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Exercise Your Right to Vote - AALL Online Election Opens November 1
It's time to vote for the next AALL vice president/president-elect, treasurer, and Executive Board members. AALL needs people on its Executive Board who represent the interests of all our members, so every member is strongly encouraged to vote. Polls open on November 1.
Election schedule:
November 1: Ballots will be distributed electronically to all voting members.
November 30: Deadline for receipt of all ballots at AALL Headquarters. Ballots will be tabulated at AALL, and the results will be announced once the candidates have been notified.
You can read the candidates' biographies and statements on AALLNET.
PLL Members Julie Pabarja and Holly Riccio are both candidates for Vice-President/President-Elect.
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FROM THE CHAIR
by Linda-Jean Schneider, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, Philadelphia, PA
As we transition from the wonderful PLL Perspectives publication to an electronic version or eNewsletter, we will modify the "From the Chair" column, and others, to accommodate the new format. We are fortunate that the archives will be maintained by Hein, accessible through the AALL website. One of the advantages of electronic versions is the ability to be more timely, but this also means each day's content is subject to constant revision-and the final version is a moving target. I have changed my 'themes' at least a half-dozen times in as many days, and frankly, am not quite certain what the end result might be! I hope you will join me in this adventure.
Moving forward, we have tasked the various Committee Chairs and Group Leaders to provide content in regular columns-the short format and more frequent publication schedule may make these easier to produce. Thanks to Sarah for continuing to spearhead these efforts.
A FOND FAREWELL
I must acknowledge, yet again, the magnificent professionalism and dedication exhibited by our previous Perspectives Co-Editors: Donna Fisher, Sarah Mauldin, and Randy Thompson. For so many years, they sustained the Newsletter and its valuable content, continuing the efforts of previous editors-Jan Brown and Judy Floyd Evans--and Advertising editors, Ronda Fisch and Rachel Jones. We owe them a veritable mountain of gratitude.
A SUMMIT IN SEATTLE
As many of you know, there was extensive discussion on blogs and various channels regarding a potential Summit at the 2013 AALL Annual Meeting. This event was originally proposed in 2009 as a two-year format, in response to the impact of the economic downturn on the law firm environment. As that dynamic has continued, a Summit III was held in Boston, and the PLL Board proposed a 'Summit-like' workshop or track as part of the Seattle Meeting.
However, after extensive discussion and analysis on the part of the PLL-SIS Board and the AALL President, Staff, and Board, it was determined that insufficient time and the complexity of the logistics prohibited any way to finalize a decision regarding a different format for 2013. Therefore, Summit IV will be held at the Seattle Meeting, with plans to evaluate ways to integrate this experience into the 2014 Conference. Co-Chairs Jean O'Grady and Joan Axelroth have agreed to continue their purview, and will solicit volunteers in the near future.
(OTHER) POTENTIAL PLL PROGRAMMING
Thanks to those who submitted program proposals to the Annual Meeting Program Committee (AMPC) by the deadline of October 15th. Education Chair Jennifer Berman did a great job of shepherding fourteen proposals through that process, and there may have been others PLL members submitted directly to AMPC. If you were unable to propose programming to AMPC this time, there will be additional opportunities once the 'Hot Topics' slots are announced closer to the conference.
Recycle your ideas here! In addition, some proposals which do not make the AMPC cut could be considered for the PLL-SIS "Webinar series.' Some of our Groups-Competitive Intelligence, Intellectual Property, and Knowledge Management-have already suggested topics for this series, but we have plenty of room in our Go To Meeting subscription to provide this form of Continuing Professional Education to our members.
THE VALUE OF VOLUNTEERS
Finally, please feel free to contact any of the PLL-SIS Committee Chairs or Group Leaders (or both!) to participate in the activities of those entities. AALL also offers options such as serving on future AMPCs, or other task forces and committees. Participation in a Professional Organization will enhance your management skills, and can energize your interests and capabilities in so many ways! As we anticipate even longer and more varied careers, this can be one way to explore opportunities and expand horizons.
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AALL and ILTA co-publish The New Librarian
AALL and the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) have published a joint digital white paper, The New Librarian. The white paper acknowledges the strategic alliance that has developed between law librarians and technologists in driving efficient and effective legal information management.
PLL-SIS Members (highlighted in red) contributed the following articles:
Embedded Librarianship: The Library as a Service, Not a Space
by Holly M. Riccio, O'Melveny & Myers LLP
SharePoint: A Librarian's Most Versatile Tool
by Catherine Monte of Fox Rothschild LLP
Driving Resource Usage Through SharePoint Customization
by Emily Florio, Fish & Richardson and Molly Brownfield, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP
Knowledge Management: A Strategic Role Change for Legal Information Professionals
by Steve Lastres, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
ITIL Concepts To Improve Library and Research Services
by Greg Lambert , King & Spalding, Ryan McClead, Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP and Lynn Oser, LKO Information Management Consulting, LLC
Never Standing Still: True Stories of the Changing Role of Law Librarians
by Liana Juliano, Nossaman LLP, Terry Psarras, Carlton Fields, and Emily Cunningham Rushing, Haynes Boone, LLP
Generational Divides: Paper and Electronic Resources
by Jocelyn Stilwell-Tong, Nossaman LLP
Pave the Way to Success with iPad Apps
by Karen Helde, Lane Powell PC
The Challenges of E-Books in Law Firm Libraries
by Bess Reynolds, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
Portrait of the New Librarian
by Nina Platt & Deb Schwarz, LAC Group
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Member News
John J. DiGilio, MLIS, JD, national manager of research services at Reed Smith LLP and a member of CALL, has been elected treasurer of the Special Libraries Association. The term of office is three years starting January 1, 2013. He formerly served as chair of the Legal Division of the Special Libraries Association.
