Canadian Association of Law Libraries Survey on Legal Research Competencies

A working group of members of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL) is compiling a list of legal research competencies that will describe the skills, knowledge and competencies that are required to be excellent legal researchers. 

The idea is that the list will assist Canadian law librarians, legal researchers, legal research teachers, library schools and legal professionals.

The working group has put together a very short survey.

It will be available until Friday December 13, 2024. 

November/December 2024 Issue of AALL Spectrum

The November/December 2024 issue of AALL Spectrum is now available online.

The issue has a number of feature articles on library space renovations.

It is a publication of the American Association of Law Libraries, one of the sister associations of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries.

List of 2024 vLex Fastcase 50 Honorees

Legal information company vLex Fastcase has published its most recent list of the top 50 people who have made significant contributions to the field.

A number of law librarians are on the list.

From the e-mail announcement:

"Since 2011, the vLex Fastcase 50, has recognized excellence across the legal sector. As of this year, 700 honorees have been inducted into the vLex Fastcase 50 hall of fame. To make this possible, a special thank you is extended to our judges and committee who have invested considerable time into reviewing each nomination to ensure all achievements and contributions to the legal sector are acknowledged, however big or small."

" 'From lawyers and legal technologists to judges, law librarians, and bar association executives, this award shines a spotlight on those who have made a significant impact within the legal community.' - Ed Walters, vLex Fastcase 50 founder, and vLex's Chief Strategy Officer."

Survey of Plans for Law Library Print Materials Collection

Primary Research Group, a New York-based publisher of research reports and surveys about libraries, is surveying law librarians about their plans for their print materials collections. 

Earlier editions of the same survey include:

• Survey of Law Library Plans for the Print Materials Collection, 2018 Edition: "Just a few of this 84-page report’s many findings are that: For smaller law firm libraries in the sample the change in overall mean print spending from 2016 to 2018 was a cumulative drop of $25,249 or 12%.   This was a lower decrease than for many other types of law library in the sample; Primary legal works accounted for a mean of 25.78% of the sampled libraries print materials budget with a median of 30% and a range of 0 to 70%; Non-law firm corporate and government libraries cull an annual mean of 7.29% of their book collections; Most of the print subscription volume was in larger law libraries with more than 3 full time equivalent librarians, though it should be noted that many of these were not university law libraries; Data in the report is broken out for US and Canadian libraries, and by library size and type, i.e., university law library, courthouse law library, other government/corporate law library, and for two categories of law firm library, those serving fewer than and more than 150 lawyers."
• Survey of Law Library Plans for the Print Materials Collection, 2020 Edition: "Just a few of the report’s many findings are that: The government law libraries in the sample spent a mean of $774,000 on print materials in the past year; Canadian law libraries in the sample culled a mean of 6.38% of the book collections in the past year; Large law libraries with 5 or more librarians reduced the number of print subscriptions to law journals that they maintain by nearly 19% in 2019; Small and medium-sized law firm libraries expect to increase their spending significantly on print editions of newspapers and magazines in 2020; Primary legal works accounted for a mean of 34.21% of the print materials budget for the organizations sampled."
• Survey of Law Library Plans for the Print Materials Collection, 2022 Edition: "Just a few of the 111-page report’s many findings are that: The Canadian law libraries in the sample vastly outspent the US ones on print materials; Libraries headed by individuals under age 60 spent far less on print materials than those headed by individuals over age 60; Collection culling of print materials was slightly higher in the USA than in Canada; For law school libraries, print materials accounted for 33.67% of the print materials budget; Spending on print directories by the libraries sampled is expected to fall by 15% in 2022."

Courthouse Libraries BC Provides Free Access to Docket Information

Courthouse Libraries BC, the network of public law libraries in 30 courthouses around the province of British Columbia, is now providing free access to the province's court records system in its various locations.

Known as Court Services Online, the system provides access to provincial and BC Supreme Court civil files:

"We’ve secured special access to BC’s Court Services Online’s (CSO) E-search for all visitors to our library branches. This access is not just a new service—it’s a bridge to understanding the intricacies of legal proceedings, offering unparalleled insight into court cases within the limits of court records access policies."

"What is CSO E-search and Why Does It Matter?"

"CSO E-search is an online portal that allows users to search and view docket information for BC court cases. It’s an essential tool for anyone needing detailed information about legal precedents, court procedures, and the progress of specific cases. Until now, access was restricted by a pay-wall, making it challenging for the general public and even some legal professionals to obtain the information they needed without economic barriers."

"This special arrangement with CSO E-search opens up numerous possibilities for legal research, education, and preparation."

