AALL GATEWAY

Exhibit Hall Drawings: Monday & Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Duggan) — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 08:21:00 -0700

Paul Graller and Sally Holterhoff once again gave away goodies on Monday, July 10 and Tuesday, July 11, at the Annual Meeting Exhibit Hall Drawing. From almost 1000 entries, a few lucky winners are going home with prizes. Cheryl Niemeier (Bose McKinney & Evans LLP, Indianapolis, IN) and Roger Skalbeck (George Mason University School of Law Library, Arlington, VA) both won an Amazon gift card. Melanie Sims (Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center Library, Baton Rouge, LA) took home a AMEX gift card. Marian F. Parker (Wake Forest University Professional Center Library, Winston-Salem, NC) won a Palm PDA. Wadad Giles (North Carolina Central University School of Law Library, Durham, NC); James P. Walsh (Mercer University Law Library, Macon, GA); Herbert E. Cihak (University of Arkansas School of Law, Young Law Library, Fayetteville, AR) and Edward L. Craig, Jr.(Cumberland School of Law Library, Samford University, Birmingham, AL) took home iPod Shuffles. Margaret Maes Axtmann (University of St. Thomas, Schoenecker Law Library, Minneapolis, MN) and Jennifer Alexander (Nixon Peabody LLP, New York, NY) were the winners of the Nikon digital cameras. Ann H. Jeter (Jackson Walker, LLP, Dallas, TX) and Ted Smith (North Dakota Supreme Court Law Library, Bismarck, ND) both won Dell laptop computers.

Posted for Astrid Emel.

Rise to the Challenge: AALL in New Orleans, 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Diane Murley) — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 07:04:00 -0700

By Brian Huddleston, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law

AALL has had its annual meeting in New Orleans twice before, first in 1932 and again in 1991. New Orleans holds a singular position in the consciousness of our nation as an exotic, foreign destination located right here on American soil. New Orleans is in the South, but not of the South; it is in the United States but is unique among American cities in countless ways. The food, music, and architecture in New Orleans all reflect the diverse cultural influences that have been mixed together during our city's history. The allure of New Orleans is well expressed in many song lyrics such as this one from Tom Waits:

Well I wish I was in New Orleans
I can see it in my dreams
Arm in arm down Burgundy
A bottle and my friends and me

Typically, little effort is required to entice people to visit our city. But nothing is typical in New Orleans these days. In the sheer size of urban destruction our recent catastrophe is second only to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Almost a year later, hundreds of neighborhoods are still ghost towns and thousands of damaged houses and buildings still wait to be cleaned up or hauled off.

The French Quarter, uptown, the business district, all the parts of the city built on the high ground along the river escaped the flooding. This "sliver on the river" has now returned to a somewhat normally functioning city, and if you stay in these areas you can walk around and almost forget what happened (when we also call this the "Isle of Denial" we're only half-joking.)

All of us in New Orleans can only inadequately express in words the appreciation we have for our fellow law librarians who helped our two law schools, our law firms, and our court libraries, both with your offers of assistance and your words of sympathy and encouragement. We also know many of you contributed personally to the overwhelming charitable response that the nation, and the world, provided in the aftermath of the hurricane. For that we also can only make do with a heartfelt thank you.

In June, the ALA successfully brought back large-scale conferences to New Orleans. Eighteen thousand librarians attended the ALA Annual Conference and the city was more than ready for them. It was a resounding success and was even a top news story. Our appreciation of their commitment to retain their planned venue is second only to our appreciation of AALL's similar commitment to again meet here in 2007.

A more recent lyrical tribute was paid to us at this year's New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. As unlikely as Bruce Springsteen may have been for this annual centerpiece of our city's musical life, his recent incarnation as a re-interpreter of good time "hootenanny" folk music fit in perfectly, and his performance was a milestone in the on-going processes of our healing and recovery. He concluded his otherwise rousing, foot-stomping set with a haunting, prayerful acoustic version of "When the Saints Go Marching In" and included two lesser known verses of this New Orleans standard:

We are all traveling in the footsteps
Of those that come before
And we'll all be reunited
On that new and sunlit shore

Now some say this world of trouble
Is the only world we'll ever see
But I'm waiting for that morning
When the new world is revealed

Please come to New Orleans and help us to continue finding the new world of our rebuilding. Come to AALL in 2007 and bring your spouses, partners, and families. Come early or stay an extra day to enjoy all we have to offer. Come eat our po-boys, buy some beads, get a beer and walk with it through the centuries-old streets of the French Quarter. Have a cool and refreshing Pimm's Cup at the Napoleon House to help beat the heat. Bayona, Peristyle and many others of the city's best restaurants are open, and you can be assured of having a great meal, or several great meals. Just ask one of us locals next summer for our best recommendations.

Music of every variety can be heard every night at dozens of clubs. Some of our city's musicians lost everything and have permanently relocated elsewhere, but many are back and some that can't return still stop in town while on tour. From national acts at the House of Blues to musicians who play mainly on the streets of the French Quarter, there's always good music to be found in New Orleans. Again, ask us for our personal favorites.

