VALL Survey: Timing & Frequency of Meetings

From Fred Dingledy:

Greetings, VALL members!

At the Fall/Annual Meeting, we discussed the frequency and timing ofVALL's meetings. It's been brought to our attention that the quarterlymeeting format might be a large time and financial commitment for a lot of members, especially in these days of tight budgets. We're also wondering if the Annual Meeting should be changed from a two-day to a one-day event. So, we'd like your input. We've created a six-question survey that you can access at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=p7LTimIAQlSQNUTp4PMdxQ_3d_3d

VALL's meetings can't go anywhere without our members, so your input is very important to us. Note that actually changing the number of meetings per year will require a by laws amendment, so this is something that won't happen overnight, but we'd like to know how our members feel about this before putting things into motion.We'd greatly appreciate it if you could respond to the survey by Thursday, November 19, since one of the questions is about a preferred date for the Winter 2010 meeting. Thanks in advance!

VALL Annual Meeting at South University, Richmond, Nov. 6 - 7, 2009

"Cool" "Modern" and "Immensely attractive" were some of the words used by members of VALL to describe South University's Richmond Campus. VALL held it's annual meeting at the Richmond Campus, Nov. 6 - 7, and it was attended by about 30 members.

The Friday attendees in the Distance Learning Lab

Interim Richmond Campus President Seth Saunders welcoming VALL and sharing SU's history, philosophy and plans with VALLers


Doris Morgan from McGuireWoods won one of Friday's door prizes -- an SU t-shirt. Seth Saunders and SU Head Librarian Evelyn Campbell present it to her.

VALL Program Chair Anthony Ikwueme receives the second door prize from Seth Saunders. The third door prize which was an SU clock was won by Julie Stuckey.

Gail Warren from the Virginia State Law Library and Jean Holcomb presenting their Friday program Got Ideas? Tools and Techniques to Identify, Refine and Communicate Ideas that Stick.

Friday's attendees listening attentively to Gail and Jean.

Saturday's panel for Bridging the Gap Between What Law Schools Teach and What Law Firms Need. L-R: Chris Byrne from the College of William & Mary Law Library, Suzanne Corriell from the University of Richmond Law Library, Barbara Baxter from Liberty University School of Law Library, Billie Jo Brooks from Williams Mullen and Laurie Claywell from Kaufman & Canoles.

Saturday's attendees listening to the panel before participating in a lively discussion.

Donna Bausch, Jean Holcomb, Tracie Krumbine and Doris Morgan during a break in the program.

Jeanne Ullian, Chris Byrne and VALL President Fred Dingledy.

Gail Warren, Barbara Cumming, Billie Jo Brooks and Barbara Baxter.

Guest Speaker Christine Sellers from the Library of Congress sharing her experiences with VALL on how she coped with being laid off and how she created the popular blog Law Librarians of Leisure.

Guest speaker Christine Sellers

More door prizes! Billie Jo Brooks wins one of the door prizes donated by LexisNexis' Leanne Battle. L-R: Fred Dingledy, Tracie Krumbine and Billie Jo Brooks.

Suzanne Corriell wins the second door prize.

David Knight from the Norfolk Law Library won the third door prize.

A Word (or two) from VALL President Fred Dingledy:

"Thanks to everyone for making the VALL Fall/Annual Meeting a success! Kudos to the Program Committee for coming up with a great slate of speakers. Jean Holcomb and Gail Warren provided sage advice on how to come up with ideas that will stick; and just as important, how to get those ideas across to the people who have to implement them. There was a lively panel discussion involving librarians from the academic and law firm worlds on how to best teach law students the research skills they will need as attorneys. Finally, Christine Sellers, the mind behind the Law Librarians of Leisure blog, offered sound advice on dealing with the current job market for law librarians.

I was especially pleased with the high degree of involvement our members displayed. Many questions and comments flew back and forth between presenters and members during the weekend's programs, which I always take as a sign of a good meeting. Once again, thanks to the presenters, organizers, and attendees, and a big thanks to South University as well for agreeing to host the event at their brand-new campus in Richmond. I hope everyone will be there for the Winter Meeting at Liberty!"

Directions to South University

From Charlottesville: Take I-64 east toward Richmond. Take exit 178-A (Route 250 West also known as West Broad Street). As you enter Route 250, you must cross all lanes of traffic and get into the left most lane so that you may turn left at the first full traffic signal (Brookriver Drive). From the left most turn lane, turn left onto Brookriver Drive. Go past the first street (Whole Foods will be on your left) and drive to the stop sign staying in the left lane. At the stop sign, South University is the building across the street to your left (look for the orange awnings). Drive straight across the street and turn left into the parking lot behind the building.


From Williamsburg: Take I-64 west toward Richmond. Take exit 178-A (Route 250 West also known as West Broad Street. As you enter Route 250, you must cross all lanes of traffic and get into the left most lane. Go past the first partial traffic signal that puts people back on I-64, and turn left at the first full traffic signal (Brookriver Drive). From the left most turn lane, turn left onto Brookriver Drive. Go past the first street (Whole Foods will be on your left) and drive to the stop sign staying in the left lane. At the stop sign, South University is the building across the street to your left (look for the orange awnings). Drive straight across the street and turn left into the parking lot behind the building.


For those using Routes 60 or 360 from west of Richmond: Go east on either Route 60 or 360. Get on Route 288 North and go across the James River. Take the Route 250 East (also known as West Broad Street) exit. Stay in the right lane and proceed approximately three miles. You will see Short Pump Town Center mall on your left and several shopping centers on your right. After you pass a very large intersection (Pump Road and Pouncey Track Road), you will see a Walmart on your left followed by a Target, Kroger, Home Depot and Kohl’s (all on your left). On your right, is West Broad Village. Turn right into West Broad Village shopping center at Brookriver Drive. Get into the left lane, go past the first street (Whole Foods will be on your left) and drive to the stop sign staying in the left lane. At the stop sign, South University is the building across the street to your left (look for the orange awnings). Drive straight across the street and turn left into the parking lot behind the building.

Food Drive

Congratulations to those libraries who are doing the food drive for the Central Virginia Food Bank! For those who haven't started, it's not too late ... there is still time left to collect canned and boxed goods. Foods that are needed are canned chicken & ham, canned tuna & salmon, peanut butter, canned vegetables, canned fruits, spaghetti sauce, hot & cold cereals and pasta & rice. Please check out the Food Bank's website for other urgently needed items and for flyers & tips on how to conduct a food drive:

www.cvfb.org

Please bring your donations to the VALL meeting on Nov. 6 and arrangements will be made to drop off the donated goods to the Food Bank. A report will be made to the membership on how many pounds of food VALL was able to collect. One pound of food averages one meal ... let's help feed the hungry in Virginia ... donate generously!

