Content Type: eBriefings

AALL eBriefing / Register for the Executive Board Candidates Forums

AALL EXECUTIVE BOARD ELECTION CANDIDATES FORUMS

The AALL Executive Board election for the 2021 Executive Board starts on October 1. Two candidates’ forums are scheduled in advance of the election. Learn more about the candidates before voting opens. Members are encouraged to participate in the moderated forums by submitting questions in advance to candidatesforum@aall.org. Please indicate which candidate forum you would like your question directed.

Members can also ask a question during the forums via live chat. Greg Lambert, chair of the Nominations Committee and past AALL President, will serve as moderator for the forums.

Candidates Forum for President-Elect

September 14, 2020
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (CDT)
Register by Thursday, September 10

CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT

  • Beth Adelman
  • Kathleen (Katie) Brown

Candidates Forum for Executive Board

September 21, 2020
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (CDT)
Register by Thursday, September 17

CANDIDATES FOR EXECUTIVE BOARD

  • Michelle Hook Dewey
  • Steven Antonio Lastres, Esq
  • Kristina L. Niedringhaus
  • Kimberly (Kim) Serna

FORMAT

  • Each candidate will make an opening statement
  • Each question will be posed to each candidate
  • Questions submitted in advance will be shared with the candidates prior to the forums
  • Forums will be recorded and available on AALLNET

QUESTIONS

  • Members are limited to one question each and will not be identified
  • Questions should be related to AALL, law librarianship, and a candidate’s work experience
  • Questions can be submitted via live chat during the forum

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Read the Q&A with candidates from the July/August issue of AALL Spectrum and the candidate biographies and statements on AALLNET.

AALL eBriefing / Follow-Up Statement on Black Lives Matter & Anti-Racism

My message to you this morning left many AALL members hurt and angry, feeling that AALL did not take a strong enough stance. I want to say firmly that AALL stands against racism and we fully support Black Lives Matter.

I want to reiterate that we want to do better as an Association, fully support our members, and help others understand the impact of racism. We are a work in progress, and we need your help to make this lasting change.

AALL stands in solidarity with our members, and everyone in the communities we serve and support who are susceptible to acts of prejudice, threats of violence, and injury or even death because of their race or ethnicity.

Racism has no place in our Association, our policies, our practices, or our behaviors. As AALL’s Ethical Principles state, “We value diversity. We strive to diversify our membership by creating environments and services that promote inclusion of historically underrepresented people as colleagues and patrons.” Additionally, diversity and inclusion is one of AALL’s core values, and we have always valued and continue to value this as an Association.

The events of the past two weeks have brought forth a lot of pain, disbelief, anger, and reflection. We know change takes time, but AALL will continue to stand with you to advance constructive dialogue and solutions within the legal information industry to bring about that change.

Please know that we are listening, and we are committed to the fight against racial injustice and discrimination. Thank you to those of you who have sent us ideas on what AALL can do. Please continue to email us at leadership@aall.org.

Michelle Cosby
AALL President

AALL eBriefing / A Message From the AALL President on Black Lives Matter

The events of the last two weeks have left me saddened and at a loss. Many of you have reached out to me asking if AALL was planning to release an official statement on Black Lives Matter and anti-racism.

After a lot of consideration, including seeking guidance from others as well as thinking about my own personal feelings as a person of color, I feel that a statement without concrete actions does not create change. I am a firm believer that actions matter more than words. We are working on potential actions that we, as AALL members and law librarians, can take to eliminate systemic racism in our society and support AALL’s mission, vision, and values.

As you know, change will not happen overnight, but as long as we strive toward a common goal of listening, understanding, and self-reflection, change will happen. On the immediate horizon, AALL is hosting a Virtual Coffee Chat discussion on June 16, “Virtual Coffee Chat: Giving Voice to What Weighs Upon Us,” moderated by AALL’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee Chair, Casandra Laskowski and AALL Executive Board Treasurer, Cornell H. Winston. I hope all of you are able to join us for this important conversation.

If you have ideas on what we can do as an Association and as AALL members to combat racism, please email us at leadership@aall.org.

