You should have received an election notification e-mail containing your login information (email address and password). You will need this information in order to cast your ballot. If you have not received one, please notify Kristine Lloyd, PLL Secretary. You can also contact Kristine with any questions or concerns.

FROM THE CHAIR

by Jean P. O'Grady, DLA Piper, Washington, DC

Library Week brought us a gift from "the land downunder." The Australian Law Librarians' Association (ALLA) and three other organizations (The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), Health Libraries Inc (HLInc),Health Libraries Australia (HLA)) collaborated on a study to measure the return on investment (ROI) of Australian special libraries. The partners commissioned award-winning firm SGS Economics and Planning to study special libraries across the nation. This week, the final report was issued Putting a Value on Priceless which provides an independent assessment of the ROI provided to organizations which have their own special libraries and information services in Australia. Conservatively, special libraries are estimated to deliver $5.43 in value for every one dollar spent. The true value is likely even higher.

The study does not calculate the additional economic benefits information professionals provide.

Improve quality of results provided
Savings negotiated by librarians in the procurement and assessment process.

So it may not be a stretch to assume that if these other factors were calculated in the ratio of value to cost might be 10 to 1 making the 5.43 to one ratio quite conservative.

Benefits Provided by Information Professionals

Assure that decisions are supported by solid facts
Develop a customized suite of print and digital resources to support organizational needs
Provide access to non-digital resources though expert knowledge of external resources and resource sharing from other special and academic libraries
Source obscure facts. Saves time and costs less per hour to accomplish a result than if the project were assigned to a non-librarian
Higher quality results. The average researcher uses a basic Google search and never looks past the first 2 pages of results. Ninety eight percent of non-librarians have never used the advanced search on Google.
Libraries support organizational due diligence and reduce risks of ill-informed decision making. In the case of law firms this means providing bad advice to clients and risking malpractice claims

We know what we do well but we can't be complacent. We need to be brutally honest in reassessing what we do and how we do it. Throughout my career I have always benefited from the experience and insights of my colleagues whether obtained through a phone call for assistance or attending the AALL Annual Meeting. In recent years PLL has added the Summit to the roster of Annual Meeting programming options, The Summit, now entering its fifth year, will focus on the "Voice of the Client" and provide an understanding of how you can help your lawyers serve clients. This strategically focused Summit is designed to help you maintain an alignment with your firm's most critical needs. It is also a day long sessions of networking and learning from your colleagues. Summit registration is now open, hope to see you in San Antonio.

RSVP for the 2014 PLL Summit Opening Reception

Bloomberg BNA is pleased to be the sponsor of the PLL Summit Opening Reception on Friday, July 11, 2014 from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the Lone Star Palace in The Hyatt Regency San Antonio, 123 Losoya Street, San Antonio.

Directly overlooking the Alamo, the Lone Star Palace is adorned with contemporary Texas flair and is a short walk from the conference hotels. PLL Summit attendees can enjoy the view and a Texas-style reception in this beautiful location on the San Antonio River Walk.

Please RVSP for the opening reception online by July 3. Contact Abigail Ellsworth Ross with any questions. We hope to see you there!

Please note: the Summit reception is only open to Summit registrants. So if you haven't yet registered for the 2014 Voice of the Client Summit please do so now by registering

for the AALL Annual Meeting and checking the box for the PLL-SIS Summit.

PLL Members Participate in AALL Lobby Day in Washington, DC

On Thursday March 27th, several AALL members, including AALL President Steve Anderson and 2 PLL members (Scott Bailey, Emily Florio) participated in AALL Lobby Day. During the morning lobby training session, participants practiced the basics of successful advocacy and became experts on AALL's top priority issues. In the afternoon, participants met with their Representatives and Senators to discuss timely issues in law librarianship.

Four DC residents (Scott Bailey, Emily Florio, Judy Gaskell, Melanie Knapp) met with Jason Spear, a Legislative Associate in the office of DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton to request that the Congresswoman co-sponsor FASTR (H.R. 708) and oppose FIRST (H.R. 4186). FASTR (Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act) would fuel scientific discovery and innovation by requiring all articles resulting from publicly funded research to be made freely available within six months, whereas FIRST (Frontiers in Innovation, Research, Science and Technology Act) aims to significantly limit public access to scientific research by extending the embargo to three years.

We are happy to report that due to our lobbying efforts, Congresswoman Norton signed on to co-sponsor FASTR. A successful AALL Lobby Day!

Activate Your Next IQ!

Leadership Strategies for the 21st Century

by Denise Pagh and Patricia Barbone

You've likely heard of IQ and EQ, but are you familiar with the Next IQ? Dr. Arin Reeves has coined this term as the next level of intelligence needed for 21st century leaders. The Next IQ happens at the intersection of Intelligence, Leadership, and Inclusion, and is all about shifting from information to insight, from aptitude to action, and from competition to collaboration.

Dr. Reeves will bring her expertise as an author, speaker, former attorney and adjunct professor to the 2014 PLL Summit scheduled for Saturday, July 12 at the Marriott Rivercenter in San Antonio. Be prepared to explore the ideas of Dr. Reeves about intelligence and leadership in today's global environment. Learn the difference between the RetroIQ and the NextIQ. See how using the Next IQ will help you harness the collective knowledge of those around you to find solutions to problems, embark on new projects, and become a better leader.

You won't want to miss this exciting and informative afternoon breakout session at PLL Summit V! Be sure to register early as space is limited. Click here to register and be sure to mark the box for the PLL Summit on the registration form to ensure your attendance.

In Dr. Reeves's session, attendeeswill learn practical ways they can incorporate inclusive and collaborative behavior within their organizations, and model this behavior for others in such a way that they will also adopt the behavior. Sensitive to the diversity within our organization, she will offer specific tools and techniques for collaboration within larger, multi-site organizations, as well as a few examples relevant to smaller firm settings. Dr. Reeves' presentation will tie in the with theme of this year's Summit, The Voice of the Client, as she shares ideas about value added services that our departments can offer to the firm's clients that will reinforce the important message that the firm cares for the client.

PLL-SIS needs you!

Working on a PLL-SIS committee or group is a great way to contribute to the profession, learn more about the innovative work of your colleagues, and demonstrate your leadership and team-work skills to your peers.

If you wish to volunteer for the 2014-2015 term please take a moment to fill out the Volunteer Survey Form. The PLL Board will begin reviewing committee selections in early May. If you are selected to serve on a committee or group, you will be notified via email prior to the Annual Meeting in San Antonio.

Thank-you in advance for your participation!

Summit Blog Updated

Be sure to visit the newly redesigned Summit blog to stay up to date on speakers and programming. Don't forget that Annual Meeting early bird registration ends June 6th. The deadline for Summit registration and other preconference workshops is June 16.

Welcome New Members

Angela Jansen, Dinsmore & Stohl LLP, Cincinnati, OH

Jerry Manning, Sidley Austin LLP, New York, NY

Elisabeth Schubert,

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, Chicago, IL