Also, if your firm has a membership with a bar association library, they are more likely to do the search for you.
Per the general thread, I agree with the others about networking and local sources. It is wrong to query the list when there are other accessible sources of information, or the request should be familiar to a law librarian. Silly requests clutter the list and take away from requests that really do take a communal effort to accomplish.
I think the age / generation discussion comes in to play when reflecting upon the tremendous service law-lib has provided to thoses of us who did without this tool in the past. For us, this contrast stands as a point of reverence. So, please, respect the list.
-Jeff
Jeff Cohan
FITZPATRICK, CELLA, HARPER & SCINTO
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, New York 10112-3801
tel/ (212) 218-2103
fax/ (212) 218-2200
e-mail/ jcohan@fchs.com
http://www.fitzpatrickcella.com/
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu]On
Behalf Of Donna Fisher
Sent: Monday, October 17, 2005 4:19 PM
To: kgill@co.collin.tx.us; law-lib@ucdavis.edu
Subject: RE: Friday musings: Law-lib as Blog
You might have access to OCLC Worldcat through your local library's electronic databases. That's how I access it.
Donna M. Fisher
Law Librarian
Senniger Powers
1 Metropolitan Sq. 16th Fl.
St. Louis MO 63102
314-231-5400 x388
314-231-4342 FAX
Dfisher@senniger.com
>>> "Katy Gill" <kgill@co.collin.tx.us> 10/17/05 11:28AM >>>
I take exception to this as a newer law librarian (class of 2001) and a
relatively young person (I've never been comfortable with labels like
Generation X/Y).
Just because we are of a younger generation, does not mean that we are
lazy or that we do not value the community of law librarians as a
resource. On the contrary, I think that when newer/younger librarians
turn to Law-lib even for something as simple as ILL, it is a positive
means of reaching out to the members of our profession.
And yes, they did teach me about ILL and OCLC in library school.
Unfortunately, as Claire pointed out, not everyone's library budget
allows them to subscribe to services like OCLC, particularly when ILL is
needed by that library very infrequently.
It is true that many librarians use Law-lib as a tool for ILL. I agree
that it would be helpful for folks who do so to include the resources
they have already checked before posting. This lets responders know if
their suggestion has already been tried. It also educates others who
read this list about research strategies they might not have thought of.
I try to read as many posts as I can on this listserv because it helps
me to learn about new resources and other approaches to research
questions.
As far as "my generation's" lack of interest in networking, I think that
many newer (and younger) law librarians take advantage of the networking
and educational resources available to them. I attended my first AALL
this year, and met many other young law librarians there. I am also
active in my local chapter, and there are several newer/younger law
librarians among our membership who are very active in our library
community, serving on committees as well as on our executive board.
I have also had excellent mentors throughout my law librarianship
experience. In library school, my law librarianship professor took me
to my first law library conference and taught me the value of networking
with other information professionals. As an intern in a law firm
library, the librarians there encouraged me to participate in my local
AALL chapter and helped me to join a committee. As an active member of
my chapter, I received help from other librarians in my community who
answered my questions and offered advice. One of them even helped me
with my interview skills, which helped me to land my first professional
position. Now, as a professional law librarian, I work with and receive
guidance from a veteran law librarian.
For those newer/younger librarians out there who have not been blessed
with these kinds of mentors, Law-lib serves as a surrogate mentor
providing advice, guidance, and even assistance via ILL to those who
need it.
P.S. - And although I have been out of the gate for four years now, I
still learn something new about my job each and every day. I don't
think that will ever change, no matter what age I reach.
Katy Gill
Assistant Law Librarian
Collin County Law Library
210 S. McDonald St., Suite 203
McKinney, TX 75069
972-548-4260
972-547-5734 fax
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu] On
Behalf Of Curcigonzalez, Lucy
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2005 5:25 PM
To: Laura Orr; law lib
Subject: RE: Friday musings: Law-lib as Blog
But many of our newer law librarians are not building that network over
time relying on our good nature and generosity over the Internet.. Gen
X & Y don't seem to think networking or verifying are necessary and
beneficial. Look at the average age the next AALL or chapter meeting
you attend. Who's there learning from colleagues, friends and vendors?
And it still drives me crazy why expose your novice status to the world
when that's why we seek mentors and develop and nurture relationships
with colleagues.
just my 2 cents on a rainy Friday evening.
Lucy Curci-Gonzalez / Director of Library Services
Kenyon & Kenyon
One Broadway
New York, NY 10004-1050
Telephone 1.212.425.7200 Direct 1.212.908.6122
Fax 1.212.425.5288 Direct 1.212.908.6113
E-mail mailto:lcurcigonzalez@kenyon.com
Website www.kenyon.com <http://www.kenyon.com/>
This message, including any attachments, may contain confidential,
attorney-client privileged, attorney work product, or business
confidential information, and is only for the use of the intended
recipient(s). Any review, use or distribution by others is prohibited.
