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Join us for “Friday fun” today!

Hi, LLNE members,

We hope you are staying healthy and safe!

Please join us on 4/17 at 3 pm for LLNE’s second COVID-19 Friday Friendly hour! There is no agenda, just some low key socialization time with other LLNE members. Bring your pets and/or your cocktails!

https://bostonu.zoom.us/j/488261085?pwd=Qm5hT0thOVJ0VFk5ZDRHYUxvUjNhUT09

Meeting ID: 488 261 085

Password: check Monday, 4/13 list serv announcement or visit the guide for our 4/28 spring meeting

LLNE 2020 Spring Meeting Service Project

With everyone currently cooped up at home, the Service Committee thought it would be a great opportunity for members of LLNE to once again donate their time to help transcribe historically significant documents.  The Boston Public Library is asking for the public’s assistance with transcribing its digitized collection of 19th century handwritten correspondence between anti-slavery activists; doing so will improve the collection’s visibility, accessibility, and searchability for users.

Simply visit https://www.antislaverymanuscripts.org and click “Start Transcribing.”  You will then be prompted to create an account before starting.  The BPL has put together a great tutorial and field guide to help new volunteers, and you can transcribe as little or as much as you’d like—whenever you’d like!  Please note that the project is currently not supported on mobile devices.

If you have any questions or comments about this project, please feel free to contact Kaitlin Connolly at Kaitlin.Connolly@mass.gov.

LLNE Spring 2020 has moved online!

Join us virtually, Tuesday, April 28th!

Dear LLNE members and friends,

2020 is totally bonkers. 

First, we hope you are safe and healthy, and that your family members are also safe and healthy.

Second, we would like to invite you to our LLNE Online Spring meeting. This meeting is intended as a celebration of the resilience of our community, all of whom have been going above and beyond to support their work places and institutions.  While we recognize that not everyone may be well enough or interested in attending a meeting, we are hoping to provide community and togetherness by holding this meeting.

Third, a few notes about the day.

  1. This is being provided for free for members of LLNE and some other local organizations. We decided against seeking sponsorship because this  event is the result of the hard work of our community and we wanted to promote that.
  2. You can register for each session separately.  We do not expect you to stay for the whole day. Rather, you should come and go as you feel appropriate and as you feel the sessions apply to your work,
  3. Several of the sessions are unconference discussion sessions. Feel free to veer off topic or bounce around topics. This day is for our members and the session titles are just a starting point.
  4. You can snack, drink tea, or eat lunch during the sessions. 
  5. The sessions are being recorded. We are trying to increase access to members who could not participate but would like to view the content. 

Finally, gratitude is in order. We would like to thank the staff at BC Law who were in the midst of planning an in-person Spring 2020 meeting when COVID-19 happened. They have graciously agreed to participate in one of our sessions online. Thanks also go to Shira Megerman and Maureen Quinlan, LLNE’s Education Directors who didn’t flinch when we discussed making this an online meeting and have done so much work so quickly. Next, we should thank BU Law for providing us the technology we will be using. Finally, I would like to thank the entirety of the LLNE Executive Board. They have been such kind and gracious problem solvers, and have given generously of their time, even during this crisis.

Onward,

Nicole P. Dyszlewski, LLNE Vice President on behalf of the Executive Board

LLNE Spring Meeting cancelled

Dear fellow travelers, 

After much discussion, deliberation and even soul-searching, we have decided to cancel the LLNE meeting, Well-Being and Mindfulness for Legal Professionals. Travel bans for some New England schools, the uncertainty about the length of the planned bans and quarantines, and the prima facie nature of the current reality has led us to this conclusion.  Please know that we did not come to this decision lightly; the Boston College Law School Library staff is saddened to cancel this event.  Well-being and mindfulness are topics that we are passionate about, and that we know are of interest to so many others.  

We know that many of you, like us, are busy with the extra work of planning, teaching, and providing resources for the disruption due to the advent of the COVID-19.  Please accept our apologies.  We would like an opportunity to provide this conference at another time.  We will be letting the wonderful slate of speakers that we had convened know about this cancellation later this afternoon. 

May you all stay healthy and be safe.

Peace, Filippa

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Filippa Marullo AnzaloneProfessor of Law
Associate Dean for Library & Technology Services

Boston College Law School

Scholarships for Legal Research Instruction Program

All public librarians are encouraged to apply for a scholarship, sponsored by the LLNE Access to Justice Committee, to attend our chapter’s Legal Research Instruction Program.

