AALL Annual Meeting and Conference

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.

ALL-SIS Collection Development Committee Meeting

Legal Information Preservation Alliance Business Meeting

Target Audience: Information technology librarians, technical services librarians, administrators interested in the next generation library management system

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will identify at least three advantages and disadvantages of cloud-based solutions and three types of cloud computing- Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)-to lower the total cost of ownership.
2. Participants will be able to evaluate the library management functionality in OCLC's Web-Scale Management Services (WMS), a cloud computing interface, and the efficiency of OCLC's WorldCat Grid Services.

Libraries are on the forefront of migrating their data and services to the "cloud." Cloud computing is emerging as a key way for libraries to implement new services. Presenters will discuss how cloud computing can be implemented to leverage library end-user satisfaction and build the necessary interoperability. OCLC member institutions have been contributing to the idea of cloud computing through the centralized MAchine Readable Cataloging (MARC) records services. Now, OCLC's WMS promises less complexity in its library management system to create a more independent discovery and delivery platform. Panelists will also give a critical analysis on the trend of proliferated cloud computing services to demystify questions about privacy, security, and reliability that cloud computing often raises.

Target Audience: Law librarians interested in collaborating on the creation of institutional repositories and open access digital collections, as well as those interested in the research and teaching opportunities afforded by such collections

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will be able to describe collaborative methods for developing digital collections.
2. Participants will be able to discuss how digital collections facilitate research access to rare resources, as well as how such collections can enhance teaching.

Building digital collections and repositories to facilitate research and enhance teaching has been a focus of much recent activity by state and university libraries. However, few law libraries have participated in this trend, largely due to the costs associated with content management systems and the need for specialist metadata librarians. By joining together in consortia, or by participating as junior partners in university digitization projects, law libraries are beginning to engage in the opportunities offered by digital collections. A panel of law librarians and professors will discuss the collaborative development of law library digital collections, as well as examine how these collections have greatly simplified research access to rare materials and enhanced teaching.

Target Audience: Technical services librarians, electronic resources librarians, library directors

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will be able to compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of various ERM systems in order to select a system that best meets their institution's needs.
2. Participants will be able to list workflow and implementation tips from different ERM systems users and to plan a smooth and positive installation of a new ERM system.

As libraries add more electronic resources to their collections, there will be a greater need to manage and maintain these resources effectively and efficiently. By viewing what ERM systems are available in the market place and identifying special features of each system, librarians responsible for electronic resources will be better equipped to select an ERM system that best fits their institution's needs. Librarians with limited resources will benefit from the demonstration of a locally developed, or an open source, ERM system. Insights into the pros and cons of using different ERM systems will also be shared.

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: All law librarians

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will evaluate the challenges and opportunities involved in creating visually engaging presentations by using visual content produced under the open licensing system called Creative Commons.
2. Speakers will gain important presentation skills through improvisation, while audience members will benefit from hearing about current topics of interest to law librarians, often delivered in a humorous manner.

At Battledecks, aka PowerPoint karaoke, intrepid volunteers are challenged to give coherent four-minute presentations without any preparation-because they will see their 12 slides for the first time as they present. Battledecks is a great workout for librarians who speak and teach, because it requires fast thinking, strong speaking, and improvisation. The slides for Battledecks have all been created by AALL members using Creative Commons images with proper attribution. The theme of the inaugural Battledecks AALL will be "The Law Library Goes to 11." Battledecks presentations at Lawberry Camp have been thoughtful, passionate, surprisingly insightful, and laugh-out-loud funny. Battledecks is often a cut-throat competition, but everyone will win this time. Do you have what it takes?

ALL-SIS ALL-NEW Roundtable

SWALL Reception

SR-SIS Standing Committee on Lesbian and Gay Issues Reception (sponsored by BNA, LexisNexis, William S. Hein & Co., and Wolters Kluwer Law & Business) at Valanni Restaurant and Lounge

In 2003 at Chicago-Kent, part of the law school’s faculty support staff began reporting to the library director, which created an unusually rich opportunity for collaboration.  Now the librarians and faculty support work together to expand library and educational technology services.  This program will discuss how the librarians trained and collaborated with the faculty administrative assistants and how both groups have worked together on everything from course websites, to posting articles to SSRN and ExpressO, to creating a Library Virtual Tour (seen here: http://bit.ly/dtclibrarytour), a production that would not have been possible without extensive expertise of both librarians and faculty administrative assistants, and a collaborative attitude from all involved.

Target Audience: Directors, public services librarians, IT professionals, and non-catalogers in technical services in all types of libraries

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will be able to understand RDA's new approach to relationships between authors and works, how this new approach needs to be accommodated, and how it can be utilized by public services librarians.
2. Participants will be able to assess RDA's new approach to dealing with publishing patterns and resolving challenges posed by diversification of electronic and online media, and how this approach can be utilized by acquisitions and serial librarians.