Dine Around for Nov. 6th Night

There are many restaurants around South University. Please take a look at the list below, check out the menus and then post a comment stating your name and your restaurant choice by Oct. 31st.

Mimi's Cafe:
This is a New Orleans themed restaurant which is within walking distance of Aloft and South University. If you order the Bread Pudding be sure to ask for extra whiskey sauce!
http://www.mimiscafe.com/

Kona Grill:
The menu at this restaurant is American with Pacific Rim fusion so there is sushi and also pad thai available. The Pad Thai Noodles with Shrimp and Chicken & the Sweet-Chili Glazed Salmon were excellent.
http://www.konagrill.com/

Bertucci's:
Is an area favorite and is a short drive from South University. It has introduced its new Fall menu items and the Fettucinne Isabella is delicious. The rolls are excellent ... crusty on the outside and soft on the inside ... just be sure to save room for dinner and maybe dessert.
http://www.bertuccis.com/

Tara Thai:
In the Short Pump Center is also very popular. Have dinner and then do a spot of shopping!
http://www.tarathairichmond.com/

Please post a comment if you have additions to the list. This is just a very short list.

VALL Annual Meeting at South University, Nov. 6 - 7

Dates: Friday-Saturday, November 6-7, 2009
Location: South University
2151 Old Brick Road
Glen Allen, Virginia 23060

Registration Form and Hotel Information:
http://vall.pbworks.com/2009+Fall-Annual+Meeting

Things I learned at AMPLL 2009

by Laurie Claywell

It began innocently enough. I just wanted to support our Lexis Librarian Relations representative since she was on the 2009 AMPLL advisory council. It would look good, I thought, to have people from her territory apply. I wasn’t supposed to actually be chosen to participate. The mission of the conference was Invigorate Your Leadership Skills in Turbulent Times, and I got my first lesson even before setting foot in Dallas. I was reminded by a savvy colleague that VALL offers professional education grants and suggested that I should apply to defray the travel cost. I almost didn’t since I work for a firm that supports my professional education expenses but then I realized that money and the bottom line are what speak to those who occupy the C-offices (CEO, CFO, etc). Resourcefulness is what librarians are all about so I applied, received a grant (thank you) and, hopefully, impressed my boss a bit.

This was not a long weekend of sightseeing or golf in between sessions. It was highly focused, drop any introverted tendencies and get with the program. The breakout sessions and meal time chatter were incredibly informative and stimulating but two of the scheduled programs have really struck a long term chord with me.

The executive director of a Midwestern law firm suggested developing an action plan: set specific goals and objectives; prepare a budget; allocate resources to the highest value; know the cost to support a practice group; justify the return of cost (3x); support all Admin departments (cooperative efforts not adversarial); make changes/improve costs/implement efficiencies; know the firm’s top clients and prospects; be proactive.

To help justify the existence of library staff, track staff billable hours with a goal of a 90% recovery rate. If library time is continually written down or written off by a particular attorney then that attorney’s request gets lower priority; in the eyes of this “C”, collectable equals highest priority; Track cost data and recovery; Track requesting customers and service excellence examples. Record some stats: number of patrons; which practice groups; what kinds of services; ILL trends. Be proactive. Increase visibility -- visit a partner a week: How can we help you or, conversely, this is how we can help you.

Overall, the “C” wished his librarian would talk to him more like an MBA than an MLS.

The other session that had the biggest impact on me was that of building a portfolio – promoting team accomplishments. Too often we are more comfortable working in the background but it was pointed out that we are successful in those support roles and we need to leverage that success: a tree in a forest of accomplishments vs. undocumented successes.

“What Have You Done For Me Lately?” or Starting a Success Portfolio. Capture your kudos and those of your staff. If an attorney passes you in the hall and mentions that your reference librarian really came through in the clutch, ask her to send you a short email to document that help. If she forgets to do it, send her an email thanking her for taking the time to let you know what your staff member accomplished and put that email in the team’s portfolio. What does a Portfolio look like?

Paper or electronic, whichever works best for you and your staff but be consistent. I’m trying out a Workspace in our DM software
Content must make sense to the desired audience (detail; put it in context)
Needs to be more than “thank you!” or “you rock!” One suggestion for content is reviewing the firm’s new client list and noting which clients the library had a role in bringing in

It’s all about perceptions. Dress the part. Exude confidence. Take ownership. Make them look good – and keep a success log of how you did it.

Testing the waters: Reflections for the uninitiated

by Michele Gernhardt

As a relatively nascent law librarian, I felt some intimidation over the prospect of attending an AALL Annual Meeting. The cost, time commitment and travel involved can be overwhelming for a first-time attendee. This year, the convenient location, a generous VALL grant, and a fantastic roommate provided the opportunity and incentive I needed to finally take the plunge. No longer one of the uninitiated, I hope that future first-timers will benefit from my observations and experiences.

Scheduling

If my experience is close to the norm (and I believe it is in this case), you’re not going to spend much time in your hotel room. I had just enough time to shower, change and grab some breakfast or a beverage before dashing off to the first item on my very full schedule each day.

Even with the assistance of AALL’s new online calendar creator, the scheduling process can be quite daunting. The final program for the 102nd AALL Annual Meeting and Conference was 80 pages long and chock-full of programming, meeting details and special event announcements. There were six different programs scheduled during each block of time, meaning it was impossible to attend more than 16% of the programs. I was dismayed at having to choose, and wondered whether I was missing out on some life-changing presentation in another meeting room.

In addition to the programming, one must also make room for chapter meetings (such as the PLL-SIS luncheon and VALL meeting) and events. As if the official AALL Annual Meeting program wasn’t enough, there’s also the deluge of post-cards, e-mails and telephone calls from vendors and library groups announcing special events, meetings and promotions. These little extras started pouring in a few weeks before the meeting and didn’t stop until after my first day in D.C.

Now that I’m on the other side of my first experience, here’s my advice regarding scheduling:
- Don’t schedule every minute. Make peace early with the fact that you can’t attend every program, meeting and special event.
- Make time for fun. You’re in a new and different place. Make sure you get to see more than just the hotel and convention center. Take a library tour, go on an organized outing or just do some sight-seeing.
- Block out a few hours (not necessarily all at once) for the exhibit hall. My biggest regret is not having any time to explore the exhibit hall. Some very generous colleagues saw to it that I didn’t go home empty-handed (thanks for the swag!), but next time I’m going to make sure that I give myself enough time for a leisurely visit.
- Volunteer. I’m especially glad that I made time to volunteer. The online volunteer sign-up form made the process quite simple, and there were a variety of volunteer opportunities to choose from. I worked at the registration desk and also helped out at the closing banquet. It felt very good to give back to AALL and my colleagues in this small way.

