Summer 2007 Volume 18 Issue 4

entire issue in Adobe Acrobat format 

FROM THE CHAIR

by Christine L. Graesser, Brown, Rudnick, Berlack, Israels LLP, Hartford, CT

FEATURES

WHAT”S THE SCOOP ON COPYRIGHT?

by Linda Defendeifer, Hogan & Hartson LLP, Washington, DC

 

PLL MEMBERS GET LOST IN GOOD BOOKS
by Donna Fisher, Senniger Powers, St. Louis, MO
 

 

PLL NEWS

PREVIEW OF PLL PROGRAMS AT THE AALL CONFERENCE IN NEW ORLEANS
by Margarita Bull, Lerach Coughlin, San Diego CA

PLL ELECTION RESULTS

 

 

 

Christine L. Graesser, Rudnick, Berlack, Israels LLP, Hartford, CT

Man, We Librarians are Good!

On behalf of the PLL-SIS, I attended the Advanced Management in Private Law Libraries (AMPLL) conference in Dallas in April 2007. Lexis-Nexis has been the sponsor of the Teaching Research in Private Law Libraries (TRIPLL) and AMPLL conferences for the past 18 years. The faculty was composed of private law librarians Monice Kaczorowski, Holly Pinto, Holly Riccio, and Virginia Smith, who determined the content of the conference and made the presentations. Librarians apply for a limited number of participant slots every other year. Expenses are shared by Lexis and the law firms.

Lexis invited me as PLL Chair to be a guest, and on the section’s behalf, I thank Lexis for their generosity to the SIS.

I have been on the TRIPLL faculty in the past, but this was my first AMPLL. I’m sort of an interloper in the library management field these days, since I haven’t managed a library in nearly ten years, so it was fascinating to observe what could be considered the leading edge of law firm library management. Bottom line, librarians are increasingly managing their libraries like a business, with an eye to the firm’s overall business strategy.

• Tracking programs like time entry reports, Power Invoice, Onelog, HEAT, etc., are being used in creative ways to assist with budgets, staffing, and strategic planning.

• Pat Wagner, a longtime consultant to library organizations, spent an afternoon talking about the psychology of negotiations. We discussed building the skills and attitudes needed to succeed in our work environments by examining the distinctions between tasks, management and leadership. Pat emphasized the basics of understanding the other person’s world in order to have influence with them.

• “Educating the C People” – A morning was spent on ways to communicate with the “chiefs” of the firm – CEOs, COOs, CIOs, CFOs. We talked about identifying the power brokers and finding ways to reach them, with an emphasis on creativity, enthusiasm, and making sure the library is in line with the goals of the firm.

Overall, I was blown away by the gifted librarians who ran the program and also the participants who shared their expertise. It got me to thinking that we should be doing more to publicize the accomplishments of our colleagues who are quietly revolutionizing the profession, one law firm at a time.

At the risk of sounding like a cheerleader, vendors like Lexis and Thomson-West are to be applauded for investing in these programs, which have been invaluable in empowering hundreds of librarians in management and training skills over the years. Look for a comprehensive report on AMPLL in AALL Spectrum.
 

 

 

WHAT”S THE SCOOP ON COPYRIGHT?
by Linda Defendeifer, Hogan & Hartson LLP, Washington, DC
 

Program Review:
Core Copyright for Private Law Librarians (CCPLL)
K. Matthew Dames, Presenter
March 30, 2007 – University of Maryland, Baltimore

Christine Graesser, Brown Rudnick LLP, Coordinator
Patricia Behles, University of Baltimore Library, and Anna Cole, Miles & Stockbridge, PC, On-Site Coordinators

If you are like most information professionals, you encounter intellectual property challenges every day: Can the attorney pass along this article to a client? Is it all right to post these materials on an intranet site? Do I need to get permission to keep an electronic copy of this article for my own future reference? Managing licensing provisions and permissions traffic requires frequent consultations with managers, and risks incurring the ire of lawyers who do not want to hear that they cannot freely deploy all materials they use.

The buzz on Prof. Dames’s bulletin board in advance of CCPLL reflected some of these concerns. On the day of the program, attendees gathered from near and far (one library director flew in from St. Louis, for example) to find practical answers. Although the actual program content varied from expectations, it did provide a solid foundation for further copyright law study and a refreshing change from case-law-only approaches. Here are some basics from the presentation; all material reflects the views and emphases of Prof. Dames.

