LLNE/SNELLA Service Project: New England Innocence Project

By the LLNE Service Committee

For the upcoming fall meeting, Hysteria, Hyperbole, and Witch Hunts: 1697 & 2017 on November 17th, the Service Committees from both LLNE and SNELLA have teamed up to raise funds for the New England Innocence Project. NEIP provides pro bono legal representation to the wrongfully convicted all over the New England area. With a very small staff, including attorneys, paralegals, interns, and volunteers, the New England Innocence Project have exonerated over 70 individuals. Recently, due to budget concerns, NEIP has been unable to take on new cases. Please consider donating to this worthy cause.

To donate, please go to https://secure.squarespace.com/commerce/donate?donatePageId=57326d1a9f726693272775f8.

For more information on volunteering, please go to http://www.newenglandinnocence.org/volunteer-or-intern/.

ANHLL Invites LLNE Members: Monday, October 16th in NH

Interested in hearing from the people behind the editorial enhancements in Westlaw?  The Association of New Hampshire Law Librarians is having a meeting on Monday, October 16th at 2:00pm at McLane Middleton in Manchester and invites LLNE members to join them. Their speakers (via videoconference) are from Westlaw: Bob Smits for KeyCite questions, plus someone from the headnote writing group and the classification group.

If you are an LLNE member interested in attending, please contact Mary Searles at msearles@courts.state.nh.us .

LLNE’s 2017 AALL Award Winners

The LLNE Membership Development Committee would like to recognize the following LLNE members who have won awards granted by AALL:

  • AALL Spectrum Article of the Year: Pat Newcombe, Western New England University School of Law Library
  • LexisNexis/John R. Johnson Memorial Scholarship: Alisha Hennen, Roger Williams University Law Library
  • Marcia J. Koslov Scholarship: Jessica Lundgren, Maine Law & Legislative Reference Library
  • AALL Annual Meeting Grant: Elaine Apostola, Maine Law & Legislative Reference Library
  • AALL Annual Meeting Chapter Grant: T.K. Adkins, Boston University Fineman & Pappas Law Libraries
  • LISP-SIS Kathy Garner Grant: Jessica Almeida, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth School of Law Library
  • SR-SIS Alan Holoch Memorial Grant: Joshua LaPorte, University of Connecticut School of Law Library

See more details on the awards at http://www.aallnet.org/mm/Member-Resources/AALLawards/2017AALLawardsbrochure.pdf

Congratulations all!

Raquel M. Ortiz & Jenna Fegreus

LLNE Membership Development Committee Co-Chairs

LLNE Makes Its Voice Heard at Meeting regarding Massachusetts Appellate Decisions

On June 26th, the Reporter of Judicial Decisions for Massachusetts held a listening session for stakeholders to voice concerns about the possibility of decisions from the Massachusetts Appeals Court and Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to an online format.  Various LLNE members attended the meeting and LLNE Vice-President/President-Elect Ellen Frentzen spoke on behalf of LLNE.  You can check out a copy of the formal letter .

Help us support UELMA in Massachusetts!

UELMA (Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act) is once again before the Massachusetts Legislature as H. 812, sponsored by Carmine L. Gentile and currently in the Joint Committee on the Judiciary. LLNE member (and head of its Government Relations Committee’s Subcommittee working on the passage of UELMA in Massachusetts) Marnie Warner testified in favor of the legislation on May 2nd. You can read a copy of her testimony on the LLNE website.

We can use your help in two ways:

1) If you are a Massachusetts resident and your representative is on the Joint Judiciary Committee, please contact that person to encourage passage of H. 812. If your representative is not on the committee, please contact the committee chairs. (See Find My Legislator if you are not sure who your representative is.) Below are links to some examples of letters, but it is good to idea to personalize the message so that all messages are not identical. You might also want to link to or consult our LLNE UELMA one-pager.

§ LLAM Sample letter to Committee member
§ AALL Sample One-Pager for Chapters or Individual
§ AALL Sample Letter of Support to Committee Chairs (Individual)
§ Additional AALL UELMA Materials

2) Tell us your stories!

As part of our UELMA advocacy we are looking for stories of how lack of access to digital legal information has affected real people. Please help us by filling out the following survey: http://bit.ly/uelma-survey .

Thank you for caring about these issues and helping us make UELMA a reality in Massachusetts!

Register for the LLNE/ABLL Spring 2016 meeting!