Michelle Cosby
AALL President

AALL eBriefing / Registration Now Open for AALL’s First Virtual Conference

The American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) is excited to announce that registration is now open to all for its virtual conference being held July 13-17. AALL 2020 Reimagined with the theme “Unmasking Our Potential” has a new meaning today!

The AALL 2020 virtual conference will feature a virtual exhibit hall and livestreamed sessions covering topics of value to legal information professionals right now, including: enhancing research services, supporting law librarianship as a career, navigating remote work, and adapting to and preparing for a profession changed by COVID-19.

The event will begin with a partner solutions day on Monday, July 13, where registrants can explore and connect with providers of products and services that legal information professionals need. Livestream sessions will kick off on Tuesday, July 14, including an interview with AALL President Michelle Cosby and keynote speaker Jim Kwik, mental coach and advisor to many of the world’s leading CEOs and celebrities.

“AALL is committed to providing its members with continued educational resources and finding innovative ways to continually advance law librarianship and the legal information profession,” said AALL President Michelle Cosby. “The AALL Virtual Conference will be the first of its kind for the Association and a creative solution to this year’s in person Annual Meeting, which was canceled as a result of the pandemic. We’re looking forward to the conversations with our extensive list of speakers and vendors, as well as our interview with keynote speaker Jim Kwik, who is sure to provide invaluable insight to conference attendees.”

Kwik is the founder of Kwik Learning and a widely recognized expert in speed-reading, memory improvement, brain performance, and accelerated learning. In addition to the keynote, the AALL Virtual Conference will include over 20 live education sessions, as well as a virtual exhibit hall where conference registrants and vendors can interact and discuss the changes to products for law libraries as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants will be able to ask questions via live chat or submit questions in advance of the conference. In the week following the conference, approximately 30 prerecorded sessions will be available for viewing.

With the focus of being a valuable educational resource still available to participants even during a pandemic, the AALL Virtual Conference is an affordable way for both AALL members and nonmembers to enhance their skills and knowledge as legal information professionals.

For more information about the AALL Virtual Conference or to register, visit bit.ly/AALL20virtual.

AALL eBriefing / 2020 Candidates Announced

CANDIDATES ANNOUNCED FOR 2020 EXECUTIVE BOARD ELECTION

The Nominations Committee presents the following slate of candidates for various positions on AALL’s Executive Board. Members will vote for one candidate to serve as vice president/ president-elect (2021-2022) and two candidates to serve as Executive Board members (2021-2024). The president-elect will serve on the Board for three years (as vice president, president, and past president) until July 2024. The election will be held October 1 to October 30, and successful candidates will begin their terms in July 2021. Results will be announced on November 2.

VICE PRESIDENT/PRESIDENT­-ELECT
(2021-2022)

Beth Adelman
Director of the Law Library
Vice Dean for Legal Information Services
Charles B. Sears Law Library
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York

Kathleen (Katie) Brown
Associate Dean for Information Resources
Charleston School of Law
Charleston, South Carolina

BOARD MEMBERS
(2021-2024)

Michelle Hook Dewey
Legal Research Services Manager
BakerHostetler
Atlanta, Georgia

Steven Antonio Lastres, Esq.
Director of Knowledge Management Services
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
New York, New York

Kristina L. Niedringhaus
Associate Dean for Law Library & Information Services & Professor
Georgia State University College of Law Library
Atlanta, Georgia

Kimberly (Kim) Serna
Firmwide Associate Director for Research Services
Jones Day
Houston, Texas

In July, biographies and statements of all Executive Board candidates will be posted on AALLNET. As provided in the AALL Bylaws, Section VI 2(3), a member may also be nominated for any office by submitting to the secretary, no later than 30 days after the date of this notice, a nominating petition signed by two percent of the members and the nominee’s written acceptance.

Congratulations to all of our candidates!

Luis Acosta
AALL Secretary

AALL eBriefing / Important Update on the 2020 AALL Annual Meeting

2020 AALL ANNUAL MEETING & CONFERENCE WILL NOT BE HELD IN PERSON

It is with a heavy heart that we send you this announcement. In response to continued concerns related to COVID-19, the AALL Executive Board has made the very difficult decision to cancel the in-person AALL Annual Meeting & Conference scheduled for this July in New Orleans. Please know this decision was made only after significant deliberation and exploration of viable alternatives. The health and safety of our members and program attendees along with continued travel restrictions for most of our members and speakers were major factors in the decision-making process. We believe this is the best course of action for the organization and our members at this time.

