Career Choices

After many years as a law librarian I remain convinced of the career. Recently, at least tangentially, US News & World concurred – describing special librarianship as the “best nonpolitical job for political junkies.”

Law Library Architecture in the Wall Street Journal

Each spring, Spectrum publishes articles about recent law library construction or remodeling projects. Recently  Spectrum got scooped by both the Wall Street Journal,  and the Chicago Tribune,  in reporting about a remodeling project at the University of Chicago Law School. 

Congratulations to everyone at the D’Angelo Law Library, University of Chicago!

November Issue of Spectrum Posted Online

The November 2008 issue of AALL Spectrum is available in PDF format on AALLNET. This month’s articles feature:

• implementing a federated search product
• how to conduct a communications audit
• teaching legal research abroad
• a review of J Journal
• how customer service ensures the library’s relevance
• a look at law firm records managers
• AALL’s work with the Self Represented Litigation Network
• a newer law librarian’s perspective on attending his second AALL Annual Meeting.

The “Member to Member” responses provide a long list of blogs and bloggers that AALL members read.

Paper copies of Spectrum are scheduled to mail out this Friday, October 24, so watch for them to hit your mailboxes soon.

Law Library for San Bernardino County Named 2008 Federal Depository Library of the Year

 

The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) named California’s Law Library for San Bernardino County as the 2008 Federal Depository Library of the Year. The library services the largest county, in land area, in the United States. The library has made great strides in offering its residents resources to government information. To meet the needs of its patrons, the library has extended its hours of operation, developed a new and improved user-friendly Web site, and offers the AskNow Law Librarian online reference service.

The library staff also conducts extensive public outreach by promoting law library materials and services to civic and community organizations. To continue to maintain an open relationship with the public, the library conducts customer satisfaction surveys and uses the results to improve services where needed. Public Printer Robert C. Tapella presented the award to library officials at the annual Fall Federal Depository Library Conference.  

Congratulations to the Law Library for San Bernardino County!

 

Changes

After 28+ years I’m changing employers. In November, I leave Holme Roberts & Owen to become the Director of the Alameda County Law Library in Oakland, CA. The logistics of moving – finding a house, selling a house, packing, wrapping up projects at Holme Roberts suck up a lot of time – hence the dearth of posts.

I am very excited about the prospect of working in a public law library so that I may more directly work to provide access to legal information to the public.  Alameda County Law Library, under the leadership of retiring director Cossette Sun and the Board of Trustees, provides outstanding services to lawyers and the public.  I get to build on that fine work.  In short, I’m psyched!

-Mark

It’s Professional Legal Management Week (Oct. 6-10)

Professional Legal Management Week (PLMW) is a week set aside to recognize those in legal management for what they do and the roles they play in the success of their organizations. AALL is one of 11 associations co-sponsoring the event with the Association of Legal Administrators.

 

Don’t miss the second edition of Professional Legal Management Week Magazine, which includes AALL member Barbara Cornwell Holt’s article, “Law Librarians’ Role in Developing Associates.”

 

Be sure to take part in PLMW this week.