AALL Annual Meeting and Conference

The culmination of a two-year effort by the private law library community to explore ways to embrace change, demonstrate value, and learn about leading-edge trends, this one-day program has speakers and thinkers on a variety of engaging topics.  Esther Dyson will deliver the keynote address; Jim Jones of Hildebrandt and David Curle of Outsell, Inc. are among other speakers. There will be break-out programs that dissect law firm management and presentations by high-level consultants, ground-breaking practicing librarians, and law firm C-level administrators.

Participants will take away the practical skills and essential information to be a change agent in their law firms.

Separate registration fee: $145.00 - be sure to register well in advance of the June 17 deadline!

Pacific Chapters Joint Reception

Registration - Sunday

The Supreme Court and Free Speech 

How the Supreme Court is fracturing over speech issues, and how the press and the public are both causing it, and suffering for it

Dahlia Lithwick is a senior editor at Slate, and in that capacity, writes the "Supreme Court Dispatches" and "Jurisprudence" columns. She is a biweekly columnist for Newsweek. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Harper's, The Washington Post, and Commentary, among other places. She received the Online News Association's award for online commentary in 2001 and again in 2005, for a series she coauthored on torture, and was the first online journalist invited to serve on the Steering Committee for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. She is the co-author of "Me v. Everybody: Absurd Contracts for an Absurd World," a legal humor book, and "I Will Sing Life: Voices from the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp", a book about seven children from Paul Newman's camp with life-threatening illnesses. She lives in Charlottesville, VA with her husband and two sons.

This session will be webcast live here.

Separate registration fee: $10.00 - be sure to register well in advance of the June 17 deadline!

Target Audience: Electronic services librarians, acquisitions librarians, solo librarians, library directors

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will be able to identify and list the best practices to employ when considering the acquisition of a new electronic resource.
2. Participants will be able to design and conduct an electronic resource trial using a focus group comprised of stakeholders within their institution.

This program will highlight the best practices to use when evaluating a new electronic resource for acquisition. These best practices are gleaned from the library literature, published surveys, and the experiences of the presenters. Best practices include: "try before you buy," obtaining stakeholder involvement, benchmarking, and using an electronic resource evaluation checklist, among others. The program will focus on four areas: 1) the electronic resource evaluation checklist, 2) selection and coordination of a trial focus group, 3) the cost-benefit analysis, and 4) subscription versus ownership and other licensing options. Other considerations to be examined include: authentication, user interface, content appropriateness, search capability, browsing capability, currency and archives, vendor support, training, user statistics, bill back mechanisms, online documentation, and formatting. In addition, the program will present questions to be asked of other stakeholders in the acquisitions process (e.g., the IT department, catalogers, public services). Program materials will include a sample electronic resource evaluation checklist and bibliography.

Emerging technologies are touching all aspects of the law library. Join us for a smorgasbord of tools and gadgets that will help you create, organize and deliver information, increase productivity, and connect with users. Move from table to table as tech-savvy law librarians demonstrate a variety of hot new technologies.

Target Audience: Law librarians interested in gaining a further understanding of THOMAS

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will be able to articulate a user-centered design business model.
2. Participants will be able to name several ways that THOMAS can be improved in the near future.

THOMAS.gov, the legislative information database from the Law Library of Congress, was created in 1995. It is regarded as the "go to" place for bills, laws, Congressional Record, etc. This program will focus on the recent changes to THOMAS, many of which stem from user-generated feedback such as permanent links and integrated social media. The program will also cover how these changes better the user experience and make reference transactions using THOMAS easier. A member of the Library of Congress Information Technology Services Division will explain the challenges and requirements of revamping THOMAS around a user-centered design. The Law Library of Congress would like feedback and input from the participants on the next generation of THOMAS.

Emerging technologies have become an important tool for enhancing staff productivity and patron services in law libraries. Because they often represent a substantial investment of staff and resources, making an informed decision on what technologies are appropriate for your library is critical. This program will provide some practical guidelines for participants to use to make the most knowledgeable decisions, such as who to involve in evaluating new tools; how to balance project costs, staff time, and user benefits; and when/how much/with whom to communicate throughout the process.

Target audience: Librarians who seek access to information held by the federal government

Learning Outcomes:

1) Participants will identify federal statutes, executive orders, and Department of Defense regulations and directives that apply to the classification of information and the disclosure of classified information, as well as the various levels of security clearances possessed by federal employees.

2) Participants will identify historical situations where the unauthorized disclosure of classified information has jeopardized intelligence operations and describe scenarios in which secrecy is an essential factor in protecting national security.

Secrecy often poses difficulties in democracies where transparency of government operations is the norm. Claims to secrecy are viewed with suspicion, and questions arise as to whether the cloak of secrecy hides not secrets essential for national security, but evidence of malfeasance and incompetence.  With the detention of Army Private Bradley Manning for the suspected release of classified information to WikiLeaks, many have viewed his role as one of whistleblower, rather than lawbreaker or spy. 