Dining

I must admit that I came very close to writing an article solely devoted to my culinary experience at the Annual Meeting. Wining and dining is a constant and pleasant component of the convention. You will have more lunch and dinner invitations than you can possibly oblige. I opted for the more intimate functions this year, with the exception of the closing banquet. I will definitely try the larger West and Lexis functions should I have the opportunity to attend a future Annual Meeting.

Learning

Overall, the programming at the Annual Meeting was excellent. Our colleagues imparted a great deal of knowledge utilizing a variety of presentation styles. There was an even mix of “big picture” and subject-specific programs.

I attended some wonderful “big picture” programs:
- So You Think You Can Teach: Keeping the Audience Awake and Learning Alive
- Got Ideas? Tools and Techniques to Identify, Refine and Communicate Ideas That Stick; and
- Emerging from the Cocoon: Innovative Ways to Reteach Legal Research to Externs and Summer Associates.

I also thoroughly enjoyed two subject-specific programs:
- What’s in a Name? Trademark Searching, Services and Domain Names; and
- Law Librarian: The New Private Investigator.

These programs provided me with a veritable treasure trove of information to share with my colleagues. However, the most lasting and important piece of knowledge that I gleaned from attending these programs is something very personal. I realized that “I can do it.” I can put this knowledge to use to improve myself professionally. I can provide better service to my patrons. And finally, I can now see myself standing up on the podium at some future Annual Meeting, presenting my own program.

Collegiality

Sharing professional experiences with colleagues in both formal and informal settings is perhaps the most significant benefit of attending an AALL Annual Meeting. It was wonderful to listen to law librarians talk about the challenges and issues that they face and realize that I shared similar concerns and experiences. Chatting with fellow law librarians at vendor-sponsored dinners and between presentations made me really feel I was a part of a professional community.

Parting Thoughts

99997.005000 EMF_US 28233313v1I left the annual meeting feeling both humbled and empowered. I am very grateful to the VALL Grant Committee for providing this excellent opportunity. If you haven’t had the chance to attend an AALL Annual Meeting, I hope you’ll jump at the next opportunity.

Mr. and Ms. Librarian Go to Washington: VALL Members Participate in AALL's Day on the Hill

by Fred Dingledy

This year’s AALL Annual Meeting and Conference was held in Washington, D.C., which not only proved a convenient location for VALL members, but also gave conference-goers a chance to meet their U.S. Representatives and Senators as a part of the 2009 Day on the Hill, sponsored by the AALL Government Relations office.

Day on the Hill took place on Friday, July 24, the day before the main conference began, but still received a strong turnout – the Government Relations office reports that more than 75 members from across the country took advantage of the opportunity, including a librarian from Japan’s National Diet Library. Virginia was proudly represented by a strong contingent – joining me at the event were Heather Harrell Buchanan from the Suffolk Circuit Court Library; Robert Davis from the Prince William County Public Law Library; Tom Pulver from the Fairfax Public Law Library; and Roger Skalbeck from Georgetown University Law Library.

After introductions all around, Mary Alice Baish and Emily Feldman from the Government Relations office gave a presentation on “Hot Topics on AALL’s Policy and Legislative Agenda”, summarizing the topics that we would be discussing with our Representatives and Senators later in the day, including free public access to PACER; easy and free public access to Congressional Research Service reports; and funding for the Law Library of Congress.

Next, we heard from “advocacy guru” Stephanie Vance, who gave an entertaining program with group tips on effective advocacy. Some of the more entertaining tips were of the “stuff you’d hope people wouldn’t need to be told, but apparently they do” variety:

· If your meeting is with a politician’s staffer instead of their boss, don’t express disappointment that you’re meeting with “just” them.
· Don’t ask how much the Honorable Representative/Senator was paid to advocate a position.

Stephanie also offered suggestions on how participants could craft their message to best grab politicians’ attention, and demonstrated with the able help of one brave soul who volunteered to do a mock walk-and-talk with her. Stephanie left her audience with several valuable takeaways, among them:

· Be sure to know exactly what you want and clearly ask for it. Don’t accept a general “we love libraries” for an answer.
· If you’re meeting as a group, coordinate your message. Everyone doesn’t have to speak at every meeting.
· Have a personal story that illustrates why it’s important Congress grant your request. Your request sticks in the mind much better as “I want to make it easier for John and Jane Prose to find the bankruptcy filings they need” than as an abstract concept like “public access to U.S. District Court documents fulfills an important need”.
· There’s a good chance you’ll only have five minutes to meet. Be sure you can condense your message accordingly.
· Be persistent (but not overly so). Be sure to follow up – suggesting a site visit is often a good way to bring your message home. E-mail is often a better option than snail mail, since physical mail has to be irradiated in a facility in New Jersey (a side effect of the anthrax letters from a few years ago) before it arrives in Congressional offices in D.C. Physical mail sent to district offices may not be subject to the same holdup, though.
· Remember that Representatives’ and Senators’ staffers are your friends. They’re the ones doing most of the research work, and they’ve got their boss’s ear. Having the staff on your side can help you greatly; getting on their bad side won’t help you at all.

After Ms. Vance’s presentation came break-out sessions for each state’s delegation, followed by a brief Q&A session and parting words from Mary Alice, Emily, and Stephanie.

After a brief lunch, it was time to meet Congress. I’ll have to admit to a case of nerves beforehand, this is the first time I’ve been involved in lobbying like this. Fortunately, our group had learned our lessons well, and the people at each office were friendly and courteous.

We started our meetings with Virginia’s U.S. Senators. Emily Feldman joined our group for these meetings. First stop was Sen. Jim Webb’s office, where we met with Legislative Correspondent Courtney Weaver. After meeting with Ms. Weaver, we discussed AALL identified issues with Nicholas Devereux, Senior Legislative Correspondent for Sen. Mark Warner. Finally, Heather, Robert, and Tom joined me for a meeting with Brent Robinson, Senior Legislative Assistant for Rep. Rob Wittman (Va. 1st Dist.).