The Audubon Zoo and the Aquarium of the Americas are both open, and the John James Audubon Riverboat has resumed river cruises between these two venues. The New Orleans Museum of Art and the Smithsonian-affiliated Ogden Museum of Southern Art both survived the hurricane intact and offer world-renowned collections. The National World War II Museum (formerly the D-Day Museum) has repaired its damage, re-opened, and continues to serve as the nation's premiere tribute to the Greatest Generation. And these are just a few examples of what is available to see and do in New Orleans. More attractions, restaurants, and businesses are re-opening all the time.

People are capable of things they never thought they could do and hardships can only make us grow stronger. We're rising to the challenge and hope that you can come see our progress and enjoy another great Annual Meeting in New Orleans in 2007.

See you next year in New Orleans

noreply@blogger.com (Diane Murley) — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 14:08:00 -0700

Beginning AALL's 2nd Century--Rise to the Challenge!

noreply@blogger.com (Diane Murley) — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 15:43:00 -0700

By Sally Holterhoff, AALL President-Elect

It has been great to gather with colleagues here in St. Louis the past few days—to learn about issues confronting our profession, to network with friends old and new, and to celebrate a landmark anniversary for AALL. Congratulations to all who have worked so hard to make this Annual Meeting an especially memorable one.

Even as our time here draws to a close, plans are already well underway for next year, when we will be heading to New Orleans to hold the 100th AALL Annual Meeting, with the theme “Rise to the Challenge.” This theme reflects the spirit that has enabled the people of our host city of New Orleans to survive a disastrous storm and its aftermath and to begin the process of rebuilding for a brighter future. Their example serves as an inspiration for us, both individually and collectively.

As an association at the start of our second century, AALL's reliance on the energy and creativity of its members has never been more important. Having the capacity and motivation to rise to the challenge in our work lives is part of being a professional. Rising means looking ahead, anticipating new developments, taking the lead in areas where we are the real experts, and standing up to make ourselves heard. Through the next twelve months, culminating with our meeting dates of July 14-17, 2007, I hope to focus attention on the challenges we're all facing in our work lives, in our association, and in our profession—and what we can do to confront them successfully.

One way that AALL is responding to the needs of our members and their busy professional lives is to adopt a new, condensed format for future Annual Meetings. Starting with 2007, the length of the meeting will be four days (Saturday through Tuesday), rather than five days, as has been our previous schedule. The AALL Executive Board made this decision over a year ago, after much study and in response to suggestions and comments from all sectors of AALL membership, and following a growing trend in the planning of professional meetings.

I can assure you that in the new format we've found a way to include our usual number of slots for educational programs, as well as plenty of time for networking with colleagues and exhibit hall visits. Highlights will include an opening event on Saturday night, an opening session with keynote speaker on Sunday morning, and educational programs during the day on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Two events being eliminated are the Association Luncheon and the second AALL Business Meeting. The Exhibit Hall will close Tuesday afternoon and the Closing Banquet will take place on Tuesday night. A schedule for the new streamlined meeting has been developed and will be available on AALLNET soon.

Besides the planning for these changes in the next Annual Meeting, I have set in motion some other activities for the coming year, focusing on the key areas of education, leadership, and advocacy which are identified in the AALL Strategic Directions 2005-2010.

An important area of attention for the coming year is AALL's new Continuing Professional Education program, which reflects many of the ideas generated at the Education Summit we convened last September. A Special Committee on Continuing Professional Education, chaired by Carole Hinchcliff, has already begun working with our recently-hired AALL Education Manager Celeste Smith. One aspect of the committee's work will be evaluating requests and awarding grant funding for educational programs to be held outside the annual meeting which are proposed by chapters, SISs or individual AALL members.

To support and maintain the leadership value of our AALL committee work, I have appointed a Special Committee on AALL Committee Structure. This committee, chaired by Karl Gruben, will be reviewing the current framework of standing committees of the Association and making recommendations to the Executive Board concerning what committees we need for effective operation of AALL in the future.

The Special Committee on Pro Bono Partnerships, a third new group for 2006-07, will focus on cooperative efforts between law librarians and other providers of pro bono legal assistance. Led by Chair Sara Galligan, this committee will be exploring ways to promote and expand these efforts and encourage more AALL chapters and local law libraries to become involved.

In the area of advocacy, we are in the early stages of planning an Advocacy Summit, to be held in Spring 2007. This event will be the second summit AALL has convened to focus on one of our Strategic Directions. This summit will likely focus on a specific advocacy issue and more details will be available soon.

I am so pleased and honored to have the opportunity to serve as AALL President for 2006-07. I am excited about the prospect of working more closely with many of the smart, talented, and dedicated individuals who make up the membership of this association. I'll do my very best to make the coming year a great one for all of us in AALL and I look forward to seeing you next July in New Orleans!