If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender and
delete all copies.
_____
From: owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu] On
Behalf Of Laura Orr
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2005 5:39 PM
To: law lib
Subject: RE: Friday musings: Law-lib as Blog
Scott:
It used to drive me crazy too and I'd think, why don't they try locally?
Didn't they learn this in library school? Don't they have a local law
librarian to phone?
But then I remember what I knew (rather didn't know) when I was a new
librarian and the craziness washes away. I had absolutely marvelous law
librarian colleagues, with the patience of saints, who stayed with me
through that whole traumatic new librarian learning curve and to this
day I thank them (University of Maryland law school library staff back
when I started in the late 80's - thank you!). Also, some of these
law-lib posters are all alone and I can't imagine how difficult that
must be for someone new to the profession. They have only us until they
find or build a local network, learn about the process of librarianship,
and legal bibliography.
Besides, think how many of our lawyer patrons and publisher reps don't
know what CFR is :-)
Laura
Laura Orr
Law Librarian
Washington County Law Library
111 NE Lincoln Street
Hillsboro, OR 97124
Phone: 503-846-8870
Fax: 503-846-3515
Email: laura_orr@co.washington.or.us
If you ask me anything I don't know, I'm not going to answer ...
attributed to Yogi Berra
-----Original Message-----
From: Scott Burgh [mailto:sgburgh@ameritech.net]
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2005 10:20 AM
To: Laura Orr; law lib
Subject: Re: Friday musings: Law-lib as Blog
Nice posting. I too have thoughts on the use of law-lib.
But speaking of law-lib as an ILL tool sure hits me. Using the
list serve as a primary source of of interlibrary loan activity belies a
basic lack of librarianship.
Whenever I see some of these requests for basic ILL on the list
serv, I think, haven't these people ever heard of First Search or OCLC.
Many of the list serv ILL requesters do not even indicate what they have
already tried. Is this not taught in the library schools anymore or are
these untrained library workers? One can search and see who owns the
item pretty quickly. Using the listserv as an interlibrary loan
substitute or a line of first attack is not something I would do or
allow a staff member to do.
Scott Burgh
Chief Law Librarian
City of Chicago Department of Law Library
Laura Orr <Laura_Orr@co.washington.or.us> wrote:
Isn't Law-lib our very own communal blog - one without
all the usual blog
pressures? We can write things like this and we have
done so for years (is
law-lib 15 years old yet? Anyone ready to party :-),
without having to set
up a blog, figure out how to post or worry about things
like this
(http://bojack.org/index.shtml, 10/13 posting), and
without the pressures of
having to keep it alive and kicking with enough oomph
each day to keep the
readers coming back while still trying to do our jobs.
(This from someone
who has just set up her first blog and wants to keep it
in the closet for a
while until I figure out how to do it and my job without
giving up my
sanity.)
Law-lib did used to be more fun, more edgy, but it
hasn't lost its touch
totally. It's an ILL tool, but it is much more (see my
Law-lib posting of
10/21/04). We're not AALL and have no affiliation to it,
so have no
obligation to follow the usual rules about "staying on
subject." We can
make our own rules of participation and etiquette, but
still keep hold of a
personality - a real one and not a corporate or stodgy
professional
association one. AALL is awfully dull sometimes, don't
you think?
Law librarians are so much more than Needs and Offers
conduits. We're funny,
silly even, passionate about our work, aggravated to
distraction,
misunderstood, outspoken, and committed to sharing
information with our
patrons. I'm the first one to say AALL and its
counterparts in every
profession should keep to their missions and stay away
from taking stands on
issues unrelated to that mission. But here on Law-lib,
we're relatively
free. (And anyone who wants an ILL-only listserve is
welcome to find a host
and set one up. Most of us will join.) Listserve
technology may be low
tech, but it's very easy to manage. Too many Law-lib
emails? Switch to
Digest. Voila, problem solved. Or use the archives
(http://lawlibrary.ucdavis.edu/LAWLIB/lawlib.html).
They're not always up
to date, but if you just want to see what's going on, or
has gone on, with
law librarians, it can't be beat. This sort-of low tech
technology (I grew
up in the punch card and then the DOS world) can hold
its own with the new.
Anyway, forgive the somewhat disjointed meanderings
through law-lib and law
librarianship. I do believe that both might just be
equally important to
me.
Laura
P.S. Overheard by a librarian at SLA in Toronto (I heard
it 3rd hand so
don't quote me): Hotel worker: "I love these librarians.
They drink like
fish but don't trash the rooms." (Presumably we tip well
too :-)
Laura Orr
Law Librarian
Washington County Law Library
111 NE Lincoln Street
Hillsboro, OR 97124
Phone: 503-846-8870
Fax: 503-846-3515
Email: laura_orr@co.washington.or.us
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Nov 14 2007 - 20:46:10 PST