The Statutes – 17 United States Code

Prof. Dames defines copyright as “a set of rules governing the creation, distribution, and reproduction of original thoughts captured or recorded on or by some device.” The federal government, rather than individual states, makes the rules. The two major pieces of copyright legislation—the Copyright Act of 1976 and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act—create conflicts in application. The 1976 Act was written to apply to printed and other tangible work (film, sound recordings), and, via the later act, it is made to apply to “born digital” work.
 

If you want the really short course, here it is: Exceptions are encoded in sections 107-110; the only one you can be sure of is 107. Here is the breakout: Section 107 – fair use Section 108 – libraries. Authorities disagree as to whether this exception covers ALL libraries, or just public libraries. Prof. Dames believes only public libraries enjoy the exception, but respectfully cites others, including Laura Gasaway, who believe all libraries are covered. Section 109 – first sales. If you purchase a book, you may have some freedom to copy. In these times, when so many purchases are digital, this exception languishes. Section 110 – educational and government entities. The really bad news: Even if the law is on your side, your licensing agreement may control.

To frame analysis of the resulting issues, Prof. Dames provided a graphic dividing the law into three parts—copyright-ability, rights, and limitations. The latter mostly concerns us – we want to know when the copyright owner’s rights do not prevail over our need to copy. But the law, Prof. Dames emphasized, is about the rights. Specifically, sections 102-105 address whether a work is capable of being copyrighted, the 200-numbered sections determine who controls any copyright and section 106 what rights the owner controls, and sections 302-305 provide guidance as to what works are under copyright. Limitations (including exceptions) to rights appear in sections 107-122. Section 301 pertains to licensing. The 500-level sections govern exposure to liability.

Copyright-ability

Prof. Dames teaches a copyright (and copyrighted) statutory analysis process that will recall diagramming sentences in English class. For any section of a statute, first make the major determination: what rule is set forth? The provision may stop there; or it may also include conditions and exceptions, and even exceptions to exceptions. Making a diagram for yourself of these different functions within a section will help you understand the law’s meaning.
In general it seems, at least to this author, unlikely that private law librarians will deal often with non-copyrighted material. Should the issue arise, however, a work is not eligible for copyright unless it is both original (phone book entries do not qualify) and fixed in a medium (ideas do not qualify unless expressed in written or other form). United States’s law does not permit copyrighting of databases, although some foreign jurisdictions do. Another largely speculative question for our profession is the originality of derivative works (e.g., The Wind Done Gone), which frequently engender litigation.

Term of Protection; Registration

The Constitution mandates protection of original work “for a time.” Currently, the law mandates life of

 the author plus seventy years. Additional nuances appear in the Hirtle Web site – see references at the end of this article.
Copyright registration is voluntary. The copyright office no longer maintains a registry, making it more difficult to find rights-holders

Ownership; Public Domain

A web of provisions governs ownership; most simply, it vests in authors (i.e., creators or originators) under section 201(a). But other sections specify that employers own works made for hire. There may also be joint authors, and ownership may be transferred or divided (think about ownership for the text of the novel, the film script, the DVD). Libraries may be concerned with copyright in public display or distribution--section 106.
Material falls into the public domain under any of these circumstances: it is not copyright-able, its copyright term has expired, or the government produced it. However, the terms of a license governing material can override public domain status.

“Insurance”
There was discussion about membership in the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) as a sort of insurance against falling afoul of copyright law . Prof. Dames’s view is that the only real insurance is knowing the law. He noted that CCC is authorized to sue on behalf of publishers and that it can audit member organizations.

Quo Vadis?
Where does this leave law libraries? Libraries may distribute copyrighted worked without the owner’s permission under certain circumstances, including preservation, digitization, private study, and fair use. An example illustrates potential concerns. Suppose you want to copy a group of court cases for distribution. According to Prof. Dames, the decision portion (as opposed to any analysis provided by a commercial reporter) of federal cases is in the public domain. State cases, however, may not be public domain material, presumably because no official state report may exist. The vendor who demonstrates a cut-and-paste feature is not giving tacit copyright permission or guidance; he or she is merely encouraging use of a product. It is the user’s—the library’s—responsibility to determine when such duplication is legal. As to duplication of copyrighted material like headnotes for purposes of teaching legal research, an exception may apply.
Peter Hirtle and others have devoted considerable attention to the distribution question, as his 2006 AALL program (see references below) indicated. Mr. Hirtle provided an algorithm for determining rights: if an item is not in the public domain, analyze section 108 capabilities, then proceed to fair use. If you do not believe you can use the item without permission, then obtain permission. Even after obtaining permission, you must still abide by the limitations of the Fair Use Doctrine.
For details about that . . . please attend another workshop (see comments below).