The Legal Research Instruction Program (LRIP) is a six-week seminar geared towards public librarians interested in learning more about law librarianship. Each week, a different aspect of legal research is covered — everything from an overview of the U.S. legal system, to finding business transactional documents. The class will run on Wednesday evenings from March 18 — April 22, 2020. The six classes will be held from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Suffolk University Law Library in Boston. For more information about the LRIP course, go to https://llne.org/legalresearchinstruction/ or contact Brian Flaherty directly at brian2@bu.edu.

The LLNE Access to Justice Committee is providing two scholarships to cover the cost of registration. Applicants must be public (non-law) librarians from the New England region. For more information and to apply, go to https://llne.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/2020-ResearchRegistration.pdf

Please send applications to Mike VanderHeijden at michael.vanderheijden@yale.edu by Friday, March 13, 2020. Scholarship recipients will be notified by Monday, March 16, 2020.

We encourage all LLNE members to share this scholarship opportunity with their local public libraries and any public librarians that would be interested in this excellent professional development opportunity.

Open Position: Head Law Librarian

The Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries has an opening for a Head Law Librarian in our Lowell Law Library. More information on this position can be found at https://employees-trialcourtsofmass.icims.com/jobs/4856/head-law-librarian—lowell-law-library/job. The closing date for applications is March 9th.

POSITION SUMMARY

Working within the Trial Court Law Libraries of Department of Support Services, the Head Law Librarian administers all activities of a public law library within the Trial Court; is responsible for the planning and management of a Trial Court library collection; performs professional library duties including acquisition, cataloging, and reference; ensures that the legal information needs of the library users are met, including the judiciary, court staff, members of the bar, self-represented litigants and the public;  supervises Law Librarians and Law Library Assistant(s), participates in system-wide activities such as long-range planning, electronic library services, special projects, and other library and court services related work as required.

Open Position: Experienced Research and Instructional Services Librarian

The Lillian Goldman Law Library at Yale Law School has an opening for an Experienced Research and Instructional Services Librarian. Details are available at Reference & Instruction Librarian – Yale University – Job Details and below. Please feel free to contact Jordan Jefferson at jordan.a.jefferson@yale.edu with any questions.

Position Focus:

Reporting to the Associate Director for Research and Instructional Services, the Research and Instructional Services Librarian at the Lillian Goldman Law Library is responsible for providing significant research, reference, and instructional service in a dynamic and challenging environment. This position provides an unparalleled working experience amongst a diverse community of scholars and access to a world-class collection of print and digital materials. A successful candidate will be creative, thoughtful, agile, culturally competent, and display emotional intelligence.

The librarian in this position will provide superior research and reference services to students, faculty, staff, and the Yale community in a variety of venues. In addition, this position participates in formal instruction in for-credit legal research courses as well as informal instruction in the first year and clinical programs, guest lectures, and other workshops. This position works collaboratively in a team setting with all members of the Law Library.

The librarian in this position may develop print and electronic research guides, video tutorials, and other technology-based tools to educate and assist patrons in conducting legal research and using library resources. This position also participates in developing the Library’s online presence via the web site and other electronic means. There may be opportunities to participate in collection development, engage in scholarship, create exhibits, and develop other law library activities according to abilities, aptitude, and desire. Strong emphasis on teamwork, individual growth, and professional development.

All professional librarians will participate in library planning committees, working groups, and task forces within the Law Library and the University Library. There are also opportunities for professional growth and involvement including engaging in campus, regional, and national professional organizations and collaborative activities. A successful candidate will be expected to be professionally active and represent the Library and the University in the academic, scholarly, and professional community.

This position will be assigned a rank of Librarian 2 to 5 based on a combination of professional experience and accomplishments. Librarian ranking information can be found at bit.ly/YULRanksPromotions .

Essential Duties

  1. Provides research service to students, faculty, clinics, centers, staff, and members of the Yale community through consultations, formal and informal instruction, and in-person and virtual reference services.
  2. Teaches in formalized legal research program as well as in a variety of classroom and electronic settings.
  3. Engages in outreach to support research, instructional offerings, and information resources of the Law Library.
  4. Creates and maintains research support tools and online guides. Collaborates with librarians, GIS specialists, archivists, and other providers of information resources to provide superior research and instructional services.
  5. Works closely with collections, acquisitions, and cataloging librarians, and staff on selecting, acquiring, and receiving resources in all formats (print, databases, datasets, images, a/v, etc.) and preparing them for availability to users.
  6. Participates in departmental research support and collections program planning.
  7. Participates in library planning committees, working groups, and task forces within the Law and University Libraries. Engages in campus, regional, and national professional organizations and collaborative activities.
  8. Seeks opportunities for professional growth and involvement. Expected to be professionally active and represent the Library and University in the academic, scholarly, and professional community.
  9.  Monitors developments and best practices to help ensure the excellence of the Law Library’s research and instructional offerings.
  10. May be required to assist with disaster recovery efforts.
  11. May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited program for library and information science and a J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school (or foreign equivalent).

