entire issue in Adobe Acrobat format
by Christine L. Graesser, Brown, Rudnick, Berlack, Israels LLP, Hartford, CT
FEATURES
GENIE TYBURSKI: LEADERSHIP IN PRIVATE LAW LIBRARIES AWARD WINNER
by Jan Brown, Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads, LLP, Philadelphia, PA
SHOW ME THE MONEY!
by Abigail F. Ellsworth Ross, Keller & Heckman, LLP, Washington DC
A TALE OF TWO CITIES: SAN ANTONIO AND ST. LOUIS
by Donna M. Fisher, Senniger Powers, St. Louis MO
PLL 2006 PROGRAM: CREATING NEW BEST PRACTICES THROUGH LAW FIRM EXPANSION: HOW TO AVOID HAVING TO CIRCLE THE WAGONS
by Susan P. Siebers, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, Chicago, IL
PLL-SIS PROGRAM: THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT: ARE YOU READY FOR CHANGE?
by Ronda Fisch, Reed Smith LLP, Pittsburgh, PA
MARKETING 101: FIVE EASY STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL LIBRARY MARKETING
by Donna M. Fisher, Senniger Powers, St. Louis MO
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LIBRARIANS SIS EXPERIENCING GROWTH SPURT!
by Fran Sheehan, Fish and Richardson P.C., Boston, MA, and Jackie Grossman, Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP, San Francisco, CA, PLL IP Caucus co-chairs
PLL NEWS
PLL EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING, JULY 8, 2006, ST. LOUIS, MO
by Lynn Connor Merring, Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, PC, Newport Beach, CA
PLL TREASURERS REPORT
by Patricia Barbone, Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, New York, NY
Christine L. Graesser, Rudnick, Berlack, Israels LLP, Hartford, CT
PLL-SIS – What is It Good For?
We law librarians are an isolated bunch, whether it’s Teri Wilson, the only law librarian in northern Texas or Sandee Molden, the only librarian in her firm in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Even when we have several people on staff, we are isolated by the fact that few non-librarians understand what we do, and we don’t fit into the neat mold of either support staff or legal staff.
We also have needs – for continued professional development, for enhanced status at work and improved career opportunities. These goals are difficult to attain as individuals. Even high status professionals like lawyers know that they can’t achieve their professional objectives on their own.
While law librarians are not as numerous as lawyers, there is much to be gained as an organized group.
Visibility - The very fact that law librarians are organized as an association establishes ourselves as professionals. PLL has developed credentials in law librarianship that can guide employers in hiring and setting salaries. Librarians can use these credentials as backup in their negotiations.
Bargaining Clout - The cost of legal information is a major concern to our employers. AALL and PLL-SIS function as a bargaining unit that can deal with legal publishers to make sure that law firms and corporate departments receive the best value for their money. Publishers want access to our association, so they will listen to us as an association.
Professional Development - The world of information science changes daily, and it is essential that librarians keep up with trends in management, technology and related topics. PLL provides an invaluable opportunity for private law librarians to meet, share ideas and refresh their sense of professionalism. Together with SLA’s Legal Division, PLL provides meetings and programs that would not be available anywhere else.
Leadership Opportunities - An association also provides professionals with the opportunity to develop leadership skills. Leadership is an essential skill in librarianship, but it is not routinely taught in library schools, nor is it nurtured in law firms. Through PLL, librarians can find mentors among colleagues and gain experience by chairing committees and other groups.
What PLL Isn’t
We don’t serve mint juleps on the veranda. PLL-SIS is not a club with benefits, where you pay your dues and wait to be served. No association can work without the participation of its members. Members gain the most by engaging actively in program development, committee work and other contributions.
So consider this an invitation to get involved. PLL-SIS has many things on the go, so look for volunteer opportunities and program announcement on the listserv as the year progresses.
