Law Libraries Association of Alabama

LLAA Fall 2009 Meeting Announced

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:07:00 +0000

From Greg Laughlin:

The LLAA Fall Meeting is scheduled for Friday, October 30 at Cumberland School of Law (Samford). Former Governor Albert Brewer will speak to us in the morning about the history of constitutional reform in the state of Alabama. Plans for the afternoon session are being finalized, with an announcement hopefully planned for early next week. We will send out an agenda and be requesting reservation once the afternoon program is finalized.

Link to PACER Petition

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:23:00 +0000

Authentication and free access to PACER for depository libraries is one of the issues being addressed by the AALL Government Relations Office, and this petition was addressed by the AALL Annual Meeting keynote speaker Jonathan Zittrain. If you would like to see and/or sign the petition, click HERE.

AALL LISP Public Library Toolkit: Alabama

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:08:00 +0000

Gigi Panagotacos and Tim Lewis each gave very informative/educational presentations for non-law librarians at the Alabama Libraries Association meeting in Auburn on April 8, 2009.

Gigi's presentation was a quick and dirty basic introduction to legal research; from how to interpret a citation, to core reference materials (the Blue Book and Black's Law Dictionary), to the types of primary and secondary materials - print & online - available.

Tim talked about what kind of research/reference services non-law librarians can provide their pro se patrons that should not and will not require the librarians to actually "practice" law (a boundary one can easily cross without even realizing it).

I've also added the handout Myra sent to the Legal Information Services to the public SIS at AALL to our Bibliography. The link is titled: AALL LISP Public Library Toolkit.

New Addition to the Bibliography

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:55:00 +0000

I've added another new title to the Bibliography.

Spring 2009 Meeting Details

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:57:00 +0000

You can access the details of the 2009 Spring meeting here.

Presidential Record Access

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:09:00 +0000

This is an issue that AALL has been following for many years, and this new Executive Order on Presidential Records is indeed great news. To read the new Executive Order, you can visit the new White House Web site and click on “Executive Orders” under the “the Briefing Room” tab at the top. Or go directly here.

President Obama also released two important Memoranda yesterday: the Memorandum on the Freedom of Information Act, which re-establishes a presumption of openness under FOIA and orders the Office of Management and Budget to “update guidance to the agencies to increase and improve information dissemination to the public,” and the Memorandum on Transparency and Open Government, which lays out several ways in which the new Administration will “work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration.”

Neither memorandum has been posted on the White House Web site yet, but they are copied below:

==============================================================
THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release January 21, 2009

January 21, 2009

MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

SUBJECT: Freedom of Information Act

A democracy requires accountability, and accountability requires transparency. As Justice Louis Brandeis wrote, "sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants." In our democracy, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which encourages accountability through transparency, is the most prominent expression of a profound national commitment to ensuring an open Government. At the heart of that commitment is the idea that accountability is in the interest of the Government and the citizenry alike.

The Freedom of Information Act should be administered with a clear presumption: In the face of doubt, openness prevails. The Government should not keep information confidential merely because public officials might be embarrassed by disclosure, because errors and failures might be revealed, or because of speculative or abstract fears. Nondisclosure should never be based on an effort to protect the personal interests of Government officials at the expense of those they are supposed to serve. In responding to requests under the FOIA, executive branch agencies (agencies) should act promptly and in a spirit of cooperation, recognizing that such agencies are servants of the public.

All agencies should adopt a presumption in favor of disclosure, in order to renew their commitment to the principles embodied in FOIA, and to usher in a new era of open Government. The presumption of disclosure should be applied to all decisions involving FOIA.

The presumption of disclosure also means that agencies should take affirmative steps to make information public. They should not wait for specific requests from the public. All agencies should use modern technology to inform citizens about what is known and done by their Government. Disclosure should be timely.

I direct the Attorney General to issue new guidelines governing the FOIA to the heads of executive departments and agencies, reaffirming the commitment to accountability and transparency, and to publish such guidelines in the Federal Register. In doing so, the Attorney General should review FOIA reports produced by the agencies under Executive Order 13392 of December 14, 2005. I also direct the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to update guidance to the agencies to increase and improve information dissemination to the public, including through the use of new technologies, and to publish such guidance in the Federal Register.

This memorandum does not create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

The Director of the Office of Management and Budget is hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA

============================================================================
THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release January 21, 2009

January 21, 2009

MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

SUBJECT: Transparency and Open Government

My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.

