FROM THE CHAIR
by Sue H.
Johnson, Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal,
LLP, Dallas, TX
FEATURES
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: HOW TO BROAD CAREER CHOICE LED
TO A LAW FIRM LIBRARY
by Patricia L. Orr, Dykema Gossett PLLC, Detroit, MI
SO, YOU WANT TO BE IN PICTURES...
by Holly Riccio, O�Melveny & Meyers, San Francisco, CA
SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME: THE PLL-SIS
MENTORING PROJECT
by Stephanie E. Fox, West Librarian Relations Manager,
Philadelphia, PA
PLL NEWS
CANDIDATE BIOGRAPHIES
� VICE-CHAIR/CHAIR-ELECT
CANDIDATE BIOGRAPHIES - TREASURER
CANDIDATE BIOGRAPHIES - BOARD MEMBER
PLL TRAVEL GRANTS COMMITTEE NEWS
by Carolyn Weber, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, LLP, St. Louis, MO
PROPOSED BYLAWS AMENDMENTS
by Johanna C. Bizub, Prudential Insurance Company of America,
Newark, NJ
Sue H. Johnson
It�s a wired, wired world. Are
you �plugged in� to PLL? Have you seen our totally cool website, with
photographs of a library, officers and committee chairs, some in color!
Thanks to Pin and Terri for some great work; check it out! Plug in to
the PLL listservs and get fired up to obtain the full benefits of your
membership by connecting with fellow librarians across the country.
Besides the main listserv, there are those for the Intellectual Property
Group, the Records/Conflicts Management Group, Multiple Person
Libraries, One Person Libraries and Special Topics. There is interest in
starting one on Knowledge Management. Listservs are not just vehicles
for borrowing material; they are conduits for discussion of matters of
interest to us all. I was so excited about the discussion regarding
�Take your administrator to lunch day!� While this has not been
designated an official PLL function, it is an excellent way to meet with
your administrator in a social setting which should be neither demeaning
nor threatening; rather, a means for s/he to learn how valuable you
really are. Of course a well-drafted memo can state your �library case,�
but having coffee, lunch or dinner presents an unusual opportunity, and
everyone enjoys eating! With National Library Week approaching, this
would be an opportune time. Why not give it a try?
�Plug in� to voting! Elsewhere in this issue will be two items to vote
on: amendments to PLL Bylaws, prepared by Johanna Bizub, to provide for
electronic ballots, and candidates for the PLL positions of Chair Elect,
Treasurer and Board member. Please study the information provided and
give thoughtful consideration for your leaders for the next two years.
The Nominations Committee, headed by Jane McMahon, has endeavored to
find the best possible people for these positions; participate in your
SIS by casting your ballots!
Besides �plugging in,� we need to �reach out� to other sections and to
other library and tech related organizations. Many other special
interest sections within AALL can work hand in hand with PLL. For
instance, the Foreign, Comparative and International Law SIS (FCIL), is
presenting four excellent programs this year. One, �Mexican Americans
and the Law,� is especially appropriate for a southwestern meeting
place. They also have a full day workshop on July 16, �Vistas and Values
for Europe: Strategies for Researching European Law� which would be an
excellent resource for librarians in international firms, and a Saturday
well-spent. Mirela Roznovschi, FCIL-SIS chair, can provide details.
Fifty of us participated in the survey posted on the listserv by Patrick
Meyer, librarian at Loyola in Los Angeles, regarding knowledge of
research techniques and resources expected of summer and new associates.
The academics are reaching out to us to help them improve their classes
on legal research; thanks to those who responded. The comments Patrick
posted were enlightening and can assist many of us in planning our
orientation programs, so we can be more helpful and valuable to our
attorneys. This was another use of the listserv I found very exciting!
We can �reach out� to organizations besides our own. Many of us have
membership in SLA as well as AALL and may attend both annual meetings. A
joint program at each group�s meeting would be useful, feasible and
practical. Our SLA chair is exploring the possibilities. Another related
group is Legal Tech; again, some of us have titles that encompass
information management and technology, and a representation and program
presentation would increase both our knowledge and their recognition of
us. This is a possible new venue to explore; if any PLL members have
suggestions to assist in that endeavor, please let me know.