Learn how information is classified, who has the authority to classify and declassify it, and who has access to it. Focusing on intelligence operations, also learn the importance of secrecy in protecting the national security of the United States, and the damage resulting from breaches of secrecy.

The views and opinions expressed during this program are those of the speakers and do not represent the views or policies of the United States Government.

Target Audience: Mid-level law librarians/information professionals responsible for supporting scientific research needs of a user community

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will be able to develop and execute scientific search strategies necessary to support their IP practice.
2. Participants will implement methods to identify and evaluate their organizations' scientific research needs and provide valuable input regarding information resources to aid end users in choosing the appropriate research product.

In the patent filing system, certain literature is important to disclose when a company files for a patent. The patentee needs to include non-patent literature related to their invention. Non-patent literature includes scientific, medical, or technical journal articles; book chapters; conference proceedings; theses; industry standards and much more. Understanding the process of how to conduct scientific literature research is an essential skill for law librarians in a patent practice. This program will address the strategies involved and resources available for conducting a scientific or technical literature search. Both subscription and free resources will be discussed, as both are helpful to the intellectual property researcher. In addition, this program will address how to retrieve copies of these documents once a search has been performed.

SWALL Business Meeting

SWALL Reception

Target Audience: Library staff who work on group projects, especially those who lead projects and those who support collaborative organizations

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will evaluate the range of new technologies available to enhance collaborative work.
2. Participants will be able to identify and use skills needed to manage teams in collaborative work.

How do you collaborate with others? What if they work in other cities, countries, and time zones? New project management platforms such as Basecamp, collaborative mindmapping, and wireframe/mockup tools like Mockingbird and Balsamiq join familiar tools like wikis and Google Docs to make teamwork easier, regardless of where everyone is located. Join legal information consultants Connie Crosby and Kathie Sullivan for a tour of the latest collaborative tools being used in a number of industries and explore how law libraries can use them. Before the conference, Crosby and Sullivan will create a wiki for collecting resources and discussions about these tools; watch the CS-SIS blog for an invitation to participate. Lessons from this collaboration will be incorporated into the presentation.

Technology is supposed to make our lives easier, but things change so fast that it's difficult to keep up. Join us for a fast-paced survey of technology currently being used in law firm libraries.

Target Audience: Law library managers and public services librarians interested in disseminating information about the library and library services to technology-savvy patrons

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will be able to describe what smartphone tags are, what types of information they encode, and how they can be used to extend library services.
2. Participants will be able to analyze the pros and cons of implementing a smartphone tag reader project in their own libraries.

In the fall of 2010, the University of Colorado's William A. Wise Law Library implemented a project to post smartphone readable tags in strategic places throughout the library using Microsoft Tag Reader software. These tags lead users to web pages, pdf files, PowerPoint presentations, text messages, and contact information relevant to the tag's location. The law library used these tags to extend library services by providing instruction on how to use collections and equipment; awareness of electronic resources and current acquisitions in specific subject collections; and marketing of library services. During this practical program, project manager Robert Linz will explain all aspects of this inexpensive patron outreach project, including planning; implementation; advertising; and analyzing the successes, surprises, and lessons learned.

In August, 2004, the SEC decided to release all comment letters free of charge, to expand the transparence of the comment process, and to have the information available to a broader audience. This program is an introduction to the SEC comment letter process, which will define the various types of comment letters and responses. The questions of “Why are comment letters important?” and “What are the various time constraints relating to the deals they involve?” will be addressed. Search techniques for searching for precedent in SEC comment letters will be explored.

Target Audience: Law library educators, students, and directors interested in how to best meet the needs of today's library employers, while preparing LIS students to be leaders in the law library profession

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will successfully identify the reasons to reform Library Information Science (LIS) curricula.
2. Participants will be able to identify the needs of library employers.

What are the skills and knowledge at the core of law librarianship in our digital global market? The panelists will be asked their views on library school curricula and on best strategies to give voice to faculty, students, and employers' in designing the LIS curricula. The panelists will share their opinions about how to improve law library curricula, while balancing new market demands and digital directions with the profession's core competencies.

Target Audience: Law firm librarians on the front lines in dealing with online contract negotiations and the cost recovery issues and trends surrounding those contracts and negotiations

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will be able to identify trends in cost recovery for electronic legal research in law firms.
2. Participants will be able to identify solutions for successful contract negotiations, as well as alternatives to the dominant online research vendors in the market.

To recover costs or not to recover costs-that is often the question asked when it comes to online research these days. While the costs for online research keep rising, there are clients who refuse to pay, lawyers who hesitate to charge them, and firms that are skittish about taking on costs that, for some, are in the millions. During this session, panelists will identify the major trends in cost recovery for electronic research, alternatives to the major vendors for online research, and discuss best practices for negotiating online research contracts. Adequate time for questions from the audience will be provided.

This program will be webcast live here.

