2015 AALL Award Recipients

Congratulations to the following VALL members: Timothy Coggins (Marian Gould Gallagher Distinguished Service Award); James Heller (Hall of Fame) and Donna Bausch (Volunteer Service Award)!

VALL Grant Recipients!

Congratulations to Suzanne Corriell (4th Circuit Law Library) and Kathleen Klepfer (University of Richmond Law School Library) for being awarded VALL grants to AALL! We look forward to reading about their experiences at AALL in Philadelphia.

VALL Spring Meeting 2015

The Spring meeting is always an exciting one because it marks the changing of the guard -- saying farewell to an outgoing president and welcoming the incoming one. About 30 VALLers met at the picturesque University of Virginia Law School to listen to a panel of academic law librarians discuss how they "Prep to Practice" and another panel of law firm and court librarians share their experiences "In Practice."

Andrew Christensen from Washington and Lee School of Law, and Fred Dingledy from William & Mary Law School

Eric Kistler from Liberty University of Law and Alexis Fetzer from University of Richmond School of Law

Attendees taking a break and using the opportunity to catch up

Greg Stoner finding a zen place before his panel discussion

"In Practice" panelists of Greg Stoner from McGuireWoods, Jane Baugh from Woods Rogers and Ben Almoite from Virginia State Law Library

Incoming president, Stephanie Miller thanking outgoing president, Ben Almoite

Yes, the gavel has been passed but Ben gets to keep this one

The new board: Meldon Jenkins-Jones (Director), Patty Petroccione (VP/PE), Stephanie Miller (President) and Ben Almoite (past president)

There was cake for long time VALL member Gail Zwirner who has retired. Aloha, Gail, enjoy Hawaii and all the places you travel!

President's Farewell Message

Hello, VALL members! 

I am looking forward to seeing you at the Spring Meeting at the UVA School of Law in a few days. But before then, I just want to take this time to say a few words about what is coming up for VALL this year:

VALL Strategic Plan

The executive board has officially approved the VALL Strategic Plan. A copy of the five-year plan is now available at our wiki’s “About VALL” page (http://vall.pbworks.com/w/page/7198013/About%20VALL). And also under the About VALL tab on VALLTalk. Big thanks to the Strategic Planning Committee for all of its hard work in putting the plan together!

VALL at AALL 2015

For those of you going to AALL in Philadelphia in July, be on the lookout for information on our annual VALL lunch at the AALL annual meeting. It’s always a good time during the national conference to get together with fellow VALL members for a bite and break some bread.

Joint VALL-VLA Fall Meeting

The joint VALL-VLA Fall Meeting is scheduled to take place October 21-23 at the Richmond Marriott. There is still time to send the Program Committee a proposal. Go to https://vla.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=form_185506 to submit your proposal. The deadline for submissions is April 15.

As more information about the Fall Meeting becomes available (programs, registration, fees, etc.) we will be sure to let you know.

Farewell

Since my term as president is shortly coming to an end, this will be my “farewell” message. I can’t believe how quickly the past two years have flown by! I remember getting the call from Evelyn Campbell (Chair of the Nominating Committee at the time) like it was yesterday, asking if I wanted to serve VALL as vice president/president elect. It has truly been a great ride these past couple of years.

To my colleagues in the executive board - Stephanie, Chris, Linda, Patty, Andrew, Amy and Evelyn: Thank you for your support and hard work in helping make VALL run so smoothly and efficiently. To all our committee chairs and members: thank you for your willingness to serve above and beyond the call of duty. All of you helped make my job that much easier!

Finally, to VALL members: thank you for your membership and participation in the association. VALL does not thrive without all of your dedication and volunteerism. Without you, our association would not be as strong and healthy as it currently is.

Thank you for allowing me to represent you as president during the past year. It has truly been a pleasure. Moving forward, I have the utmost faith in Stephanie Miller and Patty Petroccione as they take over as president and vice president/president elect, respectively. With their leadership, I know VALL will continue to be an active and successful association.

Here is to an even bigger 2015-2016 year for VALL!

Best regards,

Ben Almoite

Retiring after a Career Spanning 42 Years

by Timothy Coggins & Kathleen Klepfer

Gail Zwirner, head of access services in the University of Richmond Law Library, will retire on April 3, 2015. Gail has provided exemplary reference and research assistance to the law school’s faculty, students, and other users since 1998, when she joined the law library as a reference and research services librarian.  She was promoted to a new position as head of access services, where she combined supervision and management of the circulation desk, reserves, interlibrary borrowing and lending, and other duties to her role as a reference librarian and teacher.  Since she joined the law library, Gail taught legal research in the first-year curriculum. 

Gail began her career as a librarian for law firms specializing in energy transportation.  That role took her all over the country from Washington to Alaska, Florida, Kansas, and Pennsylvania before returning to D.C. An opportunity to join Hunton & Williams as a librarian brought her, along with her late husband who also worked in the energy business, to Richmond. After 25 years as a librarian in several law firms, Gail decided that it was time to join the academic law library world, and her Richmond law library colleagues are very happy that she made that decision. 
 
Professionally, Gail’s service is extensive.  She was, and continues to be, an incredible contributor to VALL, including her service as president of the chapter.  Gail is also on the board of the Richmond Public Library and has been a member of numerous library association committees. She developed and manages a relationship between law librarians and the editor of Virginia Lawyer to publish at least one article about legal research or a related topic in every issue of the Virginia Lawyer.  She played an instrumental role in the creation of the Virginia Administrative Code when she worked with attorneys, law librarians and others to persuade the General Assembly that Virginia needed a codified version of its administrative rules and regulations.  Gail’s knowledge of Virginia primary and secondary law publications is unsurpassed. She serves as the general editor of Virginia CLE’s Guide to Legal Research in Virginia, the most comprehensive resource published about Virginia legal research, and she authored several chapters in the most recent edition of that research guide.
 
Associate Dean for Library and Information Services Timothy L. Coggins stated recently, “Gail’s retirement leaves a real void at the law library.  She’s been phenomenal, serving as an important advisor, mentor and friend to faculty, students, librarians and others here and making so many valuable contributions to the law library and its users over the years.  We will miss her tremendously.”

After retirement, Gail will continue, not surprisingly, to serve libraries and their users.  She’s a member of the Richmond Public Library Board and will become chair of that board in July 2015. 

Best wishes, Gail, from all your VALL colleagues.

Below are pictures from Gail's retirement party at the University of Richmond Law Library on 

March 31, 2015.

 

 

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.