Finally, we can �reach forward� to AALL�s centennial celebration in St.
Louis in 2006. PLL needs to be involved! Visit AALL�s website to see the
plans already underway and the various types of programs planned.
Wouldn�t it be fun to attend our Business Meeting breakfast in St. Louis
in 1970�s attire, celebrating our formation in 1977?
I hope these thoughts will inspire creative suggestions from all of you.
PLL depends on members� input and participation. Get �plugged in,�
�fired up� and let�s get moving in some new directions in 2005!
Food
For Thought: How To Broad Career Choice Led To A Law Firm Library
by Patricia L. Orr, Dykema Gossett PLLC, Detroit, MI
Is there any profession, other
than librarianship, where the mere mention of the career solicits an
immediate and enthusiastic nod of approval? Librarians in every sector,
whether it be academic, corporate, public, or law have heard the
exuberant reply, �You must love to read!� Sometimes offered as a job
qualification (as in, �You MUST love to read!), the comment reminds me
that librarians choose the profession for reasons as personal and varied
as meal selections from a restaurant buffet. For some librarians, a love
of reading was not a featured item on the career buffet table. My career
path however, bears a striking resemblance to a restaurant buffet - the
all-you-can-eat variety.
My first position easily fit the appetizer section. My first part-time
job in high school was as a �page� in the Detroit Public Library system.
The librarians impressed me with their quick recall of sources and their
uncanny ability to match a reader with his book. I wondered whether I
could combine my interest in teaching, with a career in libraries. Baby
Boomer colleagues may recall that the national teaching market was
flooded in the 70s. When I graduated from Eastern Michigan University in
the early 1970s with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Library Science and
Education, my plan was to work as a school library media specialist. The
appeal of long summer vacations was irresistible and made a Master�s
Degree in Library Science and required continuing teacher certification
possible through summer school. School librarians faced a slightly
better job market, and I landed my first position as a high school
librarian. Thanks to 800 energetic teen-agers who didn�t always plan
assignments well, I mastered the art of finding answers fast. With
continuous practice, I mastered the art of explaining the mysteries of
the card catalog; grabbing their attention by explaining why those extra
subject tracings at the bottom of each card could be life savers.
After taking some time off to start a family, I found that the job
market I faced had not improved. Though frustrated in many respects, I
seized the opportunity to explore other positions within the library
field. The basic skills we acquire transport easily throughout most
types of libraries. Continuing to sample the career buffet, I spent two
years as Cataloging Librarian at the Research Library of the Henry Ford
Museum & Greenfield Village, in the days before automated systems.
Having learned all I could about cataloging and subject classification,
I moved on to develop my reference skills as the evening Reference
Librarian at Madonna College in Livonia, Michigan. Working with
students, rather than with books and serials, was more interesting. My
cataloging skills were helpful in the collection conversion to LC
classification. I spent part of each evening spent at the OCLC terminal,
updating library holdings and printing new spine labels. I realized that
my professional interests were not limited to one aspect of
librarianship. I enjoyed some cataloging, some on reference work, some
on collection development. I learned that I preferred working with other
librarians, rather than as a solo librarian in a school setting. As the
solo evening reference librarian, I had limited supervisory
responsibilities. Explaining library policies, approving interlibrary
loan requests, managing closing routines, etc. gave me a fresh taste of
management. I enjoyed the variety, and saw a new opportunity for
personal and professional growth within my career. It was time to move
on.
In what appeared to be the �main course� of my career, I served as
Director of the Northville Public Library for ten years, from 1986-1996.
A library built to serve 7,000 residents, served more than double that
number in 1986. By 1993, serving almost 21,000 residents, the library
was out-grown and worn-out. Working with the staff and the Library
Board, we convinced the community to trust us with its tax dollars to
make two significant changes. The Northville Public Library became the
Northville District Library in 1994. Independent from municipal
oversight and funding, the District Library collects a dedicated millage
for library services. A bond issue passed to replace the 6,500 square
foot library with a 26,000 square foot building equipped with meeting
space, room for collection growth, and computers with internet access.
Programs for children and adults were expanded, public service hours
increased to 7 day service. As I watched with tremendous satisfaction
the progress of improving service throughout those ten years, I had a
feeling that Northville Library would not be my last opportunity.