GENIE TYBURSKI: LEADERSHIP IN PRIVATE LAW LIBRARIES AWARD WINNER
by Jan Brown, Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads, LLP, Philadelphia, PA
PLL Chair Chris Graesser has as a goal for the upcoming year to promote leadership among private law librarians. But what is leadership and how do we know it when we see it? To help answer that question, we plan to run a series of articles profiling leaders in our membership. By examining the work, philosophy, and habits of these leaders, we hope to illuminate the factors that put these individuals at the forefront of our profession and provide a model for others. The first of these leaders is Genie Tyburski, the first Leadership in Private Law Libraries Award winner. – Randy Thompson
Many years ago I attended a few classes in an attempt to glean some knowledge about a new technology and get it into my then computer-phobic brain. It has been so long that I have no idea what it was all about, and I am quite sure the technology has long been obsolete. The instructor for these sessions was Genie Tyburski, and she doesn’t remember the topic either. Nevertheless, it does indicate that even then she was one of the leaders in the emerging technology field.
Genie does remember working on a database for GPLLA (the Greater Philadelphia Law Library Association) and teaching some legal research classes and some early Internet training sessions. Remember gopher?! She has also had an active writing career beginning with the GPLLA Newsletter, then PLL Perspectives and LLRX, as well as an eight year association with Law Office Computing.
Genie’s name was already well-known when the Virtual Chase was launched by name on October 24, 1996 although it had actually begun a few months earlier, in June of that year. Two years later the domain name was registered. I imagine most of us look for it and at it each day and glean valuable information. I know I passed on a nugget to one of our attorneys just the other day. For Genie, it has become pretty much a full-time job.
She joined Ballard Spahr Andrews and Ingersoll, LLP in Philadelphia in 1992 as reference librarian and has moved on at the firm to her present position as Web Manager of The Virtual Chase. Her primary interest has always been focused on the research aspects of the job, and she considers herself fortunate to have found a position at a firm not only large enough to allow for specialist positions in the library but also one which is progressive enough to have supported her efforts. As she pointed out, it should be noted that Ballard has given her its full support in a cutting edge technology venture that originated not in the IT department but in the library.
For all of the contributions mentioned above, Genie was chosen this year as the first recipient of the Leadership in Private Law Libraries Award, which was presented at the PLL luncheon in St. Louis. The creation of this award has been discussed for the past few years and was originally conceived of by Past President Holly Riccio. The award was created to recognize PLL members who have made special and significant contributions to the advancement of law librarianship in the private arena. The idea evolved from the “promote the value of law librarians and librarianship” planning during 2002-2003. PLL members were asked to submit nominations, and Genie was this year’s choice.
Being a leader has not been a conscious part of Genie’s career goals. She says she thinks there are two kinds of leaders. There are the idea people who must look at the “big picture” and deal with the whole. Then there are the doers, people who can be presented with an idea or who have a special interest and can implement whatever is needed. Genie views herself as among the doers and views at least part of her role as leading by example.
By providing a valuable instrument which helps keep us informed and makes our professional lives a bit easier, Genie helps us all to improve our positions and enhance our value to our firms. By teaching, writing and especially through the Virtual Chase, she enhances the image of the law librarian and presents a role model not simply for law librarians but for other professionals as well.
by Abigail F. Ellsworth Ross, Keller and Heckman LLP, Washington, DC
The world revolves around money – and no one knows that better than law librarians! I received a travel grant from PLL and as a thank you, I would like to share my thoughts on the inestimable experiences I took away from this year’s AALL annual meeting in St. Louis, MO.
The Most Bang for My, and PLL’s, Buck
PLL sponsored several programs this year that were not part of the regular AALL agenda. Of particular interest was the The Butterfly Effect, which had an all-star roundtable cast and sparked a fascinating discussion on where law libraries will be in the future in terms of technology, space, marketing, budget and other areas. I walked away with a collection of views on where the heavy hitters think our profession is headed – and some ideas on how I can be proactive in incorporating those trends into my own library. Mark Estes predicted that more and more services will offer “pay-as-you-go” options, hopefully opening up some resources that have heretofore been closed to some libraries. This will be of particular interest to me and my users. As a small firm we don’t necessarily want to subscribe to all services, but when we really need something we would certainly be willing to pay a one-time fee to obtain it.
And those dollars and cents are where it’s at. The program titled Covering the Cost of Information: Time for a change? was the place to be for cost-conscious librarians. Joan Axelroth, Catherine Sanders Reach and Mary Kay Jung gave a lively discussion on cost recovery and how to analyze the recovery situation at your firm in order to make the most of your online resources. The debate on whether library and online services are a source of revenue or overhead continues. As long as our users disagree on this issue, it is important to keep tabs on where other firms are going. More importantly, I want to know other firms’ recovery rates and their secrets or tips so I can do the same.
