Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Job Announcement: Research Paralegal, Buffalo

The Litigation Practice Group of the Buffalo office of Phillips Lytle LLP is seeking a research paralegal with a minimum of two years of experience conducting online legal research, proficiency using Westlaw or Lexis, familiarity with cite-checking tools and experience using Courtlink or PACER databases. Bachelor’s degree in Paralegal Studies or related field required. MLS Degree preferred. Please send a cover letter and resume to cmeegan@phillipslytle.com.

Job announcement posted at http://www.phillipslytle.com/OpportunityDetail.aspx?id=12

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Reference Librarian position (Diamond Law Library, Columbia University)

Job announcement from Columbia:  Reference Librarian  -Diamond Law Library-

"The Diamond Law Library at Columbia University has an entry-level opening for a Reference Librarian. Reference Librarians provide general and in-depth reference service in all areas of law (including American, international, and foreign law) to faculty, students and others at the Law School Library; and share departmental administrative responsibilities with other reference librarians on a rotating basis. Responsibilities also include searching electronic legal and bibliographic databases and other sources; training law students and others in the use of legal materials and databases through extensive classroom teaching, the leading of tours, and one-on-one instruction; preparing bibliographies and instructional materials; assisting with the coordination of interlibrary loan transactions; and other related duties. Reference Librarians share regular evening and weekend hours during the academic year.

"Requirements: JD and MLS from accredited institutions or the equivalent combination of training and experience; reading knowledge of at least one foreign language; extensive experience with use of legal and non-legal electronic information resources; good communications skills; strong service orientation and organizational skills; and high level understanding of digital information systems and software. Experience with web site creation is preferred. Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications.

"One of the world's leading research universities, Columbia provides outstanding opportunities to work and grow in a unique intellectual community. Set in the Morningside Heights academic village, Columbia also presents the unmatched dynamism, diversity and cultural richness of New York City. The University Libraries, grounded in collections of remarkable depth and breadth, are also building extensive electronic resources and services. The Libraries at Columbia are committed to collegiality, professionalism, innovation and leadership.

"We offer excellent benefits including Columbia tuition exemption for self and family and assistance with University housing.

"For immediate consideration please visit the following link:
academicjobs.columbia.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=54528


"Applications will be accepted immediately and until the position is filled"

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Unleash Your Inner Leader October 28-29

New law librarians in the early stages of your career—achieve your leadership potential by attending the 2011 AALL Leadership Academy, October 28-29 in the Chicago area. Designed as an intensive learning experience aimed at growing and developing leadership skills, the academy program will help you discover how to maximize your personal leadership style while connecting with other legal information professionals.

The program will feature speakers Gail Johnson and Pam Parr. Johnson is a widely regarded leadership and communications expert and holds a Master of Arts in Communication Studies. Parr has extensive business management and customer service expertise. They have conducted many leadership programs for library organizations and will speak at the 2011 American Library Association Annual Conference.

The application period starts April 1, and applications are due by June 30.

Unraveling the Mysteries of the Law Firm Marketing Department

How much do you know about the marketing department in your firm? What does your chief marketing officer (CMO) envision as the biggest challenges and opportunities in this tough business climate? And most importantly for you, what is your role in helping your firm win new business and sustain longstanding and profitable client relationships?

In this installment of the Private Law Libraries (PLL) Change as Action Summit, you will hear from Joe Calve and Kelly Brown of Morrison & Foerster. Calve is MoFo’s chief marketing officer, and Brown is the director of client relations. For the past year, the MoFo Research and Intelligence Group (the library) has reported to Calve and Brown in the Marketing Department. Calve and Brown bring a deep understanding of the capabilities of the MoFo Research and Intelligence team, and they are in a unique position to share their thoughts about how libraries can position themselves to become active participants in the practices of their firms by providing research at the highest level, both for business development and for client work.