ALL-SIS Presents Frederick Charles Hicks Award to Roger Jacobs

noreply@blogger.com (Diane Murley) — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 05:32:00 -0700

Tuesday evening the Academic Law Libraries SIS presented its Frederick Charles Hicks Award to Roger F. Jacobs at the annual section reception at the Washington University School of Law.

Professor Jacobs recently retired as Associate Dean and Director of the Kresge Law Library at the Notre Dame Law School. Professor Jacobs was at Notre Dame for 21 years. From 1978-1985, Professor Jacobs served as Librarian of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was also the founding law librarian at the University of Windsor and the Southern Illinois University.

Professor Jacobs is past-president of both the American Association of Law Libraries (1981-1982) and the Canadian Association of Law Libraries (1971-1973) as well as the founding president of the Mid-America Association of Law Libraries (1974-1976). He has served on over 25 American Bar Association site evaluation teams and as a consultant to more than 10 law schools. He has been an extremely active member of AALL for more than 40 years, and he has been a frequent speaker on a wide range of law library issues.

During Professor Jacobs' tenure at Notre Dame, he established and directed a law library staff known for delivering outstanding service to all patrons while also building a strong collection. Because of his sustained service to academic law librarianship, Roger Jacobs is a most deserving recipient of the Frederick Charles Hicks Award.

Ed Edmonds, Chair, ALL-SIS Awards Committee

Nightly Wrapup Podcasts at CTO!

noreply@blogger.com (James Milles) — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 09:35:00 -0700

Each night of the conference, I have been getting together with some friends to podcast a wrapup of the day's highlights. The CTO! Nightly Wrapup team consists of Kris Niedringhaus, Connie Crosby, Ken Hirsh, June Liebert, Hollie White, and Nancy Babb. We've been talking about the educational programs and committee meetings we've attended, the parties and luncheons, and anything else that grabs us. If you weren't lucky enough to come to St. Louis, have a listen to Check This Out! at http://cto.libsyn.com; if you were here, listen in for some fun, casual talk about the conference highlights. Find out about Dancin' Ken and why the catalogers' programs are overflowing!

AALLUNY, LLAGNY, NJLLA Joint Reception

noreply@blogger.com (Diane Murley) — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 07:37:00 -0700

This evening, July 11, Dialog is sponsoring the AALLUNY, LLAGNY, NJLLA Annual Joint Chapter Reception at the Renaissance Grand Hotel. (6:30 - 8:30). This year's reception serves as a "Kick-Off" Event for the 2007 NorthEast Regional Law Libraries Meeting to be held in Toronto October 17-20, 2007.

See DIALOG Helps ALLUNY, LLAGNY, and NJLLA Kick Off 4th NorthEast Regional Law Libraries Meeting.

New Orleans 2007 Open Forum

noreply@blogger.com (Diane Murley) — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 03:12:00 -0700

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Proposing a Successful Program Meet the 2007 Annual Meeting Program Committee and get your questions about proposing programs for New Orleans answered. Today, 11:45 AM, America's Center Room 262. See you there!

PLANNING FOR THE 2007 AALL ANNUAL MEETING IN NEW ORLEANS

noreply@blogger.com (Diane Murley) — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 02:47:00 -0700

Join us at the TS-SIS Education Committee Meeting
Tuesday, July 11, 2006, 11:45 AM-1:00 pm
America 's Center, Room 125

Overview

While it may seem way too earlier to think about AALL in 2007, we need to plan now due to the very short time-frame for submitting program ideas after the 2006 Annual meeting. We have lots of flexibility to propose learning opportunities that are important to us, but we need your ideas! If you would like TS-SIS to consider sponsoring your program, please read on …

Theme

The theme for the 2007 meeting in New Orleans is “Rise to the Challenge.” See the incoming 2006/07 AALL President Sarah (Sally) Holterhoff's description at: http://www.aallnet.org/press/ftdo_sally_holterhoff_050106.asp

Deadline if Requesting TS-SIS Sponsorship

Final deadline for submitting your program, workshop or topic to the TS-SIS Education Committee is Friday, August 4, 2006, 5:00 pm PDT.

Process

All TS-SIS Education Committee members are available to assist you. We are open to collaborating with other SIS's or committees. And don't limit your presentation to the traditional 3 talking-head panels. See page 18 in the Handbook for alternative presentation formats.

Refer to the Program Planners Handbook for more information at: http://www.aallnet.org/events/ProgramPlannersHandbook.pdf
Beginning on p. 32 of the Handbook are step-by-step guidelines for using the online web site to create your proposal. See http://proposals.aallnet.org/
You do not need to complete your proposal in one session. You can save your work in progress and log back in as many times as needed to complete your proposal.
If you are seeking TS-SIS sponsorship, identify TS-SIS as the sponsor (or co-sponsor).
When you have completed your proposal, enter both the TS-SIS Education Committee e-mail address: ts-education@aallnet.org and Rhonda Lawrence's e-mail address: lawrence@law.ucla.edu. Next, when you are ready to share it with the TS-SIS Education Committee, click on the button that says “Share.” Your proposal will then be automatically sent to TS-SIS Education Committee and to Rhonda Lawrence to review.
IMPORTANT: Do not click on the “Submit Proposal” button until you have heard from the TS-SIS Education Committee. If you click on the “Submit Proposal” button, the proposal goes directly to AMPC and you will no longer be able to revise it.