Comments
Even though the conference lasted all day and extensively covered several copyright issues, CCPLL raised—or left—a number of questions. That may be a result of Prof. Dames’s academic background, the sense of problem-solving leisure that comes from the quarter or semester system or even the scorched-earth five-or ten-day intensive workshop. Some attendees (including this one) would hope that future sessions would be more directly responsive to expressed constituent needs and richer in examples for application. Professor Dames provides a menu of workshops on copyright topics, for example, licensing. But for the busy private librarian who constantly must cost-justify, copyright ready reference would be ideal.

For Further Study
AALL 2006 offered several copyright and intellectual property programs, including Copyright Implications of Digital Archives, 60 Key Intellectual Property Research Sites in 60 Minutes, and What the #!*? Is a “Snippet”? Copyright Issues Related to the Google Book Search Project.

AALL Model Law Firm Copyright Policy:
http://www.aallnet.org/about/model_law.asp

The government provides text of Title 17 and of recent copyright enactments at: http://www.copyright.gov/title17
 

Term of copyright – courtesy of Peter Hirtle at: http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/training/Hirtle_Public_Domain.htm

Library of Congress Section 108 Study Group page:

http://www.loc.gov/section108

Cornell Copyright Center:

http://www.copyright.cornell.edu

Blog of Google copyright counsel:

http://williampatry.blogspot.com
http://williampatry.blogspot.com

© Linda Defendeifer 2007
 

 

PLL MEMBERS GET LOST IN GOOD BOOKS
by Donna Fisher, Senniger Powers, St. Louis, MO

As we all know, if you want a book recommendation, ask a librarian. We are only too happy to give patrons and colleagues our suggestions. PLL members were recently polled about their favorite books and the results are shown below. Our members clearly have a wide array of interests and tastes that extend into many subject areas.
At least one librarian association has made sharing favorite books a regular part of their meeting schedule. MALL (Minnesota Association of Law Libraries) has a subgroup called Downtowners that meets monthly. Last year at the suggestion of Kathleen Kelly, librarian at Lockridge Grindal Neuen P.L.L.P., MALL began the Downtowners Book Club. Each year, one meeting of the Downtowners is devoted to attendees bringing a book they would like to recommend to the other members. The 2006 meeting produced a great reading list, and members of the Downtowners are looking forward to the 2007 Book Club meeting in June.
Next time you read a great book, whether for work or pleasure, fiction or nonfiction, old or new, spread the news! Publicizing a good book is an easy and fun way to share the joy of reading and to market your library.

Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest
Ambrose, Stephen E.
Recommended by: Thompson, Randy
Ambrose’s paean to the men of EZ Company and the horrors they endured—and why they emerged as America’s Greatest Generation.

Blink
Gladwell, Malcolm
Recommended by: Selden, David
This book affected the way I see the world.

Brave New World
Huxley, Aldous
Recommended by: Fisher, Donna
First read in high school; it scared me then and scares me even more now.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: an Indian History of the American West
Brown, Dee
Recommended by: Thompson, Randy
The tragic cost of Manifest Destiny as seen through the eyes of the vanquished. Though their victory over Custer was pyrrhic, they found it satisfying nonetheless.

Call of the Wild
London, Jack

Recommended by: Riemann, F.A.
Great story, unfortunately now treated as children's lit. I reread it every couple of years. It functions as kind of a constant throughout the ups and downs of life. Ever time I read it I get something different to work with, but it also functions as a charm that can take be back to where (and who) I was, during previous readings.

Christmas Carol (A)
Dickens, Charles
Recommended by: Fisher, Donna
Never loses its appeal. No one wrings your emotions like Dickens.