Government should be transparent. Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their Government is doing. Information maintained by the Federal Government is a national asset. My Administration will take appropriate action, consistent with law and policy, to disclose information rapidly in forms that the public can readily find and use. Executive departments and agencies should harness new technologies to put information about their operations and decisions online and readily available to the public. Executive departments and agencies should also solicit public feedback to identify information of greatest use to the public.

Government should be participatory. Public engagement enhances the Government's effectiveness and improves the quality of its decisions. Knowledge is widely dispersed in society, and public officials benefit from having access to that dispersed knowledge. Executive departments and agencies should offer Americans increased opportunities to participate in policymaking and to provide their Government with the benefits of their collective expertise and information. Executive departments and agencies should also solicit public input on how we can increase and improve opportunities for public participation in Government.

Government should be collaborative. Collaboration actively engages Americans in the work of their Government. Executive departments and agencies should use innovative tools, methods, and systems to cooperate among themselves, across all levels of

Government, and with nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individuals in the private sector. Executive departments and agencies should solicit public feedback to assess and improve their level of collaboration and to identify new opportunities for cooperation.

I direct the Chief Technology Officer, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Administrator of General Services, to coordinate the development by appropriate executive departments and agencies, within 120 days, of recommendations for an Open Government Directive, to be issued by the Director of OMB, that instructs executive departments and agencies to take specific actions implementing the principles set forth in this memorandum. The independent agencies should comply with the Open Government Directive.

This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by a party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

This memorandum shall be published in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA

New Title Added to Bibliography

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:59:00 +0000

Another new title has been added:

Acts of Alabama

New Title Added to Bibliography

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:28:00 +0000

"Alabama Elder Law, 2008-2009 Edition"

AALL Annual Meeting/Workshop Grants for New & Experienced Members Available

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:02:00 +0000

Thinking about attending the 2009 annual meeting, but need financial assistance? Apply now for an AALL grant to attend the AALL Annual Meeting or a workshop in Washington, D.C.! Grants are awarded to cover registration fees for the Annual Meeting or workshops presented at the Annual Meeting.

For the first time, two categories of grants are available: one for experienced members (5 or more years) who have a proven record of professional accomplishment and service to AALL and the other for Students/New Members (less than 5 years of professional experience) who hold promise of future involvement in AALL and the law library profession. Previously, newer members and students were given a scoring advantage, but the committee feels that experienced members are also in need of assistance to attend AALL Annual Meetings or workshops.

The application deadline is Wednesday, April 1, 2009. Don’t delay!
For more information, see the Grants Committee website

Still have questions? Feel free to contact any member of the Grants Committee. Looking forward to receiving your application.

AALL Grants Committee

Webinar : Law Firm Library Budgeting for Hard Economic Times, Thursday Dec. 11, 2008 from 12:00 - 1:00 (Eastern time)

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:40:00 +0000

Have you been asked to reduce your budget as a result of the current financial crisis?

Are you looking for tips on places you could trim your budget?

Do you want to learn about more effective ways to write your budget proposal?

If you answered YES to any above, please consider attending the -

What: Law Firm Library Budgeting for Hard Economic Times webinar
When: Thursday Dec. 11, 2008 from 12:00 - 1:00 (Eastern time)
Brought to you by: PLL-SIS Continuing Education Committee
Cost: $25.00 for PLL members, $35.00 for non-PLL members
Register Here

Webinar Description:

This program focuses on creating and maintaining a private law library budget during hard economic times. Speakers will teach you about the general budgeting process and tips for writing a successful proposal. We will also discuss tips and tricks to employ when there is an immediate need to trim costs, such as an economic downturn. Finally, we will address issues such as balancing user expectation, management expectation and librarian expectation. There will be time for questions at the end of the program.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will gain greater insight into the foundations of law firm library budgeting

Participants will learn strategic ways to trim the budget

Participants will learn techniques to work with the C-Level managers who scrutinize the budget

Speakers:

Abigail F. Ellsworth Ross
Library Manager
Keller and Heckman LLP
Washington, D.C.

Abigail F. Ellsworth Ross is the Library Manager with Keller and Heckman LLP in Washington, DC. She received her MLS from the University of Maryland in 2000 and her BSLA in German and Linguistics from Georgetown University in 1998. She has spoken at several conferences - most recently at AALL in 2007 for a program titled "The Challenge of Rising (and Shrinking) Numbers - How to Write a Law Firm Library Budget." She can be reached at ross@khlaw.com.