When will TS-SIS notify people about sponsorship?

We will notify everyone who has submitted a proposal to TS-SIS no later than Thursday August 10, 2006, whether we will sponsor your program. Individuals may choose to submit any programs to directly AMPC they like without our sponsorship.

Plan to attend the TS-SIS Education Committee meeting, Tuesday, July 11, 2006 from 11:45 AM-1:00 pm, in America's Center, Room 125.

TS-SIS 2006/07 Education Committee Members

Rhonda Lawrence, 2006/07 TS-SIS Chair & Education Committee Chair, UCLA Law Library, lawrence@law.ucla.edu
Alan Keely, TS -SIS 2006/07 Vice-Chair, Wake Forest University keely@wfu.edu
Ajaye B. loomstone, Acquisitions Committee Chair, Louisiana State Law Library, llajaye@lsu.edu
Jean Pajerek, Cataloging & Classification Committee Chair, Cornell Law Library, jmp8@cornell.edu
Patricia Turpening, Preservation Committee Chair, BookloverConsulting@yahoo.com
Carol Nicholson, Serials Standing Committee Chair, UNC Chapel Hill carol_nicholson@unc.edu
Cindy Buhi, Tech Services Librarian, Washington State Attorney General cindyb3@atg.wa.gov
Jolande E. Goldberg, Senior Cataloging Policy Specialist, Library of Congress, jgol@loc.gov
Jim Mumm, Acquisitions/Serials Librarian, Marquette University Law Library jim.mumm@marquette.edu
Teresa A. Parker-Bellamy, Head, Bibliographic Services Dept., Regent University Law Library, terepar@regent.edu
Paula Tejeda, Associate Law Librarian, Sol Blatt Jr. Law Library, Charleston School of Law, ptejeda@charlestonlaw.org

Legal Historian Honored at Association Luncheon

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Duggan) — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 19:35:00 -0700

By Matt Braun

The importance and joy of law librarian scholarship and its influence on the profession were celebrated in front of a large contingency of AALL members and distinguished guests at the Association Luncheon on Monday afternoon.

Christopher T. Anglim, the History, Collection Development, Government Documents, and Periodicals Librarian at the John B. Coleman Library at Prairie View A&M University in Texas, received the 2006 Joseph L. Andrews Bibliographical Award at the luncheon for his book, Joined in Common Enterprise: A Bibliography on the Origins of Early Anglo-American Partnership Law.

Anglim, whose book was published by Hein, told the luncheon attendees that his work developed out of a strong belief that historical perspective is crucial to any study of law. He also emphasized how key AALL is to encouraging and rewarding various types of legal scholarship by librarians; and in affording law librarians a unified voice to advance the profession. Finally, he called upon the association members to use scholarship and other means to inform law library constituents as to what librarians do on a daily basis; and how important our profession is in facilitating and preserving access to vital information.

To illustrate this point, Anglim recalled an encounter that he had with a stranger at an Austin, Texas eatery where the stranger asked Anglim what it is that he did for a living. When Anglim responded that he was a law librarian, the stranger responded that it must be nice to spend all day just reading books in a quiet, idyllic setting. The stranger was none other than famous recluse and entrepreneur Howard Hughes. Thus, the importance of explaining the profession to
the masses, whether through the spoken or written word, became apparent.

Prior to Anglim’s address, AALL President Claire Germain recognized the work of the 2006 Annual Meeting Program Committee, the contributions of a variety of corporate donors to the association, and the presence of distinguished guests and VIPs from the St. Louis area, from across the United States, and from nations such as China, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Switzerland, Mexico, and Togo.

Family Social Hour

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Duggan) — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 19:31:00 -0700

By Carolyn Santanella
Smith Moore LLP
Greensboro, NC

Family Social Hour
City Museum
Saturday July 8th, 2006
4:00 to 6:00 pm

Bringing out the kid in all of us was a fantastic start to the 100th Celebration 2006 Annual Meeting of AALL for those members having family attend with them. Many families were able to enjoy climbing, crawling, squishing into tiny places, becoming active participants in circus performances and countless other “fun stuff” at the City Museum of St. Louis. Just a short walk away from the hub of AALL’s “grown-up” activities, the City Museum offered a marvelous respite of relaxation, wonder and adventure for AALL
members and their families. It was a grand time for all who were able to attend and one that will surely be remembered by young and old alike for many years to come. St. Louis event planners provided a wonderful time for the families attending this year’s event.