Cowboy and His Elephant: the Story of a Remarkable Friendship
Macpherson, Malcolm
Recommended by: Simonelli, James J.
The true story of Bob Norris, the guy who portrayed the Marlboro Man on those TV commercials from the 60s and 70s, and a baby elephant named Amy, who he adopted and raised until she became too big to keep on his ranch. It's funny, touching and heartwarming. A remarkable look at a bond of friendship that developed between Bob and Amy. One has to read it to see why they say elephants never forget! ISBN 0312252099.

Diagnosis (The): a Novel
Lightman, Alan
Recommended by: Doria, Joann
One of my favorite books as an adult.

Einstein's Dreams
Lightman, Alan
Recommended by: Doria, Joann
One of my favorite books as an adult.

Eisenhower: a Soldier's Life
D'Este, Carlo
Recommended by: Thompson, Randy
Eisenhower’s strength as a leader came from his ability to surround himself with great people and then keep them focused on doing their jobs. Convincing the likes of Patton and Monty that the real enemy was the Germans and not each other was no small feat.

Face of a Stranger
Perry, Anne
Recommended by: Fisher, Donna
The first of Perry's books featuring the Victorian detective William Monk. If you are interested in the Victorian age, you will enjoy anything by Perry.
 

Faiths of the Founding Fathers
Holmes, David L.
Recommended by: Balkin, Ruth G.
Points out that many of the founding fathers were Deists. Explains the differences among the Christian sects. First pages mention how many Jews there were in the colonies. (That impressed me, being Jewish, that he wasn't ignoring us). Easy reading and informative. I highly recommend it.

First Among Equals: How to Manage a Group of Professionals
McKenna, Patrick and Maister, David
Recommended by: Lynch, Gina B.
In terms of coaching, building teams and collaboration, it is a readable and executable treatise on working with an intelligent and talented group of professionals. It also adds some valuable insights as to personality types and explains the strategic importance behind such basics as running a good meeting. It is the type of book that you can recommend to a manager at any level and they will all walk away having learned something from this book. Highly Recommended!

I'm Not Scared
Ammaniti, Niccolo
Recommended by: Lanz, Joe
The first of Ammaniti’s works to be translated into English, this is the story of a boy in a small Italian village who discovers a horrible secret involving his father. I read it three years ago while vacationing in a rented flat in Sorrento. The colorful prose and compelling tone made it the perfect read for a long summer holiday. It was made into an award winning indie film by the same name. ISBN: 1400075637

Johnny Tremaine
Forbes, Esther
Recommended by: Doria, Joann
My favorite childhood book.

Kite Runner (The)
Hosseini, Khaled
Recommended by: Mauldin, Sarah
This is an incredibly powerful book about friendship, family and betrayal. I could not put it down when I read it and recommend it to anyone looking for a gripping story. There are portions of the book that may be disturbing, but the story is too good to let that stop you.

Middle Egyptian : an Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs
Allen, James P.
Recommended by: Berns, Jeffrey
The first comprehensive teaching grammar of Classical Ancient Egyptian in English since Gardiner, with a significantly updated understanding of the verbal system. When you get to chapter 25 on the special uses of the relative forms, all those sdm=f forms will finally make sense! ISBN 0521653126

Mobsters, Unions and Feds: The Mafia and the American Labor Movement
Jacobs, James B.
Recommended by: Callan, Jason
I do a fair amount of Labor and Employment legal research and decided to pick this up - it's a bit pedantic, but otherwise quite insightful as to the inner workings of the American mafia, and how they've remained so successful. ISBN:978-0-8147-4273-0; published by New York University Press.

Mountains Beyond Mountains
Kidder, Tracy
Recommended by: Newman, Mary S.
It's about Dr. Paul Farmer, a physician and anthropologist who has worked tirelessly to eradicate TB and AIDS in Haiti and other countries. His clinics have brought equality in healthcare to some of the poorest places on the planet and are models for many other programs throughout the world. He has single-handedly saved thousands of lives by improving conditions and stopping the course of these diseases. Had he not done so, these diseases would spread like wildfire due to the poverty endemic to these geographic areas. Here are a few quotes that represent his philosophy: “So I can't show you how, exactly, health care is a basic human right. But what I can argue is that no one should have to die of a disease that is treatable.” “Anywhere you have extreme poverty and no national health insurance, no promise of health care regardless of social standing, that's where you see the sharp limitations of market-based health care.”