Rather than try to cover the entire range of issues concerning AALL, we believed it better to focus on one or two issues, so we devoted most of our time towards two issues:

1. Asking Congress to encourage the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to revive a pilot program aimed towards allowing free public access to PACER; and
2. Encouraging the Senate Rules and Administration Committee to pass S.Res. 118, which would create a system for easy and fee public access to Congressional Research Service reports.

My nerves quickly calmed after a couple of minutes as we began discussing the issues. The CRS Reports in particular seemed to be a very popular resource among Congressional staffers, and they seemed interested in granting the public access to these valuable resources. When it came to both issues, staffers did have questions of their own: Was PACER’s $.08/page cost really unreasonable? Shouldn’t Congressional staff be able to get a chance to review CRS reports before the public, since they’re the intended audience? It wasn’t really hostile questioning, though, it seemed to me more along the lines of making sure they get all sides of the issue in the grand legal tradition.

So, although I was a little hesitant before the day began and wondered what I’d gotten myself into, by the end I was glad I’d participated. It was informative getting to meet the people representing me in Congress – and dare I say, actually fun. It’s easy to get cynical about the political process, but it’s important to take part. Congress can’t know what law librarians want unless we tell them, and the men and women of Congress and their staffs really do want to listen.

The Government Relations office has created a page for this event at http://www.aallnet.org/aallwash/toolkit/dayonhill3-3.asp with a copy of Mary Alice Baish and Emily Feldman’s presentation, along with Stephanie Vance’s. The site also has links to AALL Issue Briefs covering “hot topics” of special interest to the organization.

If you want to contact your U.S. Senators and Representative, check their website. Sites usually have information setting up appointments and contact information:

· Sen. Mark Warner’s website is at http://warner.senate.gov/public/.
· Sen. Jim Webb’s website is at http://webb.senate.gov/. To find your local U.S. Representative’s website, go to the House’s homepage at http://www.house.gov/ and enter your ZIP+4 (yes, you do need to know the +4 part as well) in the “Find Your Representative” form at the upper-left corner of the screen (it’s in the darker title bar area of the page).

Why I Value the Annual Meeting

by Isabel Paul

Back when my employer was economically disposed and generous enough to fund my attendance at the AALL Annual Meeting, it was understood that I would be gaining knowledge of some value to the library. Fortunately, I could always uphold more than my end of the bargain, and, as the 102nd Annual Meeting and Conference proved, I can continue to contribute.

It goes without saying that the Programs are the centerpiece of any AALL Meeting and I discovered several gems. Here is a brief recap of a few of the real sparklers.

For an update on relevant resources, there was nothing to compete with Finding Services for Seniors (Ourselves and Others). The featured speaker, Ellen Klem, a staff attorney with the ABA Commission on Law and Aging, really focused on information for the public, my dominant user group. Many of the publication she discussed are generated by the ABA and are available for free or for a nominal charge. Her numerous, detailed handouts featured other publications and many appropriate websites, including FTC consumer related pages, and the Alzheimer’s Association webpage and a description of its contents. As a final gesture of convenience, Ellen agreed to add names to the subscriber e-mail list for ABA’s Bifocal newsletter. I’ve already received my first issue!

Taking me completely out of my comfort zone was the program, Strategic Alliance: The Tribal Supreme Court Project. Richard Guest, staff attorney for the Native American Rights Fund, spoke about the organization’s goal of strengthening advocacy for Native Americans and improving their win-loss record before the U.S. Supreme Court. The Project monitors cases in state appellate and federal courts, submits amicus briefs on behalf of tribal government interests, offers advice and expertise on the certiorari process, reviews tribal briefs, and steers tribes away from cases with a remote chance of winning. To date, this group has participated in 12 cases that have been argued before the Supreme Court, with progress made under the Rehnquist Court (3 wins, 2 losses, 2 ties) and discouraging results with the Roberts Court (0 wins, 5 losses, with tribes winning in the lower courts on every case). Chris Pereira, Systems Administrator for the Project, demonstrated their impressive presence on the Web as they track cases pending before the Court and cases they are monitoring, and as they upload a complete online archive of court documents.

Finally, in an effort to sharpen my influence as a library manager, I attended Got Ideas? Tools and Techniques to Identify, Refine and Communicate Ideas That Stick! Presented by two dynamic speakers, our very own Gail Warren and Jean Holcomb, this program was designed to assist managers in recognizing bright ideas (unexpected, simple, concrete, credible, having emotional appeal, and telling a story), in nurturing staffs to think creatively, and in communicating so as to leave a lasting impression. Jean and Gail had their own bright idea for driving the message home: make the session interactive. Attendees were given a “Bright Idea Identification and Assessment Tool Template” and asked to engage their brains in the thought process. First, we had to come up with an idea, communicate the idea so that it would “stick”, and then evaluate it based on the 6 factors for identifying a bright idea.

As much as I was able to take home from this Meeting, I also intended to give back. So, I relinquished an hour for walking around the Exhibit Hall in order to sit at the SCCLL SIS table in the Activities Area. I was able to meet and greet many passing colleagues and old friends, and distribute materials about the SIS and the programs it sponsored this year. This was definitely time well spent.

In closing, I would like to thank Donna Bausch and the Grants Committee, and VALL’s financial largesse for making my attendance possible. May future grants provide a similarly enriching professional experience for many VALL members.

Walking in the Humind Summerland (to the tune of Walking in a Winter Wonderland)

by Robert L. Davis, III

One of the benefits of being a DC resident is that I walk everywhere. By the time I walk to a metro-rail stop I am halfway to my destination. So, I just keep on walking. Since I love to walk I usually dress casually and comfortably. Dressing casually was somewhat up-ended during the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) conference in Washington, DC.

Picture me walking from my townhouse on Capitol Hill to downtown. It is July 24, 2009, 7:45 a.m. and 78+ degrees. I am dressed in a suit, tie and dress shoes. The nation’s Capitol is busting with hot, steaming pavement. Come walk and perspire with me. Feel the full effect of letting your footsies do the walking to AALL-DC.

After weeks of 80+ degree temperatures and really low humidity, the AALL conference dropped into Washington, DC on July 23rd and the weather reversed itself. I am not trying to imply AALL brought the heat and humidity. But it seems a little more than coincidental that AALL, 87+ degree temperatures and more than 78% humidity arrived in town simultaneously.

Weather notwithstanding, this “Innovation” themed conference provided practical and useful information. It helped inform me, within and without limits as a law librarian. My connection with the samples and goodies in the exhibition hall or the homework associated with the legislative foray was all relevant and useful.