Worth the Price of Admission
Though I have yet to see a Wiki idea I could use in my own firm, I very much enjoy hearing how others are using this fascinating technology, and so I sat in on Deborah Ginsberg’s Let’s all Wiki Wiki! Creative Uses for Wikis in any Library. Her bibliography of law wikis, articles and other resources will be a useful reference tool if I ever decide to make use of this.
Time is money, and Susan Boland’s Beyond Google: Hot New and Specialty Search Engine highlighted all the cool sites that will help me search faster. Brint.com for business sources and Financewise.com are now on my Bookmarks list for any future finance questions. I was relieved to see that not too many hits come back on my name in Pretrieve.com – the public record search engine.
Investing in the Future
I always try to attend the ALM Library Survey Briefing – we librarians aren’t a shy lot, and I love to hear about the latest library survey and how my colleagues around the country really feel about the results. Despite our daily battles to cut costs, print resources, and even staff, the July survey shows the average library budget has risen, along with online costs, staffing costs and even the average billing rate for librarians. I like the discussion this survey sparks every year because it allows me to see where my library stands in comparison to others. Are we spending the same amount of money on print and online resources as others? Am I underpaying my staff? How satisfied are other librarians with legal publishers and their annual price increases? Learning the average and median numbers grounds my own views on these subjects.
I was unable to make it to every program of interest, but I hope to see other frugal-minded themes in the future - all mixed in with some quality time spent sipping expensive coffee with thrifty (a more complimentary word than parsimonious!) and brilliant librarians!
A tale of two cities: San Antonio and St. Louis
By Donna M. Fisher, Senniger Powers, St. Louis MO
What a difference a year makes!
In 2005, I attended my first AALL conference, in San Antonio. I had recently returned from the Special Libraries Association annual conference in Toronto, my first ever library conference, so I had some idea of what to expect at AALL. But since AALL was strictly for law librarians, I knew it would be different. It was exciting and humbling to be among so many more experienced and seasoned professionals. I was buoyed on by the newness of the experience that gave me an exhilarating stamina. For someone toughened by an entire life spent in the hot and humid summers of St. Louis, even July weather in Texas couldn't dampen my enthusiasm.
I went to AALL with the goal of immersing myself in as many conference events as possible, and on that count I succeeded. I attended every plenary session. I scrambled from presentation to presentation, sometimes literally racing through the convention center in my efforts to catch at least snippets of up to three sessions scheduled for the same time slot. I visited just about every vendor booth, picked up at least a hundred pounds of publishers' catalogs, and dutifully printed the program handouts for every educational session I might attend. As I listened to each speaker I furiously took notes, many of which were written so quickly I was unable to decipher them. I ate more dessert than I had ever seen in my life. I came home with enough pens and notepads to write out the complete works of Shakespeare in longhand.
In short, it was overkill. Before boarding my return flight, I had to throw away at least half of my conference acquisitions for fear of being accused by other passengers of weighing down the airplane. Still, the conference was enormously satisfying. I truly felt like part of the world of professional librarianship.
It seemed like I had barely caught my breath when plans began to take shape for the 2006 conference in St. Louis. Having the conference in my hometown offered plenty of opportunities to become more involved in the event. I had different goals for the conference this year. I wanted to participate as much as observe. A morning of stuffing 2000 registration bags with 30 of my colleagues turned out to be immensely satisfying (and immensely tiring). A shift at the registration desk gave me a chance to greet many local and out of town colleagues. Hosting a dine-around was a fun way to share experiences with a small group of librarians from all parts of the country and Canada. I spent many hours visiting with my AALL mentor. I scheduled plenty of time for networking and catching up with friends I had met in San Antonio.
Another of my goals was to be more selective in the events I chose to attend. Quality, not quantity, was the key. I carefully planned a realistic and comfortable schedule of educational sessions that would be most beneficial to me. Gone was the feeling that it was my mission to hear as many speakers as possible. I eliminated visits to many of the vendors that I knew my law firm had no chance of doing business with and instead focused on strengthening relationships with our existing vendors. As if to parallel my more relaxed attitude, even the weather cooperated and spared us the brunt of the usual St. Louis summer heat.