Only twice before in the 114-year history of AALL has the Annual Meeting been cancelled. In both instances it was World War II that disrupted the plans of AALL members to gather.

If you have already registered for the Annual Meeting in New Orleans, you will be receiving a separate email from AALL regarding available options. Those options include a full refund or deferring your registration to the 2021 AALL Annual Meeting in Cleveland. If you made a hotel reservation for the AALL Annual Meeting within AALL’s block of rooms, AALL will cancel your room reservation. Additionally, information for exhibitors and sponsors will be forthcoming.

We recognize canceling the AALL Annual Meeting impacts many of your education needs. The Executive Board and AALL staff are working with AALL committees, juries, and other entities to develop a plan to provide a virtual meeting option during the summer months in lieu of the in-person Annual Meeting. As those plans develop, we will be in contact to share more details.

If you have further questions, please call AALL Headquarters at 312.939.4764 or email leadership@aall.org. More information will be posted on AALLNET and our social media channels in the days ahead.

The AALL board, headquarters staff, committee members, and volunteers continue to work diligently on your behalf to advance the profession and support your professional growth. As always, your continued support and participation in AALL is essential and valued, and your understanding and patience during this unique moment in history is also appreciated.

Michelle Cosby
AALL President
AALL Executive Board Members		Vani Ungapen
AALL Executive Director
AALL Headquarters Staff

AALL eBriefing / 2020 Award Recipients Announced

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2020 AALL AWARD RECIPIENTS!

AALL’s Awards Program was established to publicly recognize the achievements of law librarians for their service to the legal information profession and contributions to legal literature.

AALL is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s awards:

MARIAN GOULD GALLAGHER
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

Dr. Yvonne J. Chandler
Associate Professor and Director
Law Librarianship and Legal Informatics Program
University of North Texas
Department of Information Science
Denton, Texas

Jolande Goldberg
Senior Cataloging Policy Specialist for
Law Classification, Policy & Standards
The Library of Congress
Washington, DC

Melody Lembke, Retired
Associate Law Librarian for Collection Services
University of California, Irvine School of Law
Pasadena, California

Michelle M. Wu
Associate Dean for Library Services & Professor of Law
Georgetown University Law Library
Washington, DC
_______________________________

JOSEPH L. ANDREWS LEGAL LITERATURE AWARD

CO-EDITORS

Ed Edmonds
Professor Emeritus of Law
Notre Dame Law School
Notre Dame, Indiana

AND

Frank G. Houdek
Emeritus Professor of Law
Southern Illinois University School of Law
Carbondale, Illinois

Business and Legal Aspects of Sports and Entertainment (BLASE), HeinOnline

EDITOR

Ellyssa Kroski
Director of Information Technology & Marketing
The New York Law Institute
New York, New York

Law Librarianship in the Age of AI

_______________________________

HALL OF FAME AWARD

Steven P. Anderson
Director
Thurgood Marshall State Law Library of Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland

Mary Lu Linnane, Retired
Associate Director for Technical Services
DePaul University
Rinn Law Library
Chicago, Illinois

Gail Warren
State Law Librarian
Virginia State Law Library
Richmond, Virginia

Carol A. Watson
Law Library Director
Alexander Campbell King Law Library
University of Georgia School of Law
Athens, Georgia

_______________________________

AALL SPECTRUM ARTICLE OF THE YEAR AWARD

Rena Seidler
Reference Librarian
Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
Indianapolis, Indiana

“Shedding Light on Legal Research Accessibility Issues for the Blind,”
AALL Spectrum, Vol. 23, No. 3 (January/February 2019)

_______________________________

EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARD

Pierce County Law Library
Tacoma, Washington

Legal Research Center at Lakewood

University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Law,
Leon E. Bloch Law Library, and
Legal Aid of Western Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri

Self-Help Clinic

_______________________________

LAW LIBRARY JOURNAL ARTICLE OF THE YEAR AWARD

Frederick W. Dingledy
Senior Reference Librarian
Wolf Law Library
William & Mary Law School
Williamsburg, Virginia