This particualar adventure began very innocently at the VALL Winter Meeting at George Mason University Law Library when Mary Alice Baish and Emily Feldman asked for volunteers to meet with congressional representatives from their states. Volunteers were needed to express and promote support for AALL positions. I presumed this would be similar to what some of us did with VALL in Richmond 10-15 years ago. What I did not count on was the homework I received. Come on! Except for presenters and committee chairs, who gets homework before a conference? Whatever happened to just showing up and schmoozing? Well, those of us who volunteered got homework! We were asked to e-mail and set up meeting times with our congressional representative(s) for the afternoon of July 24th.

I am a DC resident and chose to meet with Delegate Eleanor Norton but that fell through. Ultimately, I joined the Fab-4 Virginia delegation of Heather Buchanan, Fred Dingledy, Tom Pulver, and Roger Skalbeck. After training and getting very helpful tips from expert Stephanie Vance at a Legislative Workshop that morning, we proceeded with our mission.

Before speaking of our walking tour I want to take this opportunity to thank Mary Alice Baish for the homework. Simply put, it was all about relationships. It is establishing that connection with colleagues, partners, public and community. Constantly and consistently following through with that connection and seeing where it can be taken is what it is all about. This process reminds me of a courtship -- a pre-marriage of ideas which coalesce, reform, reshape and meet over time into a meeting of minds

This homework and relationship helped me realize first and foremost that people in Congress and their staff are people seeking practical connections to their constituencies. It is the common elements that connect us.

It is estimated that more than 10 thousand approaches are made to Congress via bills. Only 4% proceed to committee and action. Generally, 7.5 minutes are allotted by congressional staff for impromptu meetings with constituents. As such, connections can be very tenuous. Very much in the way we form personal friendships and associations that we value, we must gift members of Congress with the belief that associating with AALL ideals and goals hold value as well.

Heather, Fred, Roger, Thom and I visited the legislative aides for Senators Warner and Webb, as well as with the delegate from Fred’s jurisdiction. Each of us shared stories in association with our plea for the representatives to support Access to CRS reports, Public Access to Court Electronic Systems (PACER), and Authentication, and Funding for the Law Library of Congress. We were well-received. I believe, however, without constantly reinforcing the connections we made by letter, e-mail, fax and/or phone on a constant and consistent basis no relationship will really be formed.

The walking tour was a rewarding experience for it helped me realize that without constant lobbying for library issues, none will advance. Lobbying, at best, must be left to those with the expertise and connections established from years of working with congressional aides. This experience also dissolved my fantasy of believing my congressman or delegate has the warm-fuzzies for law libraries simply because they are in his or her district. This was reinforced in two workshops.

“Building a Coalition of County Law Libraries: A Place to Begin” and “Law Libraries & the Access to Justice Revolution” are two workshops I attended. In the first, Angela Baldree, Head of the Ohio Coalition of County Law Libraries, and other presenters, emphasized making law libraries an “in my backyard” issue for the politicians representing. This has to be done in tandem and not individually. In the second workshop, Richard Zora, of the Self Represented Litigation Network, said the political and social landscape is changing in favor of law libraries. We, as librarians, must get the attention of policy makers and as a unified association, support that shift politically, socially and economically to keep it moving.

These workshops showed the need for persistence and “playing” the political game to move law library issues forward. That was a valuable lesson I gained from AALL 2009.

The other lesson I gained was the generosity of VALL and the value of asking for what I need. Please see post below.

Despite the heat and humidity I had a wonderful time at AALL 2009. It enabled me to reconnect with colleagues and gain new ideas and perspectives on how to approach the work of being a law librarian. For that I am most appreciative.

Reflections

by Robert L. Davis, III

In my personal life I often advise folks who are seeking anything to “go for it!” and “don’t let them tell you ‘no’.” But I have neglected to do that for myself and my library.

Sure, I was trying to be altruistic and give librarians who were new to the profession, the advantage of using the scholarships/grants offered. Thanks to talking with Leanne Battle at the VALL Winter meeting I applied for and received a grant. I clearly appreciated and understood its value.

This was especially poignant when I saw and read the article “Wishing We Were in Washington” by Kathy Fletcher and Jennifer Finch, The Capital Crier, Convention Newspaper, Saturday, July 25, 2009. The authors were not able to attend AALL “for institutional financial reasons”. The article also indicated overall attendance for the annual meeting was down about 20%.

Unlike some of you whose library budgets have endured cuts within the last year, the PWCLL travel and membership budget was cut years ago. Civil filing fees, on which this library subsists, were down, anything other than essential operating costs were eliminated.

Thus, I am really grateful to Leanne for strongly encouraging me to apply for the grant. Sure, I had to add monies to make registration a reality. But for the grant I probably would not have attended this annual convention. Not attending would have created a lapse of 10 years of not connecting with colleagues and renewing my spirit to continue.

Speaking of “renewing my spirit to continue”, I want to share a secret I have carried during my 14 years as a law librarian. The mere presence of Gail Zwirner, Donna Bausch, Isabel Paul, Evelyn Campbell and Terry Long always encouraged and sustained me. These stalwarts of the profession have always been there for me and for VALL. When I see and speak with them I understand and know they are the keepers of my flame. Looking to the examples and standards they set keeps me on track and helps me continue to strive to be the best law librarian I can be. I thank them for all that they do and represent. And I thank VALL for the grant and opportunity to serve and commune with you all.

VALL at AALL Washington, DC, 2009,

Thank You from VIP Sandra Treadway

Dear Leanne and Fred,

Just a quick note to say thank you for giving me the opportunity to attend AALL this past week as VALL's VIP guest. It was a wonderful experience! I learned so much, made many new professional acquaintances and connections, and came away tremendously impressed with the state of law librarianship as well as an appreciation for many of the issues that the law library community faces.

You both as well as many other members of VALL who I encountered during the three days I was there made me feel very welcome and watched out to be sure that I could find my way around the the program schedule, receptions, etc. I truly felt like a VIP, which my staff back at the Library has already told me not to get used to!

I am off on vacation this Friday, but on my return I plan on joining VALL to show my support for the wonderful work that you do.

If I can help you in any way, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Again, thank you for including me in this special opportunity. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

Hope the conference concluded successfully and that you both had/have a little time to rest before heading back to work.