This program will be videotaped and posted on the PLL website and will be available for free beginning on March 28 on AALL2go. It can be viewed by individual members or by groups. You may want to suggest that your chapter or SIS plan an educational program around the video. For example, tap a marketing director from a local firm to attend a brown bag lunch and watch the video with you; then, follow-up with a Q&A session.

This is the third in a series of five programs moderated by PLL members to provide a primer in law firm management from the view point of firm managers and administrators. The series is part of a two year program undertaken by the Private Law Libraries Special Interest Section (PLL-SIS) of AALL. The goal is to identify significant changes taking place in the legal world, to understand how these changes provide opportunities for assuming leadership roles, and to develop concrete plans for librarians to become leaders within their organizations. The culmination of these efforts, the Change as Action Summit, will take place in Philadelphia on July 23.

RIPS Teach-In Kit Now Available

The AALL Research Instruction and Patron Services Special Interest Section (RIPS-SIS) is proud to announce the release of the 19th Annual National Legal Research Teach-In Kit. Each year in conjunction with National Library Week, RIPS creates a Teach-In Kit containing fresh materials for use in your institution's promotional and instructional activities. This year's kit includes PowerPoint presentations, research assignments, lesson plans, syllabi, and more on a variety of topics including health law, animal law, and Google Scholar.

The 2011 Teach-In Kit is available now on the RIPS-SIS web page. A kit overview and previous Teach-In Kits are also available at that location.

AALL2go Pick of the Month

AALL's Continuing Professional Education Committee presents the AALL2go pick of the month: Glass Half Full? Explore Techniques for Putting Optimism to Work as a Management Tool in Difficult Times.

If you missed this excellent program at the 2010 AALL Annual Meeting in Denver, now is the time to give it a listen. Even if you did experience it live, now may be a good time to revisit the concepts presented by Gail Warren and Jean Holcomb about the effects of optimism and pessimism on our working lives and how we manage change.

Far from a Pollyanna take on optimism, Warren and Holcomb discuss how our explanatory styles affect how we receive and cope with challenges both mundane and profound. How we choose to view and approach problem situations determines not only our own outcomes but also our leadership abilities and the anxiety experienced by our followers and can extend even to our physical health. Warren and Holcomb provide strategies and tools for developing more optimistic approaches, and you will find an excellent list of resources in the handouts. In addition, a self-diagnostic helps identify where you fall on the pessimism-optimism spectrum. At just under 55 minutes, this recording is worth a lunchtime listen for inspiration, encouragement, and re-thinking your responses to problems large and small.

Find this and more than 80 other free continuing education programs and webinars for AALL members on AALL2go!

Renew Your AALL Membership Early for a Chance to Win a Free 2011 AALL Annual Meeting Registration

In March, AALL dues invoices for 2011-2012 mailed out to all library directors for their institutionally paid memberships and to all other individual members. The deadline for membership renewal is May 31.

When you renew early—by May 1—you will be entered in a drawing for a free 2011 AALL Annual Meeting and Conference registration. If you renew on time—by May 31—you'll be entered in a drawing for a free AALL webinar of your choice in 2011-2012. Following is the 2011 membership renewal schedule:

  • March: First dues invoices mailed out.
  • May: Second dues invoices mailed out.
  • June: Final dues invoices mailed out.
  • July: Expiration notices e-mailed to all members—individuals and those paid by institutions.
  • August 1: Expired members deleted from the AALL membership database and access to the AALLNET Members Only Section and Law Library Journal and AALL Spectrum subscriptions discontinued.

For more information or to renew your membership online, view the application form on AALLNET. If you have any questions about your membership renewal, contact AALL Headquarters at membership@aall.org or 312/205-8022.