Changing a public library�s legal structure and building a
state-of-the-art facility are accomplishments that are difficult to top.
Herculean effort is required to sustain the effort spent on such
monumental change, which had only just begun. The Library Board assumed
governing authority rather than advisory responsibility. The Director
became a full-time administrator with minimal reference and readers
advisory responsibility. I was ready to survey the career buffet yet
again, for an interesting, perhaps less strenuous opportunity.
Similar to a second entr�e on the buffet table, I received a call to
return to the Research Library at the Henry Ford Museum. The position of
Cataloging Librarian had evolved into the Manager of Technical Services,
with an assortment of related responsibilities. The Library had become a
full cataloging member of OCLC. We replaced a primitive automation
system and joined a consortium of special libraries in metropolitan
Detroit to expand access to information. The librarian served on
committees with Museum curators and had library collection development
responsibility. As the museum constructed its first purpose-built
library/archives in 80 years, the Benson Ford Research Center; the
lessons I had learned at Northville were quite helpful. A charter public
school had been created, the Henry Ford Academy of Manufacturing Arts
and Sciences. Those high school students used the Research Center for
special projects. I hauled out my experiences from my years as a high
school librarian to assist with planning a collection of print and
non-print resources for the Academy library collection.
Having heard often enough throughout my life �You could be a lawyer�
from family and friends, I decided to give it a try. Why not? My family
was raised, my career was moving smoothly. I returned to school - law
school - at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. After a full
day at the Research Center, I became an evening student, and I loved it.
Dusting off my study skills and learning the law sharpened my reference
skills, not to mention my memory! Almost half way through the program,
my studies were cut short by circumstances beyond my control. The needs
of aging parents made it impossible to work, go to law school, and
support them, all at the same time. Though my career as a law student
paused, my exposure to the law continued.
I joined Dykema Gossett PLLC as the Manager of Library Services in 2003.
The firm had offices in 3 states plus the District of Columbia, and the
library serves nearly 400 attorneys and professionals in 10 offices. Two
reference librarians, a technical services librarian, four clerical
specialists, and contacts in each office work with me to serve our
customers, the attorneys and legal specialists.
Why leave a special library, to manage a law firm library service? I
enrolled in law school with the intent of working for libraries- rather
than in libraries. I now have the best of both professions. Adapting the
practical knowledge and expertise collected from each of my previous
positions to help our attorneys serve their clients is quite rewarding.
Each day brings opportunities to market library services, for collection
development, in staff supervision. True to my early roots as a
cataloger, I maintain the right to catalog new books whenever I wish.
I suppose this position is the �dessert� on that career buffet table. If
I am disciplined to select only one dessert, clearly I have made a fine
choice.
So, You Want To Be in Pictures...
By Holly Riccio, O�Melveny & Meyers, San Francisco, CA
Now�s your chance! The AALL Public Relations Committee is sponsoring A
Day in the Life of the AALL Community photo contest during National
Library Week, April 10�16, 2005. The purposes of the contest are many �
documenting a work day; providing a behind the scenes look at our
profession; supplying photos for use in AALL Spectrum, on AALLNET and in
AALL brochures; and also creating a legacy for future generations.
The contest is open to all AALL members, and photographs for this
contest may be taken any time from April 10�16. We suggest you try to
capture images from your workplace at different times of the day, at
library events, or even at local Chapter business meetings. Use whatever
photographic equipment you have � from digital cameras to 35mm. Color as
well as black and white images may be submitted, and professional
photographic skills are not required. Winners will be recognized on
AALLNET and in a special issue of AALL Spectrum. Prizes for the best
photographs will be awarded at the 2006 Centennial meeting in St. Louis.
Complete rules about the contest and details about how to submit your
photos � on the AALL website or by mail � will be announced soon. So,
mark your calendars, get out your cameras, and join 5,000+ AALL members
capturing a piece of law library history in April.
Lights, camera, action! We want your photos!