Any member who wants to submit a resolution for consideration by the membership at the Business Meeting must do so no later than July 1. Resolutions can be submitted by any AALL entity or member concerning substantive matters for consideration by the membership.

During this year's Members' Open Forum, which immediately follows the Annual Business Meeting, the AALL president and other officers will be available to respond to member questions regarding AALL and its programs and activities. In addition to accepting questions from the floor, members can also submit questions in advance of the meeting.

To submit a question in advance for this year's Open Forum, email ambusmtg@aall.org.

Our bloggers meeting at AALL will be on Monday, July 25th, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at McGillin's Olde Ale House (1310 Drury Street, a few blocks from City Hall and a few blocks from the Convention Center).

We have a spot in the Bar and reservations are under: AALL Bloggers. Speaker TBA.

Exhibitors Meeting

Target Audience: All librarians who have a role in vendor contract negotiations

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will be able to analyze contract terms to better understand how those terms affect the end results of their negotiations.
2. Participants will acquire the tools to negotiate a favorable contract with a services vendor.

Vendor contracts are getting more complex, with finer print. Many librarians are involved in the contract negotiation process and need to be able to read and comprehend often complex contracts in order to get the most favorable terms for their libraries and institutions. Two attorneys who are involved in their large firms' vendor contract negotiations, along with their library directors, will discuss contract best practices, what elements to look for in a contract, and which clauses or provisions will render a contract unworkable. They will offer practical tips on negotiation skills, and on reaching a workable agreement with service vendors.

Target Audience: All law librarians

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will analyze e-book licensing models, focusing on implications for alternative pricing, digital rights management, license negotiation, and usability.
2. Participants will be able to discuss how e-books will impact the future of law libraries.

The future of e-books in law libraries is still unclear, despite the surging popularity of dedicated e-book readers such as the Kindle. Legal publishers have taken a cautious approach in developing e-books to date. In addition, e-book licensing, particularly in economically difficult times, will provide new challenges to law librarians. Representatives from leading legal publishers and e-book vendors will discuss what they see as the future of e-books and how it will change law libraries.

Target Audience: Reference librarians, library directors and managers

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will be able to list at least five business tools typically available at public and academic libraries open to the general public.
2. Participants will be able to identify the libraries in their communities that are likely to provide access to free or inexpensive business resources.

Even the best legal collection may not answer every question asked by attorneys, legal support staff, and public law library patrons. Business resources better answer questions about starting a new business, competitor intelligence, writing business plans, locating industry reports, SEC filings, working with contractors, and economic or demographic profiles. Especially in today's economy, it may be impossible to justify purchasing expensive business materials your patrons use periodically but infrequently. Join a panel of public and academic business librarians who will examine a variety of free or inexpensive business tools typically available in libraries open to the public in your community. Patrons may have to visit another library, or online resources may be accessible from a library website with a borrower's card. Learn to be savvy about business resources on a shoestring!

Missed the PLL Change as Action Summit? No problem – this recap will review the highlights of speakers’ presentations and breakout groups, and touch back on the related webinars and presentations held throughout the previous winter and spring.

Target Audience: Law librarians who want a step-by-step plan for conducting medical legal research in medical databases

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will learn the strategies and skills necessary to perform comprehensive medical searches in specialized medical databases, including MEDLINE.
2. Participants will become familiar with the different levels of medical proof found in the medical literature.

Most law librarians will have to locate and find appropriate medical or health-related research during the course of their careers. However, many are intimidated by medical or scientific information and do not know how to start. This program will provide an introduction for law librarians to locating and evaluating medical information. Topics include: defining evidence-based medicine, applying the methods of evidence-based medicine to the process of medical research, and evaluating retrieved information. Effective searching of MEDLINE, using the controlled vocabulary MeSH (the National Library of Medicine's Medical Subject Headings), will also be covered.

Join us as we look forward to the 2012 Annual Meeting in Boston with themed snacks and soft drinks. As attendees visit with exhibitors before the closing of the exhibit hall, there will be an opportunity to "meet the candidates” on the Executive Board ballot, view the Boston welcome video, win fabulous prizes and witness the passing of the gavel to our new president, Darcy Kirk.

Registered attendees with badges are welcome at this event.

Target Audience: Librarians or information specialists interested in learning about mobile applications and how they work

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will identify specific tasks suitable to achieve on a mobile device and assess applications to achieve those tasks.
2. Participants will analyze sources available to identify and evaluate applications on multiple mobile platforms.

Between the Apple iPhone and various Android devices, more than 300,000 applications are available to society for use in the workplace and home environments. Finding good apps is hard. Understanding which activities can be accomplished using mobile devices can be equally difficult. This program will highlight best-of-breed mobile applications by focusing on tools that solve problems for law librarians. Presenters will demonstrate various features of mobile applications for the iPhone, Android, and Blackberry devices, including some tools for iPad and other tablets. In addition, available resources to discover and evaluate new applications will be shared.