Law Library Benchmarks, 2024-25

Primary Research Group, a New York-based publisher of research reports and surveys about higher education libraries, has published the report Law Library Benchmarks, 2024-25 ($168US):

"This report presents detailed data from 44 law libraries in the USA and Canada with data broken out separately by size of library and for law firm libraries, university law libraries, courthouse libraries, and all other."

"The study gives its readers detailed benchmarking data on current and future spending plans, with specific data sets for the overall budget, payroll, salaries, overall materials spending, online information, print information, reporters, legal and other scholarly journals, books (eBook and print) purchased from Amazon, books purchased from all other sources, subscription blogs, seminars and professional development and more.  The study also looks at spending plans on particular suppliers of legal information."

Among the major findings in the report:

• Survey respondents were spending a mean of about 27% of their overall work time working from home.
• Courthouse libraries in the sample accounted for almost all spending on print reporters.
• More than 46% of university law librarians in the sample say that use of artificial intelligence has made them more productive.

Primary Research Group has published many law library-related surveys in the past.

Another Librarian Profile, This Time From Australia

This is a follow-up to 3 recent posts about profiles of people in the library and information field.

The Australian Law Librarian, the journal published by the Australian Law Librarians' Association, regularly runs profiles of members "down under".

In the December issue of the journal there is a profile of Miz Brmbota, Manager Collections and Reader Experience, Law Library Victoria.  Victoria is a state in southeast Australia. Melbourne is the capital city:

"When did you become a law librarian and what was your first law library job?
I  majored  in  legal  studies  in  my  undergraduate  degree  and  have  always  had  an  interest  in  the  law.  After  I  completed  my  Grad  Dip,  I  applied  for  a  job  at  Middletons  Lawyers  (now  K&L  Gates)  as  a  Research Consultant and got the job. They were looking to get away from terms such as ‘Librarian’ in their job titles, and I got to have this cool job title (so I thought). It was a steep learning curve, but I loved it."

"Getting research queries from the lawyers on obscure topics was exciting. I enjoyed scouring all the legal databases and searching the internet. Some days you found nothing and were totally defeated. Other days were glorious, and you basked in the kudos from the lawyers for having found something they and their teams could not. Everyone at Middletons worked hard, and they celebrated wins pretty hard too. It was a fun time to be there (...)"

"Do you have a favourite library?
The  State  Library  of  Victoria  is  great.  The  La  Trobe  Reading  Room  is  spectacular.  The  Supreme  Court of Victoria Library building is also special. Every time I walk in, I look up at the dome and around at the portraits and think, wow. It was built with gold rush money and is totally ostentatious, with incredible wood panelling and gold ornaments. If you haven’t come in and seen it, you really need to. I know this is all a bit Vic- centric, but if you’re an avid bibliophile and come to Melbourne for a visit, they are both a must see."

2024 NELLCO Symposium

NELLCO, an international consortium of law libraries, will be holding a virtual symposium Tuesday, March 19 - Friday, March 22, 2024.

There will be sessions on:

• Accessibility and Your Institutional Repository
• Generative AI, Angel and Demon: What not to worry about
• Law Technical Services Librarians as Teacher Librarians and Change Agents
• Lights, Camera, Action: Transforming library engagement through short-form videos
• Managing Neurodiverse Employees in the Law Library
• Providing Legal Reference via Zoom
• Teaching FCIL Research with a Global South Perspective
• Teaching Workplace Success Skills in Legal Research Classes

There will also be roundtables of interest groups on access services, acquisitions and collection development, inter-library loans, and reference.

The Supreme Court of Canada Library, Dalhousie University Law Library, McGill Law Library, University of British Columbia Library, the University of Ottawa Library, the University of Victoria Law Library, the University of Toronto Law Library and York University Osgoode Hall Law School Library are Canadian members of NELLCO.

American Association of Law Libraries Member Profile: Heather Joy

The American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) regularly publishes member profiles.

The most recent one is about Heather Joy, a reference librarian at Stanford University, Robert Crown Law Library in Stanford, California:

"Why Did You Join AALL As A Member?
I joined AALL on the excellent advice of those same librarians at Boley (Portland, Oregon), and in part because I was lucky enough to be a short drive from Seattle where the AALL Annual Meeting was held the year  I decided to pursue law librarianship. Everyone in Seattle was so welcoming and fun, I felt like I had found my people."

"What One Member Benefit Is Most Valuable To You?
The learning and resources available from my fellow members, both informally and in structured opportunities, like conferences and the work of special interest sections ..."