All the best,
Sandy

In-House Supply Stockpile Checklist for Disaster Preparedness

OPERATIONAL SUPPLIES:

Location Quantity Date

batteries
book trucks
boots, rubber
brooms, regular
brooms with squeegees
cleaning compounds
extension cords (3-wire, grounded, 50 feet)
first aid kits
flashlights
fungicide (Lysol)
garbage bags
generator, portable
identification badges
light sticks, chemical
lights, shop
mop buckets
mops
plastic sheeting
protective masks and gloves
scissors
shovel
walkie-talkies
wet/dry vacuum(s)

PACKING SUPPLIES:

boxes, cardboard bread trays, plastic buckets

freezer or waxed paper
hoses, water
labels, adhesives
milk crates, plastic
notepads
packing slips
pens/pencils
plastic sheeting
scissors
tape, filament

DRYING SUPPLIES:
clothesline (30lb monofilament or nylon)
clothes pins, plastic
dehumidifiers
fans
hygrometers
paper for interleaving (paper towels or unprinted newsprint)

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS:

crowbar
duct tape
hammers
hand saw
ladders
nails, miscellaneous sizes
plywood, assorted sizes

Note: List supplied by Sally Wambold on behalf of the Preservation Committee. This list was originally a SOLINET Preservation Services Leaflet.

Disaster Preparedness Kit

Ready, Set, Preserve—Redux!
Sally Wambold, University of Richmond Law Library
for the VALL Preservation Committee

A considerable time ago, the VALL Preservation Committee issued a challenge to the membership to develop a Disaster Preparedness Kit. SOLINET, now Lyrasis, provided a list of items. Preservation and disaster preparedness have two powerful enemies, lack of time and lack of money; and no library accepted the challenge. UR Law volunteered to work through the challenge and especially encountered the problem of limited time.

The list is long and can be off-putting. However, Director Tim Coggins at UR wisely helped to shorten the list by observing that many items are already onsite. Below are the items on the UR shopping list. Buying them will not complete the work, but it will demonstrate progress. With luck, the ball will “remain in play” until there is completion. The VALL Preservation Committee hopes to report on this topic again very soon.

OPERATIONAL SUPPLIES
boots, rubber
brooms, regular
brooms with squeegees
cleaning compounds
fungicide (Lysol)
garbage bags
identification badges
light sticks, chemical
lights, shop
mops
walkie-talkies

PACKING SUPPLIES
boxes, cardboard
bread trays, plastic buckets (for photos)
freezer or waxed paper
hoses, water

DRYING SUPPLIES
clothesline (30lb monofilament or nylon)
clothespins, plastic
paper for interleaving (paper towels or unprinted newsprint)

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
crowbar
hand saw
plywood, assorted sizes

Directions to the VALL luncheon at AALL

The VALL summer meeting will be at Biersch Brewery on Monday, July 27 at 12:30 pm. Please see link below for directions:

http://vall.pbworks.com/2009-Summer-Meeting

President's Message: Fred Dingledy

The smoke from the fireworks has cleared, the July Fourth barbecues are but a memory.
Welcome to the middle of summer.

It’s been quite a year for VALL so far; we’ve had a successful Winter meeting at George Mason University School of Law, and a very enjoyable Spring meeting with the Virginia chapter of SLA at Washington and Lee School of Law. My thanks go out to the hosts of both these meetings for their generous help. My thanks also to Leanne Battle and the 2008-09 Executive Board for a year well-done. I am thrilled to be taking the baton from Leanne Battle and hope to serve you well as president, along with the 2009-10 Executive Board.

Tony Ikwueme and his Program Committee are hard at work on events for the upcoming year. On July 27, we will be meeting at Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant during AALL, and in Spring 2010, we will be meeting in Williamsburg during the SEAALL Annual Meeting. We’ll keep you up-to-date with more details on upcoming meetings as they develop.

The year ahead will be full of challenges. The current economy has meant tough times and tight budgets for libraries of all sizes and specialties. It is during times such as these that I hope VALL can truly be of service to you, the members who make VALL possible. Take advantage of what we can offer you, whether it be applying for a grant to attend a meeting, using the new VALL wiki to get some practice with Web 2.0, or simply communicating with your fellow members. VALL’s committees are always looking for new volunteers, so be sure to let me know if you’re interested.

Best wishes to all of you, and I hope to meet up with many of you in DC! Enjoy the rest of summer!

Fred

President's Message

New Toys, New Tools

I am beyond overdue on this last VALL president’s column. The presidency has been in Fred Dingledy’s capable hands for a month now. I think it just seemed strange to write some sort of farewell column when I’m not really going anywhere. So here are a few thoughts on the new direction in which we are headed.

Some of you are aware that of late there has been a lot of new technology in my life. I have canceled my land line and replaced it with a new cell phone and cell plan. I have purchased a netbook so that I once again have a personal computer at home and on the go. I have investigated switching from my current cable to FIOS. My phone has a QWERTY keyboard, flip phone, camera, speakerphone, web browser, etc. and assorted other features that my nephew will have to explain to me. It is going to be a fantastic communication tool for me. Of course it doesn’t hurt that my new ‘tool’ is also about three inches square when closed and has a shiny purple front embossed with flowers. My netbook has a 6 hour battery life, an Atom N280 processor, 160GB harddrive and weighs 2.4 lbs. It’s a powerful tool for web searching, music and video storage and generally managing my life in the digital sphere. Of course it is also cute, pearly white and called the Seashell – perfect for a beach lover like myself. So what’s my point? The point is that there are a lot of fantastic tools out there, a myriad of options with striking similarities and still for a lot of us the final buying decision rests with the parts that make these tools fun!

We have introduced some terrific new tools in VALL. We now have the means, via VALL Talk, to have our musings posted; to congratulate members on successes; to see photos of friends and colleagues; to have links to interesting and helpful articles, blogs and websites. We have the wiki so that members across the state can collaborate on projects, presentations and articles without clogging Inboxes. Last year was all about providing the tools. I encourage us all this year to spend some time putting the FUN in their FUNction.

So today, it being a fantastic summer day and me working from the patio, I am going to spend a little time in the VALL Wiki Sandbox. I’m working on the idea of a competitive intelligence sand castle, complete with turrets, a drawbridge and a moat. Come and play!

Leanne Battle

Moving On ...

David Baldacci & Kevin Butterfield

Kevin Butterfield

Former VALL president Kevin Butterfield is now the director of bibliographic & digital services at Boatwright Memorial Library at the University of Richmond. We wish him much success in his new job and hope that we will see him at future VALL events. Kevin can be reached at kbutterf@richmond.edu.

Linda Tesar, technical services & systems librarian at Vanderbilt University Law Library will take over as head of technical services at the College of William & Mary's Wolf Law Library in mid-August.

Position Available: Reference & Research Services Librarian, University of Richmond School of Law

The William Taylor Muse Law Library at the University of Richmond seeks a Reference and Research Services Librarian. A brief description of the position appears below.