I can't say that one conference was better than the other, only different. Both conferences were busy and tiring and incredibly productive. Both times, I felt professionally and personally rejuvenated and invigorated by my conference experiences. Both times, I returned to work buried under a mountain of books and email. And despite my best efforts to reduce some of the clutter of last year's conference, I'll admit that this year I still picked up enough pens and notepads to at least write out all of Shakespeare's sonnets.
Who knows what attending conference number three will bring?
by Susan P. Siebers, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, Chicago, IL
This year at the AALL conference, Special Interest Sections were for the first time given the great opportunity to present additional programs at the same time as formally scheduled programs. The first such PLL program was Creating New Best Practices Through Law Firm Expansion: How to Avoid Having to Circle the Wagons. Three law firm librarians who have experienced mergers shared some of their insights. Many in the standing-room only audience, including this author, had been through mergers of various kinds, but these presentations certainly gave us much to consider.
Elizabeth Chiapperi, Director of Information Services at Nixon Peabody LLP, spoke first. As the result of the firm’s mergers, her library staff consisted of 23 people in 15 offices. She worked with all of them, starting in 2004, to integrate the new offices and develop best practices that would apply to all offices. The goal was to have a “one firm” approach to library services that would provide consistent services to all attorneys and other staff and that could be used to help integrate other groups and offices in the future. The products that resulted from this project will continue to be a work in process.
Ms. Chiapperi described the thought-provoking process by which these best practices were developed. Important from the beginning was the assumption that this would be a collaborative effort involving everyone on the library staff. This was important to get staff buy-in and commitment. The Library management team held two separate retreats. Using a SWOT analysis to assess Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, they established a vision and goals. Four best practice teams were created: Reference, Technical Services, Professional Development and Marketing. Each team was lead by a staff member, and a manager as “faculty advisor.” While there was input from others on the staff to each group, the formal recommendations were presented at an all-staff summit retreat (a Thursday dinner through mid-Saturday event). An example of some of the recommendations included the Reference team's goals of having a consistent product across offices, timely targeted products, cross-office support, templates for various types of requests, and databases to track their work. The final products are now being implemented and are expected to continue to evolve.
There were several positive outcomes of the “one firm” approach in terms of the library's role within the firm, including having a unifying vision, opportunities for professional growth, job satisfaction as measured by the firm’s survey done every two years, identification of new high performers, and stronger cross office relationships. The library has an expanded profile and has gained a better working role with Marketing. Attorney-staff relationships have improved The library is also better positioned to handle expected future firm growth.
The other two speakers faced quite a challenge speaking after Ms. Chiapperi. She had not only included a great deal of information, but had also provided what could be a model for the law firm expansion process. The other speakers therefore focused on other aspects of mergers where methods of best practices can be utilized.
Ronda Fisch, Director of Knowledge Management at Reed Smith, spoke about the process of developing a “one firm” approach. Reed Smith now has 18 offices and is in the process of merging with a large European firm with headquarters in London. Ms. Fisch mentioned some of the Human Resources issues that may arise during a merger, and, in light of Reed Smith’s current situation, some special issues that are unique to the United Kingdom or other European countries. She stressed that the overall goal is to demonstrate to the staffs and attorneys that the new whole is better than the individual parts. She offered several specific suggestions on how to accomplish this. Look for ways to show immediate benefits to both staff and attorneys after a merger. Collaborate with other departments and share information. Look for similarities between the combining firms, since that helps those merging into the firm deal with the differences. Ms. Fisch also pointed out the importance of having a physical presence during a merger, and to be sincere and direct at communicating what is best for the firm.
Jean O’Grady, of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, focused on her firm’s latest merger, between Wilmer Cutler and Pickering, and Hale and Dorr LLP, two well established firms in different locations. She pointed out the differences in this type of merger, which was a good reminder of all of the variant forms of mergers that are taking place. She had much good advice. Be prepared by keeping tabs on merger activity in the legal community. Provide competitive intelligence information to management. During the merger, share information such as why certain projects are being done and others delayed. Bring people together when possible. Communicate. Have well-defined job descriptions and areas of responsibility. Take advantage of the merger to develop best practices.