Michael D. Daniels
Law Librarian
K&L Gates LLP
Austin, Texas

Michael Daniels is a law librarian in the Austin, TX office of K&L Gates LLP. Michael’s primary responsibility is to provide firm wide legal, business, competitive intelligence and scientific reference and research services. He is also responsible for local library administration. His professional interests include legal informatics, business research and competitive intelligence, legal technology and information systems. He received his J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law and is currently pursuing his M.S. in Information Studies at the University of Texas School of Information

Carol G. Arnold
Executive Director
Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody
Austin, Texas

Carol Arnold has worked for fourteen years as the Executive Director of Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody, a full-service, 60+ attorney law firm in Austin, Texas. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston in 1972 and became a Certified Public Accountant two years later. Before coming to Graves Dougherty, she spent ten years as CEO of a regional manufacturing firm which she co-owned and operated with her husband.

Carol is a member of the Association of Legal Administrators, where for 4 years she has served on the Central Texas Chapter's Newsletter Committee, which has won awards at the national ALA level. She was also recently invited to serve on the City of Austin Street Closure Taskforce, where she is involved in the decision-making, research and planning of street closures which impact the city.

Carol has served as Finance Chair on the Board of Directors for the Dripping Springs United Methodist Church Preschool since 2006.

In addition to her work and time spent giving back to the community, Carol practices yoga, is a devoted runner, and enjoys cooking with her husband for friends and family.

Washington E-bulletin - November

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:31:00 +0000

This month, the E-Bulletin is packed with information about the Advocacy Training, news from the Hill, a look at President-elect Obama's position on transparency, summaries of chapter programs by SNELLA and LLAGNY, and more.

Washington E-bulletin - October

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:58:00 +0000

The October issue of the Washington E-bulletin is now available! This issue includes a reminder to AALL chapters and individuals to endorse the Transparency Recommendations of the 21st Century Right to Know project, a summary of highlights from the Fall Depository Library Conference, a description of the E- Rulemaking Recommendations produced by the Committee on the Status and Future of Federal E-Rulemaking with great efforts from Barbara Brandon and endorsed by AALL, and more.

The E-bulletin is available here

2008 Fall Meeting schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:01:00 +0000

2008 LLAA Fall Meeting Schedule

Date: October 10, 2008
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Place: Jones Law School/Faulkner University
5345 Atlanta Highway
Montgomery, Alabama 36109
RSVP: DeDe Bradsher or 334-386-7911

9:30-10:00 a.m. Registration

10:00-10:20 a.m. Business Meeting

10:20-10:30 a.m. Break

10:30-11:45 a.m. Cam Ward, State Representative for District 49
speak on the Alabama Autism Task Force

11:45-12:45 p.m. Break and Lunch

12:45-2:00 p.m. Christy Johnson, Senior Case Advocate for the
Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program

2:00 p.m. Dismiss

AALL Call for Papers

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:48:00 +0000

The “CALL FOR PAPERS” HAS BEGUN!

Have you been thinking of writing an article of interest to law librarians? The AALL/LexisNexis Call for Papers Committee has just the incentive to get started.

The Committee is soliciting articles in three categories:

- Open Division: for active and retired AALL members and law librarians with five or more years of professional experience

- New Members Division: for recent graduates and AALL members who have been in the profession for less than five years

- Student Division: for students in library, information management or law school. Participants in this division need not be members of AALL. To submit in this category, you must have been enrolled in law school, or in a library school, information management, or an equivalent program, either in the Fall 2008 or Spring 2009 semester.

Articles in the Open and New Members Division must be submitted by March 2, 2009.

Articles in the Student Division must be submitted by April 15, 2009.

The winner in each division receives $750 generously donated by LexisNexis, plus the opportunity to present the winning paper at a program at the 2009 AALL Annual Meeting in Washington , D.C. Winning papers are also considered for publication in the Association’s prestigious Law Library Journal.

For more information, a list of previous winners, an application and instructions on how to submit your article, visit the AALL Web site.

If you have any questions, please contact a member of the AALL/LexisNexis Call for Papers Committee: Chair, Jim Heller, James Donovan, or David Hollander.

James S. Heller
Director of the Law Library
Professor of Law and Professor of Public Policy
College of William & Mary School of Law
613 S. Henry St .
Williamsburg , VA 23187-8795
phone: 757/221-3252 fax: 757/221-3051
email: heller@wm.edu

New Title Added to Bibliography

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:38:00 +0000

Alabama Construction Law Manual

September E-bulletin AALL Government Relations Committee

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:17:00 +0000

The September issue of the Washington E-bulletin is now available!