Resource Description and Access (RDA), the new cataloging code published in June 2010, is based on a recently formalized philosophy for providing access to materials. It is written with the international world of computers and online access strongly in mind along with the relationships of information elements. Librarians, other than catalogers, may not know much about this new code, nor may they know how these new standards for metadata creation will affect public services and technical services areas other than cataloging. Most may also not be aware of its possible applications outside of integrated library systems. "RDA for Everyone" will bring together a respected law cataloger/RDA tester, a well-known associate director/professor of legal research, and a reference and technology librarian (who is also the Chair of the Education Committee of the CS-SIS), to relate a brief history and description of RDA, explaining how it affects discovery and use of information, and how it has potential use outside the traditional library catalog.

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.

Libraries and open source communities share a lot of similarities, making it a logical decision for libraries to both use and participate in open source development.  Nicole C. Engard, Director of Open Source Education at ByWater Solutions and author of Practical Open Source Software for Libraries, will explain how libraries can get involved in open source development and take advantage of the power of applications that have been developed by active communities.

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.

Target Audience: Librarians who work with metadata, metadata frameworks, and controlled vocabularies

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will be able to assess various sources for authority control of elements and vocabularies in the world beyond the MARC format and OCLC authority files.
2. Participants will be able to judge which vocabularies fit their library's needs for metadata organization.

Barbara Tillett and John Mark Ockerbloom will explore the real potential behind linked library data by providing an informative overview of acronyms like RDF, LCSH/SKOS , VIAF and the RDA Registry and by highlighting how the linked data from id.loc.gov is being used to power searches in the Online Books Page and the main library catalog, Franklin, at the University of Pennsylvania.

Come meet the award-winning authors of the 2011 AALL/LexisNexis Call for Papers competition. Hear the authors discuss how they chose their topics, researched and wrote their articles, got past writer's block, juggled the challenges of writing while working 8-5, and other topics. If you want to hear the words of successful writers, you won't want to miss it.

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.

Sharpen your Google search skills, and learn how to teach these same skills to lawyers and staff. This session will cover what librarians need to know about Google Scholar and Google Books, and will demonstrate the best techniques for getting fewer, but better, results from Google searches. It will also show some of the latest Google tricks from the lib, including WonderWheel, Google Instant, and Google Trends.

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.

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

Target Audience: Librarians who implement web technologies or wish to communicate effectively with their IT department about their implementation

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will be able to identify the skills and tools needed to begin using various programming languages.
2. Participants will be able to select possible applications for their library, based on the programming languages presented.

Programming languages and the web tools they create permeate today’s library. Daily, librarians make decisions about the tools they offer patrons online. They consult with IT staff about implementing online tools, but they may not have a realistic idea of what they’re requesting. Most librarians know a little, want to know more, and are willing to self-educate—but may not know where to start. This program will provide an overview of several programming languages that are currently being used by libraries. Panelists will discuss how they use these languages to create online tools for patrons, design and display effective web pages, and manipulate cataloging records.

Target Audience: Law library directors, academic librarians, private law librarians, collection development librarians

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will understand the different collection development strategies and needs of academic and law firm libraries, with respect to both print and electronic resources.  Knowledge of these differences and trends can promote better collection development decisions, improve coordination between academic and law firm libraries, and contribute to better legal skills training.

2. Participants will be able to identify specific collection development processes in order to develop law library collections that promote resource sharing between educational and private institutions, while meeting the collection needs of their primary patron population.

The findings of both the MacCrate Report and the Carnegie Report have emphasized the need to incorporate practical legal skills within the law school curriculum. These findings extend to both the teaching of legal research skills and law school collections, both print and electronic, that support these efforts. Law library collections need to reflect both the analytic process of legal analysis, as well as the application of practical skills. Academic and law firm librarians, as well as skilled practitioners, can effectively collaborate in efforts to provide legal collections and instruction that best support the findings of the MacCrate and Carnegie reports. In doing so, both private and academic law libraries can achieve effective resource sharing and optimal cost effectiveness in the utilization of resources.

ALL-SIS Collection Development Roundtable

Target Audience: Law librarians interested in developing a digital collection with multimedia features; specifically librarians interested in developing procedures for collecting, preserving, and providing access to local area legal history in a digital format

Learning Outcomes:
1. Participants will be able to plan, implement, and manage a digital archive collection with multimedia features.
2. Participants will be prepared to assess and use digital collection management software.

In 2010, The Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Library collaborated with the Cleveland Memory Project to create Legal Landmarks, a digital archival collection featuring a selection of Greater Cleveland's groundbreaking court cases. The speakers will discuss the procedures and practices established to create an institutional archive that collects, preserves, and provides access to local area legal history in a digital format with multimedia features, including financial considerations, staffing decisions, hardware purchases, and digital collection management software. The speakers will also address effective strategies for overcoming challenges that may arise, including creating a controlled vocabulary, assigning metadata, and overcoming copyright issues.