The general conclusion from all three speakers is that mergers are challenging but are also great opportunities for growth. This was an excellent program. The format, an informal panel presentation followed by a question and answer period, was terrific. The more opportunities we have to discuss topics such as this, the better equipped we will all be as these situations arise.
PLL-SIS Program: The Butterfly Effect: Are You Ready for Change?
by Ronda Fisch, Reed Smith LLP, Pittsburgh, PA
Presenters:
Carolyn P. Ahearn, Director of Library Services, Wiley, Rein & Fielding
Mark E. Estes, Director of Library Services, Holme Roberts & Owen LLP
Robert Oaks, Chief Library and Records Officer, Latham & Watkins
Nina Platt, Director of Information Resources, Faegre & Benson LLP
Linda G. Will, Director of Information Resources, Dorsey & Whitney LLP
The title of this program was intriguing and sparked the curiosity of myself and others in the audience. With a panel of well known leaders in private law libraries, this was a program not to be missed. In fact, the combined library experience of the panel totaled more than 200 years!
During the first part of the program, each panelist spoke briefly about their predictions for libraries in the future. Predictions focused on areas such as physical space planning, licensing, personnel, technology, synergies with other departments such as marketing, and the billable hour. Carolyn Ahearn spoke of library space migrating from a “Show Place” to a “Know Place”. We are already seeing this trend take place as firms relocate and reduce the size of their collections. Remote access as well as the availability of materials via the internet has significantly reduced the size of libraries. However, Ahearn predicts that libraries will continue to exist but as a “Know Place” instead of a “Show Place”. Mark Estes predicted a new set of licensing challenges. He believes that books will continue to exist although they will look different in format. Mark also postulates that content will be evaluated differently. Bob Oaks focused on personnel and discussed recruitment and retention of qualified librarians. Nina Platt spoke about the use of technology and the various options with respect to the learning process. Linda Will predicted a win-win scenario between the library and marketing departments through the creation of competitive intelligence librarians.
The second half of the program was highly interactive as Elizabeth LeDoux took on the role of talk show hostess Oprah Winfrey. She enticed the audience with M&Ms in order to solicit questions. Even without the incentive, questions would have been plentiful during this highly thought provoking session.
Kate Martin was the organizer and moderator of this session. She and her panel should be commended for presenting a session that was clearly different from any other at the conference. The session was a perfect venue to think about what law libraries and librarians were like pre-Lexis and Westlaw and what they have become in the Internet era. Just as the butterfly begins as a caterpillar and morphs into a butterfly, perhaps the analogy is the same for law librarians who begin their career as generalists and develop into leaders in legal information services.
Marketing 101: Five Easy Steps to Successful Library Marketing
by Donna M. Fisher, Senniger Powers, St. Louis MO
Presenters:
Cindy Carlson, Librarian Relations Manager, Thomson West
Abigail F. Ellsworth Ross, Informational Resources Manager--Keller and Heckman LLP
This program promised to answer the questions: Is marketing really needed in your library? How do you evaluate the success of your marketing efforts? The session delivered on and exceeded its promises.
The session began promptly. The speakers were enthusiastic, confident, and articulate. They told the audience they would be giving very practical suggestions that anyone could follow--library marketing is not rocket science! Marketing is simple but necessary for your library's credibility, visibility, and financial viability.
The speakers offered five suggestions for library marketing. First, get a clue. Talk to attorneys and other users to find out what their needs are. Conduct surveys, ask employees "in the know," make educated guesses, or strike up a conversation with users during informal encounters such as at the elevator or water cooler. If you are not already included, invite yourself to practice group meetings. Get involved with your users as much as possible. Find out what you can do to save them time and money. Once you know what your patrons care about, you can design programs that will be appealing and interesting to them.
The second step in library marketing is to have a plan. It can be short and informal, but it's important to have an agenda. One presenter illustrated a graphical calendar showing the date, purpose, target audience, preparations and approvals needed, cost, and notes for all marketing events. This is an excellent way to keep track of and plan marketing events. The new PLL toolkit was also suggested as a good starting point for marketing efforts.