Occasion of Revenge
In Death's Shadow
Through the Darkness
Talley, Marsha
Recommended by: Hessenauer, Jean
Author Marcia Talley recently spoke at a Law Library Association of Maryland (LLAM) event. She has written several mystery books. Her last six involve heroine Hannah Ives who stumbles into all kinds of interesting events, including murders and kidnappings. The books are fast moving and exciting and her characters, mainly Hannah's family, are interesting but very believable. Talley also has a few volumes of short stories. The mysteries are set in Annapolis for the most part which makes it more fun because I know all of the places she mentions. When a character is walking down a street that you know well, you feel like you are right there with them. I have found the ones I have read most enjoyable. Marcia is a "retired" librarian. She has traveled quite a bit and is very entertaining. Occasion of Revenge. Dell. 0-440-23520-0. In Death's Shadow. Avon. 0-06058738-5. Through the Darkness. Avon. 978-0-06-058741-3.
 

Peloponnesian War
Thucydides
Recommended by: Thompson, Randy
The first word on the use of power politics in human affairs. The Melians response to the Athenians demand for tribute says it all.

Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant
Grant, Ulysses S.
Recommended by: Thompson, Randy
Grant’s largely unvarnished look at his own life shows that even an unassuming leader can be effective. He rode to Appomattox wearing the uniform blouse of a common soldier—but he was the one accepting the surrender.

Plot Against America
Roth, Philip
Recommended by: Fisher, Donna
A frightening and cautionary look at how America could have been very different if an anti-Semitic Charles Lindbergh had become President of the United States.

Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time
Perry, Michael
Recommended by: Kelly, Kathleen
Published by Harpers Collins, 2002. Now available in paperback. The author writes about returning to his small childhood hometown in Wisconsin to live and becoming a volunteer firefighter and EMT. If you enjoy reading Rick Bragg, you should definitely read anything by Michael Perry.

Princes of Ireland and The Dublin Saga
Rutherfurd, Edward
Recommended by: Orr, Patricia L.

Samurai (The)
Endo, Shusaku
Recommended by: Doria, Joann
One of my favorite books as an adult.

Son of the Morning Star
Connell, Evan S.
Recommended by: Thompson, Randy
In contrast to Grant, this biography of George Armstrong Custer proves a leader’s hubris can be fatal—literally in this case.

Story of Ferdinand (The)
Leaf, Munro
Recommended by: Mauldin, Sarah
Illustrated by Robert Lawson. It has come out in various editions over the years, but was first published in 1936. This is a marvelous story that reminds you to be yourself, regardless of what everyone else expects you to be. I also love the idea of sitting just quietly and smelling the flowers.

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
Steig, William
Recommended by: Mauldin, Sarah
It has come out in various editions over the years, but was first published in 1969. It's one of my very favorite books and one that I remember reading all by myself. It's a marvelous story about love and being very careful what you wish for.

They Made America: from the Steam Engine to the Search Engine: Two Centuries of Innovators
Evans, Harold
Recommended by: Fisher, Donna
Fascinating profiles of 70 of America's leading inventors, entrepreneurs and innovators. This book is very popular at our intellectual property firm.

Tipping Point (The)
Gladwell, Malcolm
Recommended by: Selden, David
This book affected the way I see the world.

Trinity
Uris, Leon
Recommended by: Lanz, Joe
I first read this novel while in college. As an American several generations removed from my immigrant Irish ancestors, I was moved by the story of struggle couched in a detailed history of “the troubles”. The protagonist is written with such strength of character, courage of conviction, and a willingness to love both a woman and a land, that I named my son Conor. ISBN: 0060827882

We Are Iran
Alavi, Nasrin
Recommended by: Simonelli, James J.
This a non-fiction book that collects blog posts from Iranians. Despite the constant threat of arrest and imprisonment, the bloggers speak freely about life under a nominal democracy that is, for all intents and purposes, a theocratic dictatorship. It's a wonderful, insightful peek into a nation full of brave, courageous human beings sharing their dreams, fears and concerns. ISBN 9781846270031; published by Portobello.

