VALL Board 2015 - 2016

Patty Petroccione

Vice President/President Elect: 

Patricia Peroccione (Walter T. McCarthy Law Library). 

Patty received her J.D. from George Washington University, her MSLIS from Catholic University and her B.A. in sociology and German from the State University of New York at Albany.

 In the early 1980s, she was the director of the law library at Sidley & Austin in Washington D.C. Then for five years, she practiced law with the Arlington County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office. She has been in her current position since 2000.

In addition to her membership in VALL, Patty is a member of AALL, its State Court and County Law Libraries special interest section, a member of the Self Represented Litigants Network Law Librarians’ Group, and LLSDC. She was VALL Treasurer from 2010 – 2012 and is the committee chair of VALL’s Access to Justice Committee.  She is also a member of the Virginia Access to Justice Commission’s Committee on Access for Self-represented Litigants.

Patty is glad that through the library she is able to serve the public and believes it is important to assist self-represented litigants. She is concerned that often it is a struggle for non-lawyers to navigate the justice system. She hopes through the work of VALL and other organizations, more open access to justice will be available to all who interact with the legal system.

Outside of the library, Patty has been active in the Arlington County Public School system through various volunteer positions on PTAs, including president, and a position as co-chair of the Advisory Committee on Instruction which reports to the School Board. She enjoys wine-tasting with her husband, especially on recent trips to Napa County, California and the Willamette Valley, Oregon. And of course all the Virginia wineries. Reading and yoga are favorite relaxing pastimes, and watching the Food Network is a guilty pleasure!

 

Alison Hancock

Treasurer:

Alison Hancock (Williams Mullen).

Alison began her career in libraries as a volunteer at the Richmond Public Library in 2008.   

Since then she has obtained her MLIS from the Catholic University of America, worked as a paraprofessional at the University of Richmond Law Library, and is now employed as a librarian at Williams Mullen’s Richmond office.

Alison who is from Pennsylvania received her B.A. in English and Art History from the College of William & Mary.

In her spare time she plays bass in two bands, hangs out with her neurotic dogs (Pickles and Guinness), and hatches travel plans.  Her most recent adventure was camping in Death Valley.

 

 

Meldon Jenkins-Jones

Director:

Meldon Jenkins-Jones (Richmond Public Law Library).

Meldon is a native of New York City, and her career has spanned both the legal and information studies fields.

Her legal career began while working in the Mayor’s Policy and Development Office in Newark, NJ. She then practiced in Landlord-Tenant Court while employed at the Newark Housing and Redevelopment Authority. Meldon gained invaluable training and experience as the second female African American Assistant Prosecutor for Essex County, New Jersey.

After a brief stint as the Director of Intergovernmental and Congressional Affairs, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Region 2, Meldon opened her own solo law office where she maintained a general practice from July 1981 through 2003 when she retired.

Meldon's work activities at RPL has included time as the Interim Community Services Manager for the West End Branch. She has also initiated two Writers Groups, one of which—the Main Writers Group—she still facilitates, and a literacy program for African American male teens called Black Male Emergent Readers (BMER).

In 2013, Meldon initiated the Community Law Series of classes for the general public on such topics as Estate Planning, Teen Empowerment, Starting a Business, and Workers’ Compensation. BMER and the Community Law classes have earned Meldon recognition from the City of Richmond—a Tri-annual Rise! Achievement Award and a 2014 Annual Mayor Award. Meldon also earned a Certificate of Completion of the City’s Aspire Career Development Series.

Meldon is an active member of the Virginia Library Association, the American Association of Law Libraries—where she is a member of the Diversity Committee as well as the Black Caucus, and a contributor to the AALL Spectrum online Blog—and the Virginia Association of Law Libraries where she is a member of the Access to Justice Committee. She is also a member of the American Library Association.

Meldon completed her Bachelor's degree at Smith College, where she majored in Russian Civilization. She went on to graduate from Rutgers University School of Law – Newark with a J.D.

Meldon received her Masters degree at the Florida State University School of Library and Information Studies. 

Meldon’s greatest interests are her two children--Meldon and Alexander—and three grandchildren. (Meldon’s husband of 28 years, Rayford passed away in July 2014.) Her daughter Mel is currently pursuing her M.A. in Journalism and Public Affairs at American University and her son Alex is in law enforcement. In her spare time, Meldon also enjoys writing and traveling and has visited Poland, Russia, Canada, and a few Caribbean islands.

Meldon is looking forward to working with the leadership of VALL, promoting the law library profession in general and the activities of VALL, while learning more about law librarianship and serving the Association and its members.