Implementing the plan is the next step. Spread the word about activities, training sessions, and other events in the library. Several avenues can be used, including email, print postings, or simply word of mouth. If your firm has an intranet or firm newsletter, use these ready made options for communicating library news. Another possibility is to prepare a library brochure for current users and new associates, detailing what library services are available. Offer refreshments or other incentives for attendance at library functions.
Once your plan is in place, evaluate and adjust it as needed. This can be accomplished through formal surveys, informal conversations, or other methods. Statistics can also be useful in gauging the success of library programs. Hand out evaluation forms at the end of training sessions to solicit comments from attendees, and incorporate worthwhile suggestions into future programs.
Finally, publicize the library's successes. Quote satisfied customers. National Library Week and the library's Annual Report also provide perfect opportunities to highlight the previous year's achievements.
The audience at this session was very responsive, and posed several interesting questions to the speakers. Having a microphone in the room for the audience to use would have prevented the speakers from having to repeat each question so it could be heard by everyone. The session ended promptly on schedule.
This session was one of the most valuable programs I attended at this year's AALL conference, and the topic is one worth repeating annually. Attendees learned that marketing is an essential tool for all private law librarians who want to establish credibility in their firms.
Attendees left armed with practical, tried-and-true tools that should make any private law librarian's marketing efforts a success.
Intellectual Property Librarians SIS Experiencing Growth Spurt!
by Fran Sheehan, Fish and Richardson P.C., Boston, MA, and Jackie Grossman, Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP, San Francisco, CA, PLL IP Caucus co-chairs
Recent law firm mergers and the integration of large intellectual property practices into general practice firms have left many law firm librarians searching for ways to broaden their knowledge and expertise when conducting patent, trademark and copyright research. Hence, the increased interest and attendance at this year's Business Meeting of the Intellectual Property Special Interest Section at AALL in St. Louis.
Founded 10 years ago by a group of librarians whose law firms focus heavily on intellectual property matters, the IP Caucus's mission is to support the ongoing education and training of other IP librarians by advising and recommending best practices for IP research and collection development.
At this year's meeting, those present decided to focus on membership growth and to address the increased need for advice and training during 2006-2007. The group explored various ways to increase visibility and to build a strong, dedicated core of members who are willing to work together to establish multi-year programs that address the educational needs of both beginners and experienced librarians. Some suggestions for raising awareness of the group were: surveying IP law firm librarians on future program topics; offering annual AALL workshops or day long programs; increasing usage of the PLL-SIS IP listserv; and publishing articles online and in print that explain the types of searching and document retrieval at the foundation of intellectual property research. The Caucus will also be taking advantage of the PLL-SIS Mentoring Program by helping to match up seasoned IP veterans from our group with those new to the practice.
Please watch for upcoming articles detailing programs and other resources you will find beneficial.
If you are new to supporting an IP practice, the IP Caucus can help. Go to our listserv to join the discussion group or to find contact information. Also watch our web pages for future content postings on recommended resources: http://www.aallnet.org/sis/pllsis/Groups/ip.asp
July 8, 2006, St. Louis, MO
by Lynn Connor Merring, Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, PC, Newport Beach, CA
The meeting was called to order at 4:05 PM
Present were: Mary Koshollek, Lynn Fogle, Kay Waelde, Terry Psarras, Christine Graesser, Riva Laughlin, Sue Johnson, Alanna White, Byron Hill, Sarah Mauldin, Phil Rosenthal (SLA Legal Division), Patricia Barbone and Martha Goldman.
There being no old business Terry turned the meeting over to Chris.
New Business:
1. Strategic Directives
Martha Goldman reviewed the PLL-SIS Strategic Directives for 2006-2009, (the title changed from ‘plan” to “directives” by acclamation). The framework is now in place; the directives need to be fleshed out in terms of time frames, resources and specific actions to be taken. Martha and her group will continue to work on this.
The Directives were used as a way to focus our discussions for the balance of the meeting. They will be reviewed annually to adjust as needed. Christine will report back to the board by May of 2007 for review, comment and analysis prior to next year’s meeting.