“From Stele to Silicon: Publication of Statutes, Public Access to the Law, and the Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act,” 111 Law Library Journal 165 (2019)

_______________________________

AALL/LEXISNEXIS CALL FOR PAPERS AWARD

NEW MEMBER DIVISION

Nicholas Mignanelli
Librarian Assistant Professor
Reference & Instructional Services Librarian, and Lecturer in Law
University of Miami School of Law
Coral Gables, Florida

“Legal Research and Its Discontents: A Bibliographic Essay on Critical Approaches to Legal Research”

SHORT FORM DIVISION

Danyahel (Danny) Norris
Faculty Research Librarian
Houston, Texas

“All Roads Lead to the Library: An Academic Law Library Departmental
Outreach Program”

OPEN DIVISION

Janet Sinder
Director of the Library & Professor of Law
Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn, New York

“Correcting the Record: Law Journals and Scholarly Integrity in the
Digital Age”

_______________________________

MINORITY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AWARD

Heather Hummons
Head of Access Services/Adjunct Faculty
DePaul University College of Law
Rinn Law Library
Chicago, Illinois

_______________________________

PUBLIC ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT
INFORMATION AWARD

Jeremy J. McCabe
Research Services Librarian
Georgetown University Law Library
Washington, DC

Leah Prescott
Associate Director for Digital Initiatives and Special Collections
Georgetown University Law Library
Washington, DC

Foreign Intelligence Law Collection

_______________________________

ROBERT L. OAKLEY ADVOCACY AWARD

Scott G. Burgh, Retired
Chief Law Librarian
City of Chicago Law Department
Chicago, Illinois

_______________________________

NEW PRODUCT AWARD

LexisNexis
New York, New York

LexisNexis Digital Library

_______________________________

EMERGING LEADER AWARD

Lindsey Ann Carpino
Legal Content Services Supervisor
BakerHostetler
Chicago, Illinois

Benjamin J. Keele
Research & Instructional Services Librarian
Ruth Lilly Law Library
Indiana University McKinney School of Law
Indianapolis, Indiana

Sara V. Pic
Head of Public Services
Law Library of Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana

_______________________________

INNOVATIONS IN TECHNOLOGY AWARD

FOUNDER AND CHAIR, ALLStAR ADVISORY BOARD

Teresa M. Miguel-Stearns
Associate Dean, Legal Information Innovation
Director, Law Library & Professor of Law
Daniel F. Cracchiolo Law Library
James E. Rogers College of Law
Tucson, Arizona

PROJECT MANAGER

Robert Dugan, Retired
NELLCO Law Library Consortium, Inc.
Pensacola, Florida

DESIGNER

Karen Kupiec
Director, Customer Service
Counting Opinions
Bernard, Maine

SPONSOR

Corie Dugas
Executive Director
NELLCO Law Library Consortium, Inc.
Albany, New York

ALLStAR Official Survey, part of ALLStAR Benchmarking

_______________________________

VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD

Nicole P. Dyszlewski
Head of Research, Instruction & Engagement
Roger Williams University School of Law Library
Bristol, Rhode Island

Congratulations to all the winners!

AALL eBriefing / COVID-19 Update

As I write this, I realize most of us have been living in this new normal for almost a month now. I know this is a difficult time for us all, and I want to thank you for your patience, understanding, and flexibility with both the Executive Board and the Association; we know that these are uncertain and stressful times.

When I accepted the nomination for Vice-President/President Elect, I knew the position would come with some challenges. However, no one could have foreseen a challenge such as a global health pandemic and its worldwide impact. Coronavirus (COVID-19) has not only changed our daily work lives, but also our home lives. The COVID-19 situation has also impacted our institutions’ budgets and our travel policies.

While AALL has already made changes to several programs and events by going virtual or by postponing them, at this point, the AALL Annual Meeting & Conference currently planned for mid-July is scheduled to take place, although we are watching this fluid situation very carefully. We are aware that many members have been impacted by travel restrictions and some may not want to attend the Conference for many other reasons. We will take these limitations into account with any decision we make.