Exhibit Hall Opening Ceremony

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Duggan) — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 19:26:00 -0700

By Carolyn Santanella
Smith Moore LLP
Greensboro NC

Sunday, July 9, 9am: Madame President Claire Germain, with trumpet fanfare in true St. Louis, style (well, perhaps they were coronets?!) greeted the gathered attendees for this year’s 2006 Annual Meeting and Conference to officially open both the meeting and the exhibit hall to all. Ms. Germain cut the ceremonial ribbon to the Exhibit Hall that opened the floodgate of attendees to a record number of exhibitors for this year’s meeting. Attendees were greeted with a varied array of booths, exhibits and goodies as they entered. From the BNA exhibit of the annual meeting bags they have provided over the last number of years to West’s steamboat center and world tent, attendees will have a hard time seeing, listening and talking to each and every exhibitor and still find time to attend sessions!

PLL-SIS Breakfast and Business Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Duggan) — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 19:21:00 -0700

By Carolyn Santanella
Smith Moore LLP
Greensboro NC

President Terry Psarras opened this year’s PLL-SIS Breakfast and Business Meeting on Sunday, July 9 at 7am with his usual humor and good will. The meeting was well attended by the membership of PLL, which comprises nearly one-third of the total membership of AALL.

Mr. Psarras was thrilled to announce to the attendees that the PLL Toolkit has been completed and is now available via the PLL-SIS website to members. This project has been in the works for several years and has been eagerly anticipated by many. Congratulations to him and to the PLL Toolkit committee for their tireless efforts to bring this project to fruition!

Mr. Psarras introduced the new slate of officers for the 2006-2007 year as well as the various chairs of the committees and groups of PLL. The general business meeting was brief, with no major changes or announcements to bring to the group

Bloggers meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Fullerton) — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 12:28:00 -0700

Reminder! Bloggers informal meeting today at 5 p.m. at Kitchen K. Kitchen K is located a few blocks from the convention center on Washington Street. Just ask for the bloggers!

Faculty Services Roundtable: Developing Best Practices

noreply@blogger.com (Diane Murley) — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 03:19:00 -0700

The ALL-SIS Faculty Services Committee will build on its successful series of listserv discussions during its roundtable on Monday, July 10, 2006 from 10:15 - 11:30 am in America's Center Room 262. Committee members will summarize three of our listserv discussions in three important areas: Current Awareness, Library Research Assistance Programs/Research & Writing Support, and New Faculty Orientation/Faculty Support & Training. Then we'll break up into 3 groups - each smaller group will discuss one of the topics - discuss best practices, and report our findings back to the entire group.

TS-SIS Program - Cataloging at the Crossroads: LC's Series Decision and Its New Role in National Cataloging Policy

noreply@blogger.com (Diane Murley) — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 03:10:00 -0700

Monday, July 10, 2006 - 2:00-3:00 p.m. America's Center-Room 262

Speaker: Marie Whited, Catalog Liaison, Law Library of Congress Moderator & Coordinator: Rhonda K. Lawrence

With the Library of Congress's decision in April to discontinue making series authority records, a national controversy has ensued about LC's ongoing role in setting national cataloging policy, its decision-making process, and how U.S. libraries and associations are responding. Attend this program to learn the latest national developments, hear comments from Marie Whited, Catalog Liaison at the Law Library of Congress, and share experiences in how law libraries are reacting.

Background:

For the official series announcements from the Library of Congress, see the Cataloging and Policy Support Office website at April 20, 2006 http://www.loc.gov/catdir/series.html and June 1, 2006 http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/series.html

For papers posted on the Library of Congress Professional Guild web site, including Deanna Marcum's statement, the Calhoun report, etc., Thomas Mann's rebuttals, see: http://guild2910.org/future.htm

For OCLC's decision regarding LC records and series processing in World Cat, see: http://www.oclc.org/news/announcements/announcement191.htm

Program for Cooperative Cataloging FAQ re: series Web page http://www.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/bibco/seriesfaq.html

Program for Cooperative Cataloging statement on LC SARs decision http://www.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/seriesPCC.html

Blackmun and Beyond: Columnist Recalls Covering the U.S. Supreme Court and One of its Most Unique Justices

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Duggan) — Sun, 9 Jul 2006 14:16:00 -0700

By Matt Braun, mbraun@law.gwu.edu

Those who attended Plenary Session I on Sunday afternoon were treated to a heartfelt account of how library research changed a well-known journalist’s career.

Linda Greenhouse, the New York Times’ Supreme Court and Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent, spoke of how interpreting a large finding aid and mounds of documents held by the Library of Congress’ Manuscripts Division was a bit intimidating at first, and on how such work ultimately provided enough of a canvass for a colorful biography on former Justice Harry A. Blackmun.

The book, Becoming Justice Blackmun, was published in May 2005 and sprouted from a series of articles Greenhouse wrote coinciding with the release of Justice Blackmun’s personal and working papers to the Library of Congress in 2004. The entire project was something new for Greenhouse, who over the years has covered the Court in great detail, but never the life and career of one specific justice.