 

 

 

 

PREVIEW OF PLL PROGRAMS AT THE AALL CONFERENCE IN NEW ORLEANS

by Margarita Bull, Lerach Coughlin, San Diego CA

 

Below is a list of the workshop and programs that the PLL-SIS is sponsoring during the upcoming AALL meeting in New Orleans. The workshop and programs were proposed by PLL-SIS members and presented to the PLL-SIS Education Committee (Annual Meeting). The committee in turn presented them to the AALL Annual Meeting Program Committee (AMPC) and they were accepted and put on the final annual meeting schedule, along with four unofficial programs for which the PLL-SIS was provided slots. Karen Silber of the BNA Library and Margarita Bull of Lerach Coughlin are the Education Committee co-chairs.

Workshop:

Riding the CI Wave: How to Hang Ten and Implement a Firm-wide CI Solution with Minimal Resources
Saturday, July 14, 12 noon - 5:00 p.m.
Coordinator Mark Gediman, Best Best & Krieger LLP
The majority of formal, dedicated competitive intelligence positions within law firms have been created in the past couple of years and frequently librarians have been transitioned into this role for their firms. These positions largely have no dedicated budget or support staff in place. This workshop is aimed at librarians currently operating in a CI role within a law firm and will provide skills and insights into how to best operate in this challenging role.

AMPC Programs:

A-3 Legal Information: Globalization, Conglomerates and Competition — Monopoly or Free Market?
Sunday, July 15, 1:30 p.m.
Coordinator LaJean Humphries, Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt PC
In the past twenty years, we have seen rapidly escalating costs for legal materials. Law libraries face increasing demands for more legal materials at the same time law library budgets are shrinking. We all operate in a free market. But, we need accurate pricing information to make informed purchasing (and cancellation) decisions. Join this distinguished panel to learn how much costs have risen, why costs have risen, and what you, the consumer, can do about it. Find practical advice for monitoring and controlling the cost of legal materials.
 

B-4 Annual Reports: From Ho-hum to Hurrah in Five Easy Steps
Sunday, July 15, 3:00 p.m.
Coordinator LaJean Humphries, Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt PC

The annual report is a management tool that keeps decision makers informed as well as shows the alignment of operations with the organization's goals. Annual reports for public companies are required by law and are often written in a ho-hum style. By contrast, annual reports submitted within a private law firm must be clear, concise, and readable. The content must be quickly assembled as a by-product of daily operations, the format more graphic than narrative, and a variety of technologies must be used for distribution. Annual reports in private law firms will reflect the highly individual character the firm strives to attain.
 

C-7 Training: Are We Missing the Obvious?
Sunday, July 15, 4:15 p.m.
Coordinator Mary Ames, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge, LLP
When designing a training program for an online service, do you wonder whether you're missing some vital piece of information? Have you ever wondered what type of questions a Customer Service Representative is called upon to answer? A panel of Customer Service Representatives will share the most popular or unusual questions they receive from end users. Armed with this "inside" information, the trainer can modify his/her program to include these tidbits.
 

D-5 A Win-Win Partnership: Legal Editors and Law Librarians
Monday, July 16, 8:45 a.m.
Coordinator Lyn Warmath, Hirschler Fleischer
This roundtable question-and-answer program will feature pairs of editors and law librarians who have collaborated with each other to publish articles written by law librarians in state bar journals, local and national bar association publications, and law firm management publications. AALL’ers will hear firsthand from editors about the details of their needs, what they expect from aspiring authors, and the constraints under which they may work. AALL’ers will also hear from librarians who have worked with the editors to build and sustain successful campaigns to reach audiences outside the scope of library literature, such as the judiciary, practitioners, administrators, law professors, and deans.
 

G-3 The Challenge of Electronic Discovery: How Reference Service, Records Management and Litigation Support Interactive
Tuesday, July 17, 9:00 a.m.
Coordinator Lee Nemchek, Morrison & Foerster LLP
Aimed primarily at librarians in the private law firm and corporate environments, this program will inform attendees about how a litigation case logically progresses, paying particular attention to the discovery phase. It will examine the key players in the electronic discovery process — including records managers, paralegals, litigation support specialists and IT personnel — and describe the various tasks they perform to support corporate clients. Program materials will include a comprehensive bibliography of books, media, and periodical titles for law librarians that are supporting an EDD practice specialty at their firms.