Reference and Research Services Librarian
William Taylor Muse Law Library
University of Richmond School of Law

Responsibilities: This full-time position will provide reference and research services and instruction for faculty, students and other library users (including one evening per week and a weekend rotation with other librarians); teach Legal Research in the School’s first-year Lawyering Skills program; monitor availability of law-related electronic resources and recommend titles for purchase; prepare and update library research guides, pathfinders and other research tools; and edit library’s newsletter and User’s Guide. Librarians work twelve months per year and hold a non-tenure-track appointment, which carries University faculty status. Librarians participate in Law School faculty meetings and committees.

Required: Master’s degree in Library and/or Information Science from ALA-accredited institution; J.D. from ABA-accredited law school or equivalent.

Preferred: Demonstrated teaching ability and law library experience.

Salary and Benefits: The University of Richmond is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and salary and benefits are competitive. (For more information about benefits, see http://hr.richmond.edu.)

UR Law Library: The Law Library has seven law librarians and a total technology/library staff of 17. The collection consists of approximately 400,000 volumes. The library serves approximately 460 students and 30 faculty members and is responsible for technology and media services at the Law School as well. Visit the Law School website at http://law.richmond.edu and select “Library and Technology” for additional information.

To Apply: The deadline for applications is August 31, 2009. To view position description and to apply, visit https://www.urjobs.org. Applications must be submitted online. The University of Richmond values diversity in its faculty, staff and student body.

For information about specific job responsibilities, telephone or email Suzanne B. Corriell, Head of Reference and Research Services, at 804-289-8217 or scorriel@richmond.edu.

Law Librarians of Leisure

What do law librarians do when they fall victim to this economic downturn, when their organizations tell them that they are no longer relevant and that their services are not needed? Do they curl up in a ball and feel sorry for themselves? That would be a resounding "no". They find a new path and amidst the turmoil and the trauma, they can still find it in themselves to be of service to others.

Christine Sellers who was laid off from Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd in Columbia, SC, in April, has started a blog called Law Librarians of Leisure: http://lawlibrariansofleisure.com/ for librarians in a similar situation. This blog is a useful read for any law librarian and has links to library job sites, articles of interest and Christine's own exploration of such things as where to find business cards that will give you the best value for your dollar.

In a similar light here are links to articles which may be helpful to anyone who has found themselves in that unenviable position of having to look for a job in these times. Here is a useful article from Jobsearchonline on nine resume mistakes that people make:
http://www.jobsearchonline.bc.ca/Resume/9%20worst%20resume%20mistakes.htm
There are also other useful articles on this site, so look around.

In addition to crafting that perfect cover letter and making sure that your resume showcases your talents and experience, don't forget to look out for those warning signs that tell you that you may not want to work for certain organizations or as Liz Ryan calls it -- "reasons to run from a job interview".

Employers sometimes forget that they are being scrutinized just as much as they are scrutinizing and that their actions may cost them to lose or to cut out the best of their candidate pool. The top reason Ryan lists as your cue to bail from an interview with a particular organization is if your references are checked or requested even before you are offered an interview. For the other five reasons check out this Businessweek article: http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/jul2008/ca20080731_005117.htm?chan=careers_managing+your+career+page_find+a+job?campaign_id=yahoo

Note: Thank you to Leanne Battle for the link to Christine Sellers' blog.

Remembering Pat Burton

Our friend, colleague and longtime VALL member, Pat Burton passed away on June 2. Those of us who had the privilege of knowing Pat will never forget her larger than life personality and that distinctive voice that needed no introduction. Below is Pat's obituary from the Virginian Pilot.

Patricia Ann Burton SUFFOLK - Patricia Ann Burton, 78, passed away June 2, 2009, in Sentara Obici Hospital after a short illness. She had been a resident of Lake Prince Woods in Suffolk since 2005 and previously lived for many years in Forest Hills in Chesapeake.

She was the widow of John M. "Jack" Burton. The daughter of John M. Harrison and Mildred A. Harrison, Mrs. Burton was born Oct. 22, 1930 in Colorado Springs. She attended Colorado A&M (now Colorado State University) and married Jack on Oct. 10, 1954. Pat and Jack lived at various times in Denver, Appleton City, Mo., Waveland, Miss., Titusville, Fla., and Henderson, Ky., before moving to Virginia in 1973.

Mrs. Burton worked as a librarian at Western Branch High School where her children attended school, and later at Kirn Library in Norfolk and as a law librarian for a number of Norfolk firms including Williams, Kelly & Greer, the Federal Court Library, Wilcox, Nusbaum & Vandevener, the Norfolk City Attorney's Office, Hofheimer Nusbaum (now Williams Mullen), Decker, Cardon, Thomas, Weintraub & Neskis, and retired from the Norfolk Law Library in 2006. She was a member of the Virginia Association of Law Libraries.

She is survived by her daughter, Pamela S. Burton and her husband Jerry W. Moore of Gloucester; a son, John R. Burton and his wife Cindy W. Burton of Chesapeake; a grandson, Frank R. Burton; and by the Sanders family of Colorado and California. Pat was loved by many in this life, all of whom look forward to trying to keep up with her in the next.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 13, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church at 213 N. Main St., Suffolk, by the Rev. Emerson. Friends and family may gather in the parish hall following the service. Cremation Society of Virginia is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the charity of your choice.

Pat Burton at a leadership session at VALL

Evelyn Campbell & Pat Burton enjoying a moment between VALL sessions

Jill Burr, Theresa Schmid & Pat Burton at VALL in Williamsburg

Pat Burton in the yellow VALL t-shirt

Thank you to Donna Bausch for providing the first picture of Pat and to Gail Warren for providing the VALL pictures. Please feel free to share your memories of Pat in the Comment section.

VALL/VASLA Spring 2009 Meeting

Many thanks to VALL shutterbug Cindy Carlson for the majority of the images in the slide and also to Sally Wiant who also provided some images.

2009 - 2010 VALL Membership Applications

Applications are due June 1! Please contact Victoria Levy at vlevy@hunton.com or send a message to the blog master for a copy of the application form if you did not receive the one that Victoria sent out to the listserv last week.

Kudos to Jane!

Congratulations to Jane Baugh of Woods Rogers on being elected PLL vice-chair/chair elect! Jane will take on the responsibilities of vice chair in July 2009 and will serve as chair of PLL from 2010 - 2011.