Get a Free Year of AALL Membership with Nonmember Annual Meeting Registration

AALL offers nonmembers a complimentary one-year membership when they register for the AALL Annual Meeting and Conference, to be held July 23-26 in Philadelphia. The membership includes:

  • Career resources, such as the online Career Center and continuing education to help you learn new skills to advance in your career
  • Access to specialized information created just for law librarians, such as the Biennial Salary
  • Survey and the Price Index for Legal Publications
  • Subscriptions to the monthly magazine, AALL Spectrum, and quarterly journal, Law Library Journal, to help you keep up on the latest trends in law librarianship
  • The opportunity to network and connect with other law librarians from across the country who share similar interests and are facing the same challenges
  • Discounted rates on all AALL products and services, such as publications, webinars, and online job postings

Annual Meeting registration is now open. Register by June 1 at the early bird rate and save $100. Be sure to take advantage of this special offer for nonmembers.

May AALL Webinar: Copyright issues in Distance Education and Training

Join Tomas Lipinski, professor and executive associate dean at the Indiana University School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University-Purdue University, on May 5, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. CST, for Copyright Issues in Distance Education and Training as he answers common copyright questions that arise in virtual classes and training sessions. Issues covered during this webinar will include handouts, video usage, participant comments, and post-virtual session issues. Due to the expansion of distance learning to both the academic and commercial realms, the webinar will look at situations that arise in nonprofit academic institutions as well as law firm online trainings and online professional development sessions. Learning objectives:

  • Discuss how to determine which aspects of U.S. copyright law apply to your institution

  • Learn types and amounts of materials that can be circulated to virtual session attendees

  • Learn permission requirements and limitations for continued use of recorded online sessions

Register by April 28.

AALL Webinar: Learn to Collaborate and Find Common Ground with Your IT Department

Law firm library and information technology professionals share similar goals and struggle with many of the same issues. As we are all asked to do more with less, the skills that both of these groups bring to the table can be leveraged to increase value and produce results that are not only more effective but also more efficient.

Please join Scott Preston, CIO with Fulbright & Jaworski, and Sarah Clark Kavanagh, CEO of Cable & Clark, for Technology and the Law Firm Library: Finding Common Ground, on April 28, from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. CST.

This webinar will discuss:

  • Perceptions of the law firm technology (from the firm’s library point of view)
  • Perceptions of the law firm library (from technology’s point of view)
  • Discussion of barriers between groups, common goals, and needs
  • Discuss methods of effective collaboration

Register by April 21.

Friday, March 18, 2011

LLAGNY's Annual Bridge the Gap Program, April 8, 2011

LLAGNY's annual Bridge the Gap Legal Research Program will be taking place at New York Law School on April 8, 2011.  Please share the news with summer associates, attorneys and library students.  This year's program features three topical tracks: Corporate & Securities, Litigation, and Public Service Practices.  There is a research question for each track that the faculty will answer during the session.  This will give the attendees an idea of typical questions they may come across in their summer associate programs.  Along with the substantive legal and business research topics, LLAGNY's Bridge the Gap includes advice from experienced lawyers and judges about what new associates should expect to do in these positions and how they can make a successful start.  In light of the current legal employment market, there will also be a luncheon speaker who will speak on How to Keep Yourself a Top Candidate.

Colleague faculty members are:
  • Roberta Brody, Graduate School of Library and Information Studies, Queens College, City University of New York 
  • Douglas Cox, CUNY School of Law
  • Raquel Gabriel, CUNY School of Law
  • Jill Gray, Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP  
  • Sarah Kagen, Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP
  • William R. Mills, New York Law School
  • James Murphy, Bloomberg
  • Dennis Kim-Prieto, Rutgers School of Law
  • Nathan Rosen, Morrison & Foerster LLP 
  • Russell Switzer, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
  • Paulette Toth, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
  • Jennifer Wertkin, Columbia University Law School
Along with the regular research programs, this year the Bridge the Gap Program includes sessions directed to attorneys.  All three courses have applications currently pending for NYS CLE credit for both newly admitted and experienced attorneys,
  • Recognizing Attorney Misconduct—Ethical Issues and Requirements, with Jeremy Feinberg, Esq., New York Office of Court Administration & Elizabeth Rotenberg-Schwartz, Esq., Mishcon de Reya New York, LLP (1 Ethics Credit)
  • Employment Discrimination: What are the Ethical Implications of Representing an Employer or Employee?, with Peter M. Panken, Esq., Epstein, Becker & Green and Debra Raskin, Esq., Vladeck, Waldman & Elias (1 Ethics Credit)
  • Ethical Considerations in Environmental Law, with Pamela Esterman, Esq., Sive, Paget & Riesel (1 Ethics Credit)
Program description flyers and the registration forms are now posted on the LLAGNY website as PDF (fillable) files at these direct links:

For Law Students: http://bit.ly/ijDybP 

For Attorneys: http://bit.ly/hJf6J5 

For Library Students: http://bit.ly/gFy9ei

Alternatively, you may access them on the LLAGNY website: http://www.aallnet.org/chapter/llagny/index.htm

The cost for the Bridge the Gap Legal Research Program is $40.  The CLE programs cost: $50 for an individual session or $120 for all three sessions.

If you would like more information, please email: llagnybtg@gmail.com.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Upcoming Court of Appeals Lecture 3/24/2011

(click image to
download
announcement)
The New York Court of Appeals is pleased to welcome Michael Perino, Dean George W. Mattheson Professor of Law, St. John’s University School of Law, on Thursday, March 24, 2011, 6:00 p.m. at Court of Appeals Hall, 20 Eagle Street, Albany, New York.

Please RSVP by Monday, March 21 to events@courts.state.ny.us or 518-455-7817 (Space is limited.)

Reception sponsored by The Historical Society of the Courts of the State of New York

The lecture will be simulcast from the Court of Appeals website and will be available later as a permanent webcast.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

New wiki for LIS vendor communication among librarians

LISVendor.info | SarahGlassmeyer(dot)com

Welcome to the LISVendor wiki. This wiki was created to fill a simple need - the need for a place for librarians to communicate and otherwise share information about our interactions and business dealings with library vendors: complaints and compliments about customer service, problems with products, pricing information, etc.

http://lisvendor.info/index.php?title=Main_Page

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Law library job opportunity: Research Librarian (Pittsford, NY)

Harris Beach PLLC is looking for a Research Librarian for Pittsford, NY.  The job announcement is available online at http://www.aallnet.org/chapter/alluny/jobs/HBROC-1548887v2.pdf

Additional opportunities for law librarians in Upstate New York are posted at http://www.aallnet.org/chapter/alluny/jobs.asp

Thursday, March 3, 2011

NYS Courts Law Librarian exams

The New York State Unified Court System has announced the following exams:
  • Law Librarian (Open-Competitive) Exam # 45-768
  • Senior Law Librarian (Open-Competitive) Exam #45-769
  • Senior Law Librarian (Promotional) Exam #55-769

The announcements and application are online at http://www.nycourts.gov/careers/

All three exams will be administered on June 11, 2011. The filing period opens on March 3, 2011 and will close on April 14, 2011.

All applications must be submitted electronically.

Social media: A guide for researchers | Research Information Network

Social media: A guide for researchers | Research Information Network

ocial Media: A Guide for Researchers

March 1, 2011 12:51

The International Center for Guidance Studies at the University of Derby has produced a social media guide to help researchers understand the range of social media tools. The 48-page guide has links to a variety of resources including academic and research blogs and collaboration tools. Also included are case studies profiling ten researchers and their use of social media.


http://www.rin.ac.uk/our-work/communicating-and-disseminating-research/social-media-guide-researchers

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

ALLUNY Newsletter, Volume 36, Number 1, Spring 2011

The Spring 2011 issue of the ALLUNY newsletter is now available: http://www.aallnet.org/chapter/alluny/2011-01spring.pdf

Updated web page: http://www.aallnet.org/chapter/alluny/newslett.asp

Table of Contents: http://www.aallnet.org/chapter/alluny/news/toc361.html

Thanks to everyone once again for all of your hard work on this issue. Think Spring, and enjoy!