Working with a few research assistants and consulting at times with Nina Totenberg, who covered the release of the Blackmun papers for National Public Radio, Greenhouse poured over opinions, notes, and correspondences concerning the justice who notoriously saved his documents, and is best known for authoring the majority opinion in the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973.

Highlights of her research included finding a memo written by Blackmun stating that the Roe decision might have an unsettling effect on the nation “for awhile,” and locating correspondence between Blackmun and former Justice Hugo Black illustrating that Black, a seasoned veteran of the Court, felt that the newcomer Blackmun was unacceptably slow in writing his opinions.
Greenhouse’s book covers the career of Justice Blackmun all the way from his days as a neophyte attorney in Minnesota through his retirement from the Court in 1994. While she still wants to concentrate on her “day job” as Supreme Court correspondent, Greenhouse was clear that using the Harry A. Blackmun Collection at the Library of Congress and writing her book was a unique and invaluable experience, and an interesting departure from covering oral arguments and reading court briefs.

Gateway Gazette is Online!

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Duggan) — Sun, 9 Jul 2006 13:52:00 -0700

Your busy Gateway Gazette Newspaper staff "putting to bed" the Monday, July 10, issue. You can read it (and other issues) online on AALLNET. Pictured are Gateway Gazette and AALL Gateway Blog reporters Matt Braun, Diane Murley and Carolyn Santanella. Not pictured are editor James Duggan and publisher, John Carter. For the real scoop, come by the Newspaper Office, room 115, in the America's Center, St. Louis.

First Day: Exhibit Hall & Attendance

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Fullerton) — Sun, 9 Jul 2006 07:00:00 -0700

I heard there are between 1900-2000 attendees this year! Wonderful! And, the Exhibit Hall is full, no empty vendor spaces.

The ribbon is about to be cut and the participants will be coming thru the doors for the 9 a.m. opening...the trumpets are sounding!

Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Duggan) — Sun, 9 Jul 2006 03:38:00 -0700

Even though you are currently enjoying the great hospitality of St. Louis, don't forget about the 2007 Annual Meeting in New Orleans! To help you get in the spirit, visit the New Orleans Booth, located near the AALL Registration area in the America's Center. The New Orleans Local Advisory Committee, chaired by Charlene Cain and Cathy Lemann, have put together an attractive booth, offering plenty of Louisiana charm and prizes...drop by today, and let the good times roll!

Rise to the Challenge: Plan a Program for the 2007 New Orleans Annual Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Diane Murley) — Sun, 9 Jul 2006 03:30:00 -0700

Donna Bausch, Chair, AMPC 2007

You've just rolled into town, dropped off your luggage at your hotel (in a room of your own if you're lucky), and you're perusing the contents of your registration materials for the first time. How can you possibly focus on 2007 program planning when you haven't even seen the Gateway Arch or had any fried ravioli yet?

This is the ideal time for you to do just that. Attend the conference with an eye to what works, what doesn't and why. As you attend program sessions, in addition to taking notes and faithfully completing evaluation forms to assist program planners, take a broader view. Which programs inspired you to learn more about a topic? Which speakers made you burn with a new commitment to your profession? Make note of the “aha” moments that make you think about a session long after it ends and cause conference attendees to get angry, excited or inspired. Use those cues to take your thoughts a step further and conjure up program ideas for next year.

The Annual Meeting is as worthwhile as we make it. AALL programming is a member- and grassroots-driven enterprise. Without each member making a decision to “rise to the challenge”, very little gets done in any membership organization. We have met AALL, and it is “us”. Although many successful programs are submitted by chapters, caucuses and SISs, just as many wonderful and creative programs are submitted by individual AALL members. All paths to proposal development will lead to the best possible program for the Crescent City in 2007.

If you are pondering programming for New Orleans, opportunities abound to learn more while in St. Louis. Visit the Exhibit Hall during any of the “no conflict” times and stop by the AMPC table in the Activities Area. (Check out the flyer in your registration materials for details). AMPC members will be happy to discuss ideas with you and answer questions. Mark your calendar to attend the AMPC Open Forum on Tuesday at Noon to learn more about the process and meet AMPC liaisons.

The good news is that program proposals are due August 15th, giving you 38 days from today to do your best to make the job of AMPC 2007 difficult by giving us an abundance of alternatives from which to select a program that will best meet your needs and interests. We look forward to working with you.

2007 AMPC Liaison Assignments

Academic Law Libraries SIS: Allen R. Moye, amoye@depaul.edu
Computing Services SIS: Leanne B. Battle, leanne.battle@lexisnexis.com
Foreign, Comparative and Int'l. Law SIS: Amy B. Osborne, amyo@uky.edu
Government Documents SIS: Leonette Williams, lwilliam@law.usc.edu
Legal History and Rare Books SIS: Allen R. Moye, amoye@depaul.edu
LegalInformation Services to the Public SIS: Marcus L. Hochstetler, marcus.hochstetler@metrokc.gov
Micrographics and Audiovisual SIS: Elizabeth LeDoux, eledoux@cov.com
Online Bibliographic Services SIS: Amy B. Osborne, amyo@uky.edu
Private Law Libraries SIS: Elizabeth LeDoux, eledoux@cov.com
ResearchInstructionand Patron Services SIS: Marcus L. Hochstetler, marcus.hochstetler@metrokc.gov
Social Responsibilities SIS: Leanne B. Battle, leanne.battle@lexisnexis.com
State, Court and County Law Libraries SIS: Marcus L. Hochstetler, marcus.hochstetler@metrokc.gov
Technical Services SIS: Leonette Williams, lwilliam@law.usc.edu
Committees, chapters, caucuses, individuals: Donna K.Bausch, dbausch@norfolklawlibrary.org

