Most Humorous

[JH]