I want to assure you that AALL is looking at all of its options and is working with its legal counsel to have all AALL Annual Meeting contracts reviewed. We will also be sending out a survey later this week to see how COVID-19 has impacted you and your organization. As a Board and as an Association, the health and safety of our members and meeting attendees are our top priority and will continue to guide us in our decision making. You are the most important component of AALL. No matter what decision is made, we know it may be frustrating for some. Many of you have worked and prepared programs, posters, and other learning activities that make AALL strong and vibrant. We value that and hope you will continue to contribute.

We realize that waiting leaves room for more uncertainty, but it is the more prudent option right now for the Association as a whole. A decision to cancel or proceed with the AALL Annual Meeting will impact our members’ programs, the 2020 award recipients, and our partners, as well as the Association for years to come. These are difficult times, but with your help, we will get through this together.

We will continue to monitor the ever-changing COVID-19 situation and any updates or additional resources will be found on our COVID-19 Updates and Resources page. AALL staff remains available to assist you during this time. We are #AALLin this together. If you have questions, please contact AALL’s Headquarters Office at 312.939.4764.

Michelle Cosby
AALL President

AALL eBriefing / We Are in This Together #AALLin

As I was scrolling through social media a few days ago, I saw the following comment: “Adding ‘showed up to work during the apocalypse’ to my resume.” Of course, this made me giggle and I had to reshare, but it also got me thinking. That’s what we do as law librarians and legal information professionals. We show up, even in times of crisis and uncertainty. 
 
As we adjust to a modified work environment, I want you to know that AALL continues to be here for you. We are monitoring the ever-changing COVID-19 situation and any updates or resource suggestions can be found on our COVID-19 Updates and Resources page.

The Executive Board held an emergency meeting on Wednesday March 18, and I want to take a moment to highlight a few of the adjustments that were made as we continue on in 2020:
  • The application deadline for AALL’s grants and scholarships has been extended to May 15 (originally April 1).
  • The Executive Board Spring Meeting will be held virtually April 2-3.
  • The 2020 AALL Annual Meeting is scheduled to take place as planned for now, July 11-14 in New Orleans. As a result of the travel restrictions and other obstacles we have heard about from members, the early-bird registration deadline has been extended to June 15 (originally May 15).

Finally, as we orient ourselves to the disorienting changes in our organizations, in our communities, and in our personal lives, please know that you are not alone—your AALL community is just a click away. This is a difficult time for all of us, and I appreciate your patience, understanding, and flexibility as we navigate these uncertain times.

AALL staff remains available to assist you during this time. We are #AALLin this together. If you have questions, please contact AALL’s Headquarters Office at 312.939.4764.

Michelle Cosby
AALL President

AALL eBriefing / AALL Update on COVID-19 Situation

We are currently living in a time with great uncertainty that requires action, flexibility, and resilience. As organizations across the country are evaluating their own workplace operations to deal with this crisis, I am encouraged and proud to see our strong network of law librarians and legal information professionals sharing resources, ideas, and contingency plans.

We have heard from many of you about the impact the COVID-19 situation is having on your organizations; many of you have travel restrictions in place and have reached out to us for advice and support. As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to grow, AALL has two upcoming events in Chicago, Leadership Academy and the CI Strategies & Analysis program. To that end, we are looking to postpone the 2020 Leadership Academy to August. A formal announcement with new dates will be announced as soon as we have worked out the details of this change. We are still evaluating options for the CI Strategies & Analysis program, and no decision to cancel or postpone have been made at this point. We are following the latest updates and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the City of Chicago, and the State of Illinois.

With regard to the 2020 AALL Annual Meeting, it is still too early for AALL to postpone or cancel the event. Our conference is scheduled to take place as planned with the early-bird registration deadline remaining May 15, 2020. We are in regular communication with the Louisiana Department of Health. The health and safety of our members, speakers, sponsors, and staff are important to us and guide our decision making during this difficult time. We encourage you to make decisions about attending any event based on your own health and safety needs.

AALL Headquarters is open and staff remains ready to assist members. We will continue to keep you informed of any updates, as we did in our March 6 eBriefing. Members are also encouraged to visit our COVID-19 Updates and Resources page on AALLNET. If you have additional questions or comments, please contact AALL’s Headquarters Office at 312.939.4764.

Michelle Cosby
AALL President