VALL Spring Meeting, May 22, Washington & Lee University

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rittenburg/2480972708/

The Colonnade from the Chapel

The Spring meeting will be hosted by Washington and Lee Law Library in beautiful Lexington and will be a joint meeting with the Virginia Chapter of the Special Libraries Association.

The first program will be a discussion of library directions in tough economic times, featuring Sally Wiant of Washington and Lee, Jim Heller of William & Mary, Charles Condon of Appalachian School of Law, and Taylor Fitchett of the University of Virginia.

The second program will be an introduction to wikis by University of Virginia's Amy Wharton. Attendees will also have the opportunity to take a tour of Washington and Lee's law school, Leyburn Library, and Lee Chapel. VMI has also offered attendees the opportunity to take a tour of their archives.

Please refer to Fred's email of April 24 for the registration form and program details or send an email to the blog master at VALLBlog@gmail.com and the documents will be sent to you.

Deadline for registration is May 15.

Below are links to places to stay:

From Lexington and the Rockbridge Area Tourist Development:
<http://www.lexingtonvirginia.com/result_1.asp?table=lodging&type=Bed+%26+Breakfast>

From Virginia-hotels.org:
<http://www.virginia-hotels.org/cities/Lexington/?source=1097~G~Lexington-VA-hotels-Exact&gclid=CPXRseTOiZoCFeZL5Qod3VR9Fg>

Directions to the School of Law

Lexington is located at the intersection of Interstates 81 and 64. Washington and Lee is less than two miles from the interstate.

Campus Map: Large Image Printable Map (PDF)

If you are traveling from the north, south, or east, follow I-81 to exit 191 (which puts you onto I-64). Next, take exit 55 off I-64. Turn left on to Route 11 south at the stop sign.
If you are traveling from the west, take I-64 to exit 55. Turn right on to Route 11 south at the stop sign.
Once you are on Route 11 south, you will drive through three traffic lights. After the third stoplight, you will cross the Maury River, and bear right onto Route 11 Business.
Proceed to the second stop light which is Nelson Street, make a right. Go through a light and at the bottom of the hill you will go under an overpass with the Lenfest Center on your left. Turn right onto East Denny Circle.
Go approximately 1/4 mile and the Law School is on your left. There is visitor parking on your left. If it is full, you are welcome to park in any space, other than those reserved for handicapped, in the law school lot.

A Report on Computers in Libraries Conference by Dee Dee Dockendorf

Thanks to a VALL grant, I was able to attend the Computers in Libraries (CIL) conference in Arlington, VA held March 30 - April 1. I’ve always wanted to attend a CIL conference to learn about new technologies and ways different types of libraries are applying that technology. This year, two of my colleagues and I were accepted to give a presentation on our collaborative digital project (more on that in a future post!), and with presenting comes free registration. Yeah! With the VALL grant to help offset some of the travel costs, I was ready for CIL!

There were many practical sessions presented at the conference. I learned more about Wikis and the opportunities for use. Some libraries are using Wikis for instruction, while others use them as “administration” pages, containing library policies, procedures, tasks, and schedules. Yet another library discussed the ways they use an internal WordPress blog to share administrative information. The blog replaced the library’s shared internal drive and cut down on email. I also learned about Content Management Systems (CMS) and mobile applications. While some of these technologies may not apply to my library (at least not in the near future), it was great to see what is out there and what’s coming down the pipe. For those involved in strategic planning, this conference is a great introduction to some new and innovative concepts and applications.

The conference also presented a lot of conceptual programs. While the tools and gadgets out there can be fun to play with, many presenters stressed the need for goals when it comes to implementing new technology. Using technology for technology’s sake is unsustainable. New tools should address current problems or goals at an institution. It’s also important to remember about buy-in when introducing new technology. Many times, people focus on getting patron buy-in, which is important, but forget about staff buy-in. In order for projects to really get off the ground, it’s important to have the staff excited and on board.

All in all, I had a great time at CIL 2009 and I came back inspired and invigorated. I even made time to go see the cherry blossoms in DC! For anyone considering attending next year, I highly recommend it. It’s a great opportunity to meet librarians from different walks of life and learn about new and exciting trends coming to libraries!

The Washington Monument and Cherry Blossoms by Dee Dee Dockendorf

National Library Week Celebrations

Virginia State Law Library

Gail Warren and her team kicked off National Library Week with an open house for everyone in the building. There was a cake celebrating the theme Worlds Connect @ Your Library and there were also M&Ms echoing the same theme.

National Library Week Cake

Folks enjoying the open house

As part of NLW celebrations the State Law Library staff also sponsored their 4th annual book drive. The Grace Arents Library of St. Andrew's School in Richmond received more than 70 new and used books.

Here are some of the books which went to the Grace Arents Library


The law library staff with Kim Teeples (librarian & art teacher at St. Andrew's)

L-R: Dee Dee Dockendorf, Kim Teeples, Gail Warren & Janet Holland

Hunton & Williams Library

The H&W library did not celebrate National Library Week last year due to construction in the library and so this year's weeklong celebrations were geared towards bringing people into the library and introducing them to new library training and subscriptions.

With the hope that if you feed them, they will come, the library started NLW week with a European breakfast.

There was fruit to balance out the pastries

Part of the European breakfast spread

Stefanie Pollack from Westlaw Business kicked off the presentations and training sessions with an update on what's new.

Then Leanne Battle from Lexis did a presentation on finding expert witnesses.

Lynne Murphy from Bloomberg presented The Life of a Bond and how to find and use dockets on Bloomberg Law.

Stefanie Pollack from Westlaw Business

Laura Hernandez demonstrated People Map and public records on Westlaw. Cindy Carlson and Kelly Perkins also came to help with the presentation and give away prizes.

Laura Hernandez showing People Map

Presentations for the week ended with a Hands-On Blue Booking workshop for paralegals which reference librarian Michele Gernhardt conducted.

Michele Gernhardt teaching the paralegal blue booking class

In addition to the training sessions, giveaways and food, the library also sent out a quiz called How Well Do You Know Your Library Staff? and included fun questions such as Which Librarian's Band is on You Tube? Who Has Dined With Brooke Shields, Lunched With Tom Poston And Had Cocktails With Mariel Hemingway? and Who Has Climbed A Live Volcano That Recently Erupted?

The winner of the quiz was Mikray Arupjan who won a Starbucks gift set.

Since the week started with food, it also ended with food -- a dessert bar in the library which disappeared very quickly. Note for next year ... make more desserts.

Lemon cake, Oreo truffles, Black-bottom cupcakes, Chocolate Pie and Devil's Food Cake cupcakes to name a few of the desserts.