Registration for the LLNE/ABLL Spring 2016 meeting is now open! The theme of the meeting is “Access to Government Information.” We will be spending the day discussing the role of law libraries and the government in providing access to this information, and why it is so critically important. Registration is $50 for LLNE members, and $40 for ABLL members.

Registration, the full schedule, and more is available at http://lawlibraryguides.neu.edu/LLNE2016

LLNE Members’ Leadership Potential Recognized by AALL

Leadership is a vital quality that empowers individuals to inspire and guide others toward shared goals and success. In today’s dynamic and competitive professional landscape, cultivating effective leadership skills has become increasingly crucial. The AALL Leadership Academy provides a remarkable platform for aspiring members of the legal profession to enhance their capabilities and learn from experts in the field. Through a comprehensive program encompassing various assessments, collaborative discussions, and networking opportunities, participants like Claire, Nicole, Cate, Anna, and Anne will embark on a transformative journey toward becoming exceptional leaders. As they delve into topics such as communication, collaboration, and the distinction between leadership and management, they will gain invaluable insights that will shape their careers and contribute to the future of their organizations. To navigate the ever-evolving landscape of leadership in the legal field, it is essential to embrace such opportunities for growth and development. For more information on leadership strategies and insights, visit https://kurtuhlir.com/what-is-enterprise-seo/ to explore valuable resources and perspectives from industry experts.

The January 2016 issue of the AALL E-Newsletter announced the participants for this year’s AALL Leadership Academy.
The LLNE Executive Board is pleased to acknowledge the five LLNE members selected to participate in this year’s academy:

• Claire DeMarco
• Nicole Dyszlewski
• Cate Kellett
• Anna Lawless-Collins
• Anne Rajotte

AALL’s Leadership Academy is an opportunity for newer and aspiring members of the profession to develop and learn from experts and each other essential skills for effective leadership such as communication, collaboration, leadership versus management, and more.
Through a series of assessments, focused conversations, group activities, and networking opportunities, these aspiring newer members will develop these skills and add colleagues from around the nation to their expanding network of professional connections.
Congratulations to Anna, Anne, Cate, Claire, and Nicole! Watch this space and other LLNE communications media for a view into the leadership academy from our participating members.

Posted on behalf of Raquel Ortiz, Assistant Dean for Library and Information Services & Associate Professor of Law, Roger Williams University School of Law, Membership Development Chair of LLNE

UELMA Advocacy for Massachusetts Residents – Hearing on MA Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act H.43 (UELMA) Tomorrow!

ALERT: Hearing on Massachusetts Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act H.43 (UELMA)

A hearing for H. 43 before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary will be held on Wednesday, 5/27/2015. Barbara Morgan will testify for LLNE and Marnie Warner will be available to answer questions. We are requesting that LLNE members who live in Massachusetts and have state Representatives and/or Senators ON THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY contact them to express their support for the bill. Time is of the essence!

1. Who are your legislators?

2. Is one of them a member of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary?

3. If one of your delegates is a member of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary and you support UELMA, please e-mail a letter to them supporting its passage, and then send the letter in the mail. A sample letter to a Committee Member is attached, but it is suggested that each person make the letter their own with a personal touch.

A one-page summary of why UELMA should pass in Massachusetts is available from the llne.org website at http://bit.ly/1AplqMd. A sample letter is attached, but the more you can personalize it, the better. Additional materials about UELMA appear on the AALL website.

Thank you! This legislation is at the heart of what we do as Law Librarians, giving people access to their law.

Barbara Morgan, Barbara Schneider, Marnie Warner, Joan Shear, Sue Zago and Michelle Pearse
LLNE Massachusetts Government Relations Committee
Sub-committee working on the passage of UELMA in Massachusetts

LLNE Members Receive AALL Awards!

Congratulations to our LLNE members who received Awards from AALL!

Law Library Publications Award (Print Division):
Laurel Davis and Lily Olson (Boston College) for The Law in Postcards
AALL/LexisNexis Call for Papers Award (Open Division):

Nicole Dyszlewski (Roger Williams) as co-author of Managing Disruptive Patron Behavior in Law Libraries: A Grey Paper Emerging Leader Award

Nicole Dyszlewski (Roger Williams)
Innovations in Technology Award

The staff of the Maine State Law and Legislative Library for their Law and Legislative Digital Library

The full list of 2015 AALL Award Recipients is available in the April 29, 2015 AALL E-Briefing.