Chicago Association of Law Libraries' Community Service Committee Receives 2006 Spirit of Law Librarianship Award

noreply@blogger.com (Diane Murley) — Sun, 9 Jul 2006 03:26:00 -0700

by Nina Wendt

Chicago Association of Law Libraries' Community Service Committee (CALL-CSC) is this year's recipient of the Spirit of Law Librarianship Award for its outstanding accomplishments in actively supporting a wide variety of local and national charities. Roy M. Mersky and Richard A. Leiter established the award in 1991. Alert Publications, Inc., publisher of The Spirit of Law Librarianship: A Reader (2005), sponsors the Award.

The CALL Board's nomination letter states that, "[t]he goal of the Community Service Committee is to help a broad spectrum of organizations. From all accounts, CALL-CSC has met its goal spreading much kindness. It has inspired CALL members to become involved with charities in the Chicago area.

Specifically nominated were the 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 committees, chaired by Julie Pabarja, Research Librarian at DLA Piper Rudnick and Holly Lakatos, Director of Public Services at Chicago-Kent College of Law Library respectively.

Here Holly and Julie talk about the work of CALL-CSC:

Holly: At the beginning of the CALL year, the committee members plan what we're going to do for that year. We have a list of charities that we've developed over the years. We pick event coordinators for each event who will contact the charity and arrange for pick-up or delivery of goods. Before each meeting, we let the members know what charity we'll be supporting and what we're collecting. At the meeting, we collect the goods from the members and deliver them to the charity. One of the most amazing things I've seen is that for each event, members who cannot attend the meeting arrange to drop-off goodies in advance so that they can still participate.

Julie: We also organize at least one "give your time" event each year where members volunteer together after work or on a Saturday, such as answering the phones for the local PBS station or cleaning up a park.

Holly: Charities are selected from a list that changes from year to year. We've gotten some referrals from other area groups that have heard about what we've done, and we always get ideas from CALL members. We try to focus on groups that have a significant local impact, though we did collect funds for hurricane disaster relief last year. When we choose charities that we've already sponsored, we take member participation into account. For example, the committee decided that we would start each CALL year off with the same project—a school supplies drive for the Chicago Public School's Homeless Education Program. The participation rate for this project has been very high for the past two years.

Julie: The most memorable experience was the very first project we did. We collected school supplies for homeless children in the Chicago Public Schools. The response was overwhelming and exceeded all of our expectations. We delivered over 100 boxes of school supplies to the Homeless Education office that day.

Holly: In March, we conducted a toiletries drive for the Greenhouse Shelter, one of the few shelters in Chicago that will take battered women with older children. When we delivered the donated items, the staff told us what our toiletries were going to do. My heart broke as we listened to tales of how the women got to the shelter, sometimes leaving in the middle of the night without anything but what they were wearing: no toothbrushes, no extra underwear, and no teddy bears. I was so proud of CALL members for giving so much to these women who were rebuilding their lives from nothing.

Julie: Community service through CALL has given me opportunities to give back to the community and help organizations that I wouldn't be able to do on my own. It's great to see librarians get together and support an organization. The projects give CALL members something to do as a group. All our projects have been successful because of the joint effort of people in the association.

Holly: My community service involvement has allowed me to work with some great law librarians I otherwise would never have met. I also think that these small projects we do help strengthen the reputation of law librarians in the area. We work with so many groups that have little to do with lawyers or law schools who become aware that there are more types of librarians other than Ms. GreyHairBun doing story time at the local public library.

Julie: This award is really for the entire membership. CALL members, as a whole, have made significant contributions. We took a chance with a new idea to get the projects to the members and the response to each project has been overwhelming.

Holly: We get from 75%-100% participation from meeting attendees in each drive. This support and enthusiasm have made our projects possible. Also, we have tremendous support from our parent institutions, and we've also been fortunate to have several CALL meeting sponsors support our projects when necessary. For example, CCH paid shipping for 252.2 pounds of goods we sent to downstate Illinois.

Members of the 2004/05 CSC were Jennifer Bartlett, Nicole Casner, Elaine Dockens, Valerie Krabill Kropf, Holly Lakatos, and Katie Leonard. Members of the 2005/06 CSC are Anne Abramson, Kathleen Bruner, Nicole Casner, Stephanie Crawford, Kevin McClure, Julie Pabarja, Susan Retzer, and Susan Schaefer. JoAnn Hounshell is the Board Liaison for both committees.

