Education

Law Librarians Summit in the Mile-High City 

Nearly 1,600 information professionals gathered in downtown Denver July 10-13 for AALL’s 103rd Annual Meeting and Conference. Attendees learned from close to 90 educational programs and workshops packed into four days, and the Exhibit Hall showcased products from 93 information vendors.

In his keynote address, “Take a Right at the Obelisk,” keynote speaker R. David Lankes, director of the Information Institute of Syracuse, encouraged members to expand the focus of law libraries to the goals and accomplishments of our communities.

Against a beautiful mountain backdrop, members also took advantage of Denver’s metropolitan offerings, from restaurants and shops along the 16th street mall to the Rockies stadium. Outside of programs, attendees connected at such events as the Conference of Newer Law Librarians (CONELL) and the Opening Reception.

The 2010 AALL Diversity Symposium, “Adaptation: How Technology is Changing and Being Changed by Diversity in the Law Library World,” was held on July 10. The symposium explored the role that technology plays in the many types of diversity in law librarianship, and how libraries can build welcoming environments that serve all patrons. Panel members discussed topics such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and compliance issues in electronic services; the impact of mentoring; the expanded role of the virtual AALL Placement Office; and the overall role of the Diversity Committee throughout the years.

A lively discussion ensued during the program and continued during the reception that followed. As in the past, the symposium was an opportunity for participants to connect with colleagues from varying perspectives and backgrounds, while seeking an understanding of the ever-expanding meaning of diversity.

AALL2go Opens
AALL2go, the Association’s new online learning center, opened for business in August 2009. The new site offers specialized continuing education programs designed specifically for law librarians. The convenient online format allows members to expand their knowledge base and gain new skills right from their desktops—no travel is required, and it's open 24/7. AALL2go is also fully searchable, so members can quickly find material targeted to your specific areas of interest.

AALL Partners with Drexel University Online to Offer Members Reduced Tuition
Through a new educational partnership between AALL and Drexel University Online, AALL members and their immediate family members are now entitled to receive a 20 percent tuition reduction for Drexel's online library science programs, ranked among the best by U.S. News & World Report. Programs include an MS in Library & Information Science, an MS in Information Systems, an Advanced Certificate of Information Studies & Technology, and a Certificate in Healthcare Informatics.

AALL Salary Survey Results Available
In October 2009, the AALL 2009 Biennial Salary Survey and Organizational Characteristics was made available for free in the Members Only Section of AALLNET. The ALL-SIS, PLL-SIS, and SCCLL-SIS reviewed and updated customized descriptions for the job titles listed in the survey. AALL again offered an online version of the survey to make completing the questionnaire easier and more convenient for members. The 60.2 percent overall response rate, while down slightly from 2007, was excellent nonetheless.

Educational Support
AALL continues to initiate and support research and continuing education in law librarianship. The Association’s numerous scholarships and grants recognize efforts made by law librarians and provide new opportunities to members. In 2009-10, AALL awarded 7 scholarships and 15 grants for a grand total of $16,805 given in support to its members.

2009 Grants Awarded from Wolters Kluwer Law & Business Grant Program
The AALL Research and Publications Committee also selected two research projects to be funded by the 2009 AALL/Wolters Kluwer Law & Business Grant Program.

• Susan Nevelow Mart, faculty services librarian at the University of California Hastings College of Law Library, was awarded $2,225 for her project, "The Effects of Automation on the Relevance of Citator and Digest Results in Lexis and Westlaw."
• Stacy Bowers, outreach and access services librarian at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law Westminster Law Library, was awarded $2,775 for her project, "Reintroducing the Value of Law Librarians to Public Librarians through the Identification and Use of Emerging Technologies and Resources."

Dennison Awarded AALL Research Grant
The AALL Research and Publications Committee selected a grant for funding in 2010 by the AALL Research Fund: An Endowment Established by LexisNexis. Deborah Dennison, head of bibliographic access/reference librarian at Case Western Reserve University Law Library, was awarded $450 to fund work on the "OBAR/Mead Data Central Papers Project."

2009 AALL Price Index for Legal Publications
The 2009 AALL Price Index for Legal Publications was made available in the Members Only Section of AALLNET. The table-based report includes details for the mean cost of titles and percentage increases over previous years for serial publications, legal periodicals, loose-leaf services, commercially published court reporters, and supplemented treatises.

The purpose of the Price Index is to provide members with comparative information about past price changes in order to help with budgeting and collection development decisions. In gathering information for the Price Index, the committee asks publishers to provide their pricing. If a publisher declines to do so, its pricing is not included in the Index.