Someone To
Watch Over Me: The PLL-SIS Mentoring Project
by Stephanie E. Fox, West Librarian Relations Manager,
Philadelphia, PA
A common thread that runs through virtually every conversation I've had
with experienced law librarians is that each has at least one person
s/he calls "mentor." Someone who may have introduced the librarian
around at a local chapter event, advised the librarian how to engage in
an interlibrary loan or showed the librarian how to sign up for the
Law-Lib listserv. For me, that person is Scott Fisher, Director of
Library Services at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer in Woodbridge, NJ. From
early on, Scott taught me who was who and what was what in the NJ law
librarian community. Before I even started my first law librarian job,
Scott took me to a local association function and introduced me to my
soon-to-be colleagues. He basically held my hand at my first AALL Annual
Meeting directing me toward all the best programs (and the best
parties!). Scott also strongly encouraged me to become active in the
local association, which led, in three short years, to me becoming
President of NJLLA. Without Scott's guidance and support, I would not
have come so far, so fast. So, it was with much joy, a great sense of
being able to "give back" and without an ounce of hesitation that I
gladly accepted the role of PLL-SIS Mentoring Committee Chair in 2003.
The main purpose of the PLL-SIS Mentoring Project (the Mentoring
Committee's reason for being) is to match experienced private law
librarians (mentors) with those who are just starting out in the field (mentees
or prot�g�s) in an effort to ease their transition into this area of
librarianship. Thus, it was my job as Chair and sole member of the
Mentoring Committee (yes, that was a desperate plea for help!!) to take
the 20+ names I had and determine, based on information offered by the
applicants, which mentor would be best suited to which prot�g�. Each
pair was then notified of the match and invited to meet at a reception
held during the 2004 AALL Annual Meeting. In addition, they were given
each other's contact information so that they could start the mentoring
process before the Annual Meeting and continue it well past the July
event. Many of the people involved in the Project have established
long-lasting professional and personal friendships as a result of their
participation. I was privileged to watch the beginnings of such a
mentoring relationship during the Annual Meeting in Boston as one of the
pairs consisted of two law librarians from NJ. We were all at a
gathering of NJ law librarians; and I watched, with no small amount of
pride, as these two colleagues shared ideas, concerns and insights about
their experiences and our profession.
Matching up librarians was not the only fun thing I got to do in
furtherance of the PLL-SIS Mentoring Project this past year. In May
2004, I was honored to work the AALL booth at the Association of Legal
Administrators Conference held in Philadelphia, PA. It was a wonderful
opportunity to meet and speak with hundreds of CEOs, Executive Directors
and Legal Administrators from private law firms around the country.
Along with Sue Johnson, Chair of the PLL-SIS, I informed anyone who
would listen about the innumerable benefits of law librarians and the
PLL-SIS Mentoring Project to private law firms. It was fantastic to
receive in return untold numbers of positive, uplifting stories of how
firms' law librarians have added value to their respective
organizations. Likewise, it was terrific to be able to educate those
without law librarians as to why they needed to hire one ASAP and how
the PLL-SIS Mentoring Project could help.
I hope that at this point you're all sitting at your desks asking, "How
can I get involved in this amazing Project?" So, I'm going to tell you.
The first step is to fill out either a mentor or mentee (prot�g�)
application. You can do that by going to
http://www.aallnet.org/sis/pllsis/commgrp/mentorcomm.asp
(where you can also learn more about the PLL-SIS Mentoring Committee and
its charges) or by contacting me at
stephanie.fox@thomson.com. The next
step is to make sure you attend the 2005 AALL Annual Meeting in San
Antonio, TX. To make this easier, the PLL-SIS offers $2500 in travel
grants for attending the conference. For more information about, and an
application for, the grants, go to:
http://www.aallnet.org/sis/pllsis/commgrp/grantscomm.asp
or contact Carolyn Weber, Chair of the PLL-SIS Grants Committee (her
contact information can be found on that same web page). As a former
recipient of a PLL-SIS Travel Grant, I can tell you that it's well worth
your time to apply. You get to spend several days with the greatest
group of people, and all you have to do in return is a write a brief
summary of your experience for PLL Perspectives. And, with your
wonderful mentor/mentee (prot�g�) experience, you'll have tons to write
about. You can't beat it!
Whether you're just starting out in private law librarianship or you've
been doing it for too many years to count, the PLL-SIS Mentoring Project
has something for you. So, sign up today. We all need someone either to
look up to or watch over us...why not let that someone be you?