This month’s E-bulletin features a summary of the New York Times article on online federal government information, a round-up of recent hearings, a Constitution Day report from Colorado, interesting reading for the information policy junkie, and more!

2008 Fall Meeting date announced

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:04:00 +0000

The 2008 LLAA Fall Meeting will be Friday, October 10th at Jones Law School Library on the Faulkner University campus in Montgomery Alabama. Program will follow soon.

Job Opening - Law Library of Congress

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:13:00 +0000

Here is a job announcement that was listed on several law library listservs.

===========================================================

The Law Library of Congress seeks a legal research/reference librarian with education and experience (1) providing legal and legislative information services to diverse and demanding clients in a large law library or similar legal information organization; (2) creating and organizing web content; and (3) developing and managing legal and legislative electronic resources. Qualified candidates with both Juris Doctor and Masters in Library/Information Science degrees from accredited universities with appropriate training and experience are strongly encouraged to apply.

Librarian (Law) (Vacancy #: 080252)

GS-1410-11 - $58,206.00 - $75,669.00
Promotion potential to GS-1410-13 -- $82,961 - $107,854.00

Law Library (Directorate of Law Library Services, Public Services Division)
Opening Date: Sep 3, 2008
Closing Date: Oct 3, 2008

For the entire job description and to apply for the position, see
the summary here.

Questions should be addressed to the Library of Congress Employment Office at
(202) 707-5627.

Law Librarians in Virtual Worlds Webinar on August 27 at 12:00pm (Eastern)

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:03:00 +0000

A legal community is developing in virtual world Second Life. Discover the innovative implications of such virtual worlds for the library services profession through the concluding session of Law Librarians in Virtual Worlds. Beginning in April 2008, participants in this free, self-paced AALL/BNA-sponsored online workshop have explored the opportunities and challenges inherent in using Second Life to build a virtual presence for their libraries.
To be held August 27, the final seminar of the series will report on participantsʼ projects, usage statistics, and lessons learned, and present conclusions about the usefulness of Second Life to law librarians. Speakers will include coordinator Kate Fitz, public services librarian at Sacramento County Public Law Library, and other interested workshop participants. Register today to reap the benefits of participants' findings.

Law Firm to Law School: We're not hiring your grads until you improve your legal research program

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:30:00 +0000

Here's an interesting blog entry I found on Law Librarian Blog.

Here's my comment: Ouch!

An excerpt:

"I was hanging my hopes on the implementation of a legal research bar exam component but I've just read about a much more effective way to overhaul legal research instruction in law schools; law firms go tell law schools that you won't hire their graduates until their legal research program improves. That's what one law firm did and the law school got the message. "The school ended up completely changing the structure of their program. The firms have the power to do that in law schools."

New Addition to the Bibliography

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:40:00 +0000

Alabama Family Law by Judith Crittenden.

Arthur Miller: Law Schools Are Not Doing Their Customers a Service in Terms of Legal Research

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:18:00 +0000

I found this via the "Law Librarian Blog"

A video interview featuring Arthur Miller on legal research and writing at law schools was shown as part of the West town hall meeting on legal research skills in Portland.

Has the change in "how we research" changed legal education?

What should the "starting point" be?

Beyond the Beltway Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:03:00 +0000

In the June 2008 e-newsletter from AALL President Ann Fessenden, she reports on the AALL Beyond the Beltway blog now active on AALLNET.

Please take a look at it and respond to any of the daily questions that are posed. This is an opportunity for individuals to give their thoughts, ideas and experiences on subjects related to AALL's Washington Affairs Office. This is one of the ways that the Washington Affairs Office Review Special Committee can get a wider view on advocacy, government relations and the Washington Affairs Office. Your comments really do matter! The blog will be active through July 2.

2008 Spring Meeting Minutes Available

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:43:00 +0000

The minutes from the 2008 Spring Meeting are now available here or by clicking on the Mintues link to the right.

Sad News

noreply@blogger.com (Mandy) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:45:00 +0000

Sarah Frins, retired Technical Services Librarian at the Supreme Court and State Law Library, passed away last night. Sarah, a long-time member of the American Association of Law Libraries and the LLAA, was for 35 years the Cataloger and Technical Services Librarian for the Supreme Court and State Law Library and a good friend and colleague. We will miss her.