G-5 From Law School to Real Life: Preparing New Lawyers for the Challenge of Practice
Tuesday, July 17, 9:00 a.m.
Coordinator Carolyn Santanella, Smith Moore, LLP
This program will first address, through various formats, some of the major areas of deficiencies firm librarians encounter with summer and new associates as to what they do not know or perhaps have not been presented with in regard to research methods, materials, and approaches. Second, it will address the methods, restrictions, challenges, and other issues faced by law school librarians as they prepare law students for practice. Speakers hope to create an open forum for discourse between the two groups to help better equip law school students for the real world of law firm practice.

Unofficial PLL Programs:

Meeting the Challenge of a Law Firm Client's Expectations
Monday, July 16, 2007 8:45 a.m.
Coordinator Mary Ames, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge, LLP
Librarians are accustomed to serving the needs of the firm's attorneys. Have you ever wondered what the firm's clients believe the law firm library should be doing? A Managing Partner, Librarian, and Marketing Director will discuss their views on how the library can serve the firm's clients and the other administrative departments.
 

Communicating Our Value to Management
Monday, July 16 2007 2:00 p.m.
Coordinator Gayle Lynn-Nelson, LexisNexisTM

In today's increasingly complex environment, there is pressure to run a library as a business and increase our visibility in our organizations. How can we accomplish this? We need to gain insight into and understand the challenges that management faces on a day-to-day basis. How can we find this vital information, and whom do we contact in order to learn more about the business objectives of our organizations? Our speakers are in a position to articulate the challenges facing management. After outlining the concerns, they will provide concrete examples to help us quantify what we need to do to support our organizations. You will learn how to open and keep established the lines of communication between management and the library staff during this riveting session. Best practices will be shared.

Value of CI to Law Firm Librarians
Tuesday, July 17, 2007 10:45 a.m.
Coordinator Mark Gediman, Best Best & Krieger LLP
The business of law is changing. As law firms seek to become more profitable in this evolving marketplace, the demand for competitive information will skyrocket. This is a unique opportunity for law firm libraries to increase both their visibility and value to the firm. The unique skills of librarians make the library the natural source for this important research and for packaging it for attorney consumption. This session will discuss how law firm libraries can become integral parts of the firm's CI initiatives.
 

Making Time for the Challenge
Tuesday, July 17, 2007 4:15 p.m.
Coordinator Janice Leichter, Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand
Staying current with e-mails, phone calls, professional reading, and the daily routine can wear down a good law librarian. Blythe McCoy will explain how law librarians can identify and prioritize their responsibilities to become more efficient and avoid being swamped by the variety of tasks each faces. Management practices and procedures that one can use will be discussed. Afterwards, a reaction team will illustrate through "best practices", some on-the-job situations and highlight concerns about the implementation of time-management procedures.

 

PLL PERSPECTIVES IS SEEKING REVIEWERS FOR ANNUAL MEETING PROGRAMS If any of these programs are of particular interest to you, please consider writing a review for the Fall issue of PLL Perspectives. Programs A-3 Legal Information, D-5 A Win-Win, G-3 The Challenge of Electronic Discovery, and Making Time for the Challenge already have a reviewer in place. Please indicate your interest by contacting Donna Fisher at Dfisher@senniger.com.

 

PLL ELECTION RESULTS

The following PLL-SIS members were recently elected to the Executive Board for 2007-2008. This year's election went far more smoothly than last year's election, which was marred by difficulties with the new electronic voting system. Congratulations and best wishes to: Vice Chair/Chair Elect - Lucy Curci-Gonzalez, Kenyon and Kenyon, New York City Treasurer - Susan Skyzinski, Greenberg Traurig, Orlando Member at Large - Michelle Lucero, Mayer, Brown, Rowe and Maw, Houston Thanks goes to all those who ran and to the Nominations Committee for their efforts in putting together such an outstanding slate of candidates. However, the election is not over. This year’s incoming Chair, Riva Laughlin, will be unable to serve and has resigned her position. Thank you, Riva, for your work for PLL and best wishes from all of us. To fill the vacant position, Lucy Curci-Gonzalez has agreed to step up to the Chair beginning in July and PLL will hold a special election in September to elect a Vice Chair/Chair Elect. If you are interested in running or wish to propose a nominee, please contact Holly Riccio, hriccio@omm.com, of the PLL Nominations Committee

 

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