2.Education
Chris addressed the overall education plan, which consists of two goals: Annual Meeting Programs and Local/Regional programming. Mary Ames will be chairing the local efforts. PLL is already considerably ahead of most SIS in developing programs on this level. Mary will be investigating webcasting and podcasting to reach the greatest number of participants. We will also investigate repeating the program currently scheduled for October 18, 2006, in Washington, D.C., Law Firm Library Management Workshop: Solutions & Scenarios (http://www.aallnet.org/calendar/eventdisplay.asp?eid=107&arc=no) .
3. Partnerships
Phil Rosenthal, representative from SLA, spoke about some joint efforts, including a program at SLA about negotiating with vendors, and how AALL and SLA might share resources and whether CRIV should be involved in this effort.
Mary Koshollek will be working with the Association of Legal Administrators. Specific efforts include a survey of ALA to gauge awareness of law librarians (qualifications, needs, etc.) and a roundtable discussion and article for the ALA publication.
4. Toolkit
Kudos to LaJean Humphries and her group for completing this monumental task! It was referred to at the West MBA program and given to CONELL attendees this year.
5. Vendor Relations
Nina Platt is the current chair. There was a discussion as to whether we need a specific liason to CRIV; Terry offered to act as such if needed.
6. Recruiting
Since there is no current committee addressing this we discussed methods by which we can recruit additional members to PLL. Not all AALL members who could be part of PLL are PLL members. It was determined we should identify a way to survey those people who could be members and send letters personally inviting them to join us. One suggestion was a separate registration fee for non-members who sign up for PLL sponsored programs on the local level – the fee would be equivalent to the SIS fee and they would then be registered as members. Patricia Barbone will head the committee; Lynn Fogle will assist.
7. Mentoring
Stephanie Fox will continue with the mentoring committee. The good news is we get lots of volunteer mentors.
8. Leadership Award
Lynn Fogle reported that after surveying other organizations for criteria the committee drafted the language, publicized it by e-mail and Perspectives and the first recipient was selected: Genie Tyburski.
9. Outreach
Chris raised the issue of getting involved in the community efforts in New Orleans next year. She will co-ordinate with the other SIS. The most likely event seems to be a volunteer day similar to that held by the American Library Association this year.
Housekeeping
Election
Kaye Waelde reported on our first electronic election. While there were a few minor problems, we had more people vote electronically than had voted on paper the previous year. There were requests for inclusion of each candidate’s credentials. This information was never provided in conjunction with the paper ballot but we will look into providing a link on the electronic one next year.
Website
All board members were asked to review the new layout and provide feedback before the end of September.
Newsletter
Randy Thompson, Chair, Sarah Mauldin and Donna Fisher, Co-editors.
Providing the newsletter in an electronic format raises some issues about the ads. Ads were appearing in the PDF version but not in the archived HTML version. Including the graphical ads resulted in an increase in the requests for hard copies because of the size of the file. The newsletter committee later decided that future issues of Perspectives will be provided strictly in a PDF version, and will not contain ads.
New Orleans Meeting
Chris has appointed Jeanne Korman to act as our “event planner” and handle all the arrangements for the PLL lunch, breakfast and VIP reception.
Listserv
There have been growing complaints about the use of the PLL Listserv for other than PLL business, especially for reference help. There is a separate PrivateLawLib Listserv intended for reference questions and the like. All non-business traffic will be redirected there.
Bylaws
Johanna Bizub will be directing the review of our bylaws, particularly in regard to the SIS model bylaws.
Lynn Fogle moved to adjourn, Terry Psarras seconded. Meeting adjourned at 5:50.
by Patricia Barbone, Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, New York, NY
Treasurer’s Report
2005 – 2006Through May 31, 2006
Fiscal Year October 1, 2005 to September 6, 2006
Prepared by Patricia Barbone
PLL Treasurer 2005-2007
Beginning Balance* (10/01/2005)
$13,310.89
Revenues:
Advertising
Vendor Contributions
$1,800.00
$13,009.83Total Revenues
$14,809.83
Beginning Balance Plus Total Revenue
$28,120.72
Expenses
Current Expenses:
Misc. Expenses inc AV expenses
$309.00
Revenues Less Current Expenses
$14,500.83
Ending Balance (5/31/2006)
$27,811.72
PLL Newsletter || PLL HOME || AALL HOME