Family Social Hour Is a Real Circus

noreply@blogger.com (Bonnie Shucha) — Sat, 8 Jul 2006 19:50:00 -0700

The AALL Family Social Hour was held on Saturday afternoon at the action-packed City Museum, home of some truly excellent exhibits including Enchanted Caves, MonstroCity, and a three-story slide.

The highlight of the afternoon was a private performance by the Everyday Circus featuring AALL members and their families.

Thanks to AALL and all of the volunteers for making this such a memorable family event!

Centennial Variety Show Tuesday Night

noreply@blogger.com (Diane Murley) — Sat, 8 Jul 2006 15:40:00 -0700

By Kelly Browne

Looking for something to do Tuesday night after the SIS receptions? Come to the Centennial Variety Show! It is free and you don't need an invitation. Ten fabulous musical acts and comedy sketches will perform in the cabaret-style show, which will be held fashionably late, from 9 to 10:30 p.m., in rooms LandMark 4-7 of the Renaissance Grand. A cash bar will be available (not that it will be necessary to enjoy the Show).

The Centennial Variety Show Band, under the able leadership of the Show's Musical Director, Bennie Braxton, has been rehearsing in earnest. The Musical Entourage consists of Bennie Braxton of Sughrue Mion at the piano, Eric Gilson of Rutgers-Camden on saxophone, and Matt Shear (husband of Joan Shear from Boston College) on guitar. Between performances the Centennial Variety Show Band will play for your entertainment pleasure.

The acts, which will showcase the talents of geographically diverse law librarians employed in a variety of settings, include:

“The Cell Block Tango,” from the musical Chicago. A very special surprise mystery guest will join law librarians from New York and Paris to portray the six merry murderers of the Crook County Jail. This is a reprise of the show-stopping rendition the Shearman & Sterling crew performed at the Law Library Association of Greater New York (LLAGNY) 65th Anniversary Show in 2004. He had it comin' ...
“I'm a Law Librarian for the County,” a parody (lyrics by Kelly Browne of the Sacramento County Public Law Library) of “Wichita Lineman” by Jimmy Webb, made famous by Glen Campbell in 1968. Marcus Hochstetler of the King County Law Library will sing in this State, Court, and County Law Libraries-SIS sponsored act.
“Willie does WestPac.” Join Western Pacific Association of Law Libraries (WestPac) officers past and present at the drive-in as they gather to watch and cheer the antics of their mascot, Willie, as he travels across WestPac country. Expect some hilarious hi-jinks from the Hawaiian-shirted buffalo as the drive-in theater goers (and you, the audience) marvel at his exploits.
“MARC Fields and the Indicators.” A Greek chorus of Online Bibliographic Services-SIS members will give a dramatic reading of the MARC record of a legal title especially selected for humorous effect, accompanied by the beating of a flat goatskin drum and the strumming of a dulcimer.
“The LLNERS,” that famous comedy and singing sensation duo consisting of Ken Svengalis of Rhode Island LawPress and Mike Hughes of Quinnipiac University School of Law Library, present “When I'm Not Near the Westlaw I Love, It's Lexis That's Bound to Please.” Join them for this parody (lyrics by Svengalis) of the song from Finian's Rainbow as they banter their way through their thrilling performance.
The RIPS Singers (Research Instruction and Patron Services-SIS) are planning two numbers, “Fugue for Tinhorn Law Librarians,” from Joan Shear's skit, “Same Time, Next Library,” a centerpiece of AALL's Basic Legal Reference Workshop since 1999, and “Yesterday,” with parody lyrics by Matt Shear.
“Showdown at the Long Branch Law Library.” The Southeastern Chapter of the American Association of Law Libraries (SEAALL) members reprise their winning entry in the 1989 West Party Talent Show in Reno. The skit features Ken Hirsh from the Duke University School of Law Library as Marshall “Wes Law” in a duel to the death with “Lex Reed,” played by Michael Klepper of the University of Virginia Law Library, and Taylor Fitchett, also of the University of Virginia Law Library, as “Miss Kitty.”
“The NOCALL Beat,” written by Julie Horst of the University of California Hastings College of Law Library, and performed by Northern California Association of Law Libraries members. Those of you who attended NOCALL's May 2005 and 2006 business meetings in San Francisco will remember Horst's first composition, the “Treasurer's Rap-ort”: We're in the black, and that's a fact.
“Those Were the Days, My Friend,” performed by a mystery group, the Purple Ribbonettes.

Who knows, there may even be an encore planned. Come and see!

AALL Staff Office Ready to Help

noreply@blogger.com (James E. Duggan) — Sat, 8 Jul 2006 15:06:00 -0700

Need to pick up a program/meeting sign? Drop off something for AALL Headquarters staff? Speak to someone who can help troubleshoot a meeting problem? Visit the Staff Office, located in room 122, America's Center. Hours: 7:00am - 5:00pm, through Wednesday, July 12.