Linda Will, manager of library resources at Thompson & Knight LLP in Dallas, authored an article titled "The Library - An Administrative Department?" for Legal Management's October/November 2012 issue. Legal Management is the publication of the Association of Legal Administrators.
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Written from a management perspective, this eight-part series is especially appropriate for law firm administrators and managers who want a quick overview of the key points of an issue and how it may impact the law firm. The guides were written by the AALL Private Law Libraries Special Interest Section and range from eight to 12 pages in length and are available as free downloadable PDFs. Note: the PDF files are large and may take a few seconds to download.
Guide #1, How to Hire a Law Librarian (2011)
This guide walks law firm administrators and managing partners through the steps of hiring a competent law librarian. It helps them assess the information needs of the firm, determine the qualifications of the candidates, ask the right questions during the interview, locate salary information, and make the most out of the opportunity to hire a professional. (It specifically addresses the question of "how big should a firm be before they need to hire a law librarian" by pointing out that it depends upon how the firm and the attorneys use information.) USES: This is a great guide to present to law firm decision-makers when the firm is experiencing a change in library personnel, or when the library is being restructuredâ€"in fact, any time that the firm is taking a closer look at how it uses information and how it can maximize its investment.
Guide #2, New Roles for Law Libraries (2011)
This guide will focus on how librarians are expanding their roles with Wikis, Records Management, Legal Lean Sigma, Marketing and Competitive Intelligence, and Knowledge Management offering more value to their law firms with significant impact. Wikis are an excellent way to organize information in a dynamic, paperless environment. Records management is not new, but is becoming more integrated with the flow of information management. Legal Lean Sigma is becoming a standard that some law firms are following in achieving best practices. Marketing and CI are not new, but have more ownership and familiarity with private law librarians.
Guide #3, Space Planning for Law Libraries (2011)
Technology is changing the law firm library. We wanted to make sure that law firm administrators and managing partners had all the facts before they decide to cut the library space in half. This guide walks you through the development of a library space plan, outlines some space design considerations, points out that while the stack space might actually be decreasing, staff space is still very important. In fact, for you private law librarians out there without an office, we specifically address why it is important that the librarian have his or her own private office. USES: This guide is helpful when the firm is considering a move or when they are thinking about re-configuring their library space.
Guide #4, Collection Rebalancing for Law Libraries (2011)
This guide will talk about how your librarian can take steps to review the existing firm collection, create a collection development plan based on the firm's current and future needs, and develop a process that will ensure access to the best materials in the formats best suited to the needs of the firm's attorneys. Hopefully, we'll save the firm money (and overhead!) in the process.
Guide #5, The Internet as a Legal Research Tool (2012)
To help decision makers as well as law librarians take advantage of various free and low-cost Internet resources, this AALL Resource Guide uncovers the mysteries of using the Internet as a legal research tool - the advantages and disadvantages, issues and concerns of using the Internet for legal research, essential criteria for evaluating Internet resources, and various ways to conduct legal research on the Internet. The guide also describes some of the active roles that law librarians can play to enhance legal research experience on the Internet for legal and support staff of law firms.
Guide #6, Negotiations in Law Libraries (2011)
Finely-tuned negotiation skills are crucial for law librarians. Every day presents opportunities for bargaining: human resources, space planning, vendor relations, and contract leveraging. In this guide, you will learn to approach the negotiation process as one of strengthening relationships. We outline specific steps to follow before, during, and after negotiations and alert you to common mistakes that sabotage the process. You'll even get a reminder to breathe. USES: An essential guide for every professional who wants to work well with others.
Guide #7, The Library as a Business Development, Competitive Intelligence and Client Relations Asset for Law Firms
A law firm's competitive edge is directly related to its professional talents, including the law librarian, who is an expert at locating, evaluating, and organizing information. This guide will help firm management see how law librarians can help their firms to: identify potential practice areas and clients, understand market and industry trends, win new client business, and most importantly maximize the firm's investment in marketing. Effective marketing, as well as client resources, are essential for modern law firm profitability.
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Welcome New Members
Annette Goodman, Research Librarian, Gordon, Feinblatt, Rothman, Hoffberger & Hollander, LLC, Baltimore
Lilah M. Knox, Librarian, Library Services Group, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
Christopher D. Lowden, Electronic Services Librarian, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, New York
Charlie Nelson, Law Librarian, Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore LLP, Roanoke, Virginia
Amy Wegener, Marina del Rey, California
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