Required Skill/Ability 1:

A minimum of 2 years of professional experience. Demonstrated ability providing research and reference support in complex areas of legal research.

Required Skill/Ability 2:

Demonstrated ability teaching within a formal classroom setting, litigating in court, or presenting in another learning environment. Demonstrated ability with current legal information technologies, publishing formats, databases, and legal research sources and techniques.

Required Skill/Ability 3:

Demonstrated ability to function in a team-oriented, fast-paced environment that emphasizes customer service and delivery of exemplary research and instructional services. Strong public services orientation.

Required Skill/Ability 4:

Strong communication and interpersonal skills. Emotionally intelligent with positive attitude. Demonstrated ability to work collegially and collaboratively across units. Demonstrated ability to think independently, consult appropriately, and solve problems.

Required Skill/Ability 5:

Demonstrated record of designing projects and bringing them to conclusion in a timely fashion. Ability to coordinate, lead and direct such projects. Self-motivated, superior attention to detail, excellent organizational skills. Strong analytical ability, creative, and agile.

Preferred Education, Experience and Skills:

  1. At least three years’ experience providing research and instructional services in an academic, public, or private law library.
  2. Demonstrated knowledge and experience researching in a specialized area or topic.
  3. Demonstrated knowledge and experience with web development tools, web based tools, or other technologies beyond traditional online research databases.

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. Please visit www.yale.edu/hronline/careers/screening/faqs.html for additional information on the background check requirements and process.

Posting Disclaimer

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the particular position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring departments.

Affirmative Action Statement:

Yale University considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, an individual’s sex, race, color, religion, age, disability, status as a veteran, or national or ethnic origin; nor does Yale discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects people from sex discrimination in educational programs and activities at institutions that receive federal financial assistance. Questions regarding Title IX may be referred to the University’s Title IX Coordinator, at TitleIX@yale.edu, or to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 8th Floor, Five Post Office Square, Boston MA 02109-3921. Telephone: 617.289.0111, Fax: 617.289.0150, TDD: 800.877.8339, or Email: ocr.boston@ed.gov.

Note

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus

Save the date for the LLNE Spring Meeting!

Dear LLNE friends and colleagues, 

The spring LLNE meeting is going to be at Boston College Law School—this is a “save the date” announcement.   

The conference will be on Tuesday, April 28, 2020, and the theme is Well-being and Mindfulness in the Legal Profession.  We will have speakers from the Mindfulness in Law Society, from the SJC Well-Being Committee, from Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Boston firms, schools, etc.  Some listening, some practicing–a day to learn and recharge your spirits.  Details about registration to follow.  

Thank you and enjoy the week. 

Peace, Filippa and the BC Law Library Team

UELMA in MASSACHUSETTS UPDATE

 A public hearing on the Massachusetts UELMA bills H. 64.and H. 3294 was held on September 17,2019 before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary. Catherine Biondo, LLNE’s Immediate Past President testified  on behalf of LLNE and submitted the following supporting documents to the Joint Committee:

One-pager explaining H. 3294 and H. 64 and UELMA in Massachusetts

AALL Chart showing that 21 states plus the District of Columbia have enacted UELMA as of August 2019.

There will be opportunities for attendees to become involved in helping to pass UELMA at the LLNE fall meeting at Harvard.  

If you are from Massachusetts and not attending the LLNE meeting, please take time to contact your state Representative by letter or email and encourage them to support H. 64 and H. 3294 and specifically to contact members of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary to favorably refer the bills out to a full vote in the House.

Once the bills are before the full House, LLNE will engage with members of the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Massachusetts Library Association to lobby for passage of UELMA.  Both the MBA and the MLA have endorsed UELMA.


We thank the members of the LLNE GRC UELMA in MA Subcommittee and the legislators who have supported our efforts. Special thanks to Marnie Warner, LLNE GRC UELMA in Massachusetts Subcommittee member, for her contributions to this report.

Anne McDonald, Co-Chair, LLNE Government Relations Committee

Emilie Benoit, Co-Chair, LLNE Government Relations Committee