Law Library of Congress Interview With Sarah Bandini, Foreign Law Intern

In Custodia Legis, the blog of the Law Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., has posted an interview with Sarah Bandini, a foreign law intern in the institution's Global Legal Research Directorate. She is originally from Ravenna, Italy.

It is part of an ongoing series of interviews about the kinds of work staff do behind the scenes:

"How would you describe your job to other people?
At the Law Library, I carry out research for the Global Legal Research Directorate (...) My role consists of assisting in conducting comparative studies and researching the law of the European Union (EU) in response to requests from Congress, federal agencies, the courts, and private patrons. I write articles for the Global Legal Monitor on new regulations and the latest legislative proposals from the EU and EU member states. My contributions will hopefully enhance the knowledge of the members of Congress and the public in general (...)"

"What is the most interesting fact you have learned about the Law Library of Congress?
I recently came across an interesting tidbit that I would like to share. The Library of Congress does not just host millions of books, but it also finds itself as the focal point of a narrative in one. In Margaret Truman’s Murder at the Library of Congress, the Library transforms into a hub of mysteries and homicides that bury terrible secrets."

The Law Library of Congress is the world’s largest law library, with a collection of almost 3 million volumes from all ages of history and virtually every jurisdiction in the world.

University of Windsor Guide on Artificial Intelligence Regulation

Annette Demers, reference librarian in the law library at the University of Windsor, has created a new LibGuide on Artificial Intelligence Regulation.

It has sections for Canada, the US, Europe as well as a global resources section.

The Canadian section covers government policy statements and guidelines, court practice directions, legislation and bills.

The Global Resources section includes an OECD dashboard, describing itself as "a live repository of over 1000 AI policy initiatives from 69 countries, territories and the EU".

Survey for Law Library Benchmarks, 2024-25

New York-based Primary Research Group will soon publish a new edition of Law Library Benchmarks, a survey of law libraries.

US and Canadian law libraries that contribute through a survey will receive a free copy of Law Library Benchmarks, 2024-25 Edition.

Primary Research Group has published many law library-related surveys in the past.

Law Society of Ontario Tip on Coming into Force of Federal Regulations

Know How, the blog of the Law Society of Ontario's Great Library, regularly posts very useful research tips.

It recently published one entitled Coming into force of Federal Regulations and Statutory Instruments:

"When conducting legislative research, many researchers will know that locating a piece of legislation is only half the battle. The next hurdle lies in decoding commencement information or coming into force date(s)."

"As outlined in previous posts, deciphering this information can be tricky and confusion often arises from the wording used. In this post we hope to shed light on three frequently used coming into force (CIF) phrases of Federal SORs and SIs."

"Three phrases (or terms) are often used in SOR/SI’s to describe coming into force date(s): when an Order is made, when an Order is registered and when an Order is published." 

"What is the difference and how do you determine which date is which?"

Law Library of Congress Interview With Louis Gilbert, Legal Research Fellow

In Custodia Legis, the blog of the Law Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., has posted an interview with Louis Gilbert, Legal Research Fellow in the Library's Global Legal Research Directorate.

It is part of an ongoing series of interviews about the kinds of work staff do behind the scenes:

"How do you describe your job to other people?
I tell people that my job is to respond to legal research requests concerning French-speaking jurisdictions from Congress, the judiciary, federal agencies, and members of the public. I also help write reports on legal and legislative developments in the French-speaking jurisdictions I cover."

"Why did you want to work at the Library of Congress?
I first wanted to work for the Library of Congress after hearing alumni from my school praise the work environment. I also wanted to work in an environment that would allow me to switch between reading and writing in English and French throughout my work day. What really pushed me to apply was the idea that the work in the Global Legal Research Directorate involves not only researching multiple jurisdictions, but also switching between varied legal subject areas."

"Ultimately, it’s the friendliness of the people I have met working here that makes me want to stay."

 The Law Library of Congress is the world’s largest law library, with a collection of almost 3 million volumes from all ages of history and virtually every jurisdiction in the world.

Most Recent Issue of the Law Library Journal

The most recent issue of the Law Library Journal is available online. It is published by the American Association of Law Libraries.

Law Library of Congress Interview With Olivia Kane-Cruz, Librarian-in-Residence

In Custodia Legis, the blog of the Law Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., has posted an interview with Olivia Kane-Cruz, Librarian-in-Residence. 

It is part of an ongoing series of interviews about the kinds of work staff do behind the scenes:

"How do you describe your job to other people?
At the heart of my job, I am a reference librarian; I help provide access to legal resources. But I also get to do many different projects as part of my job. For example, I am currently working on the inventory for the bills and resolutions for the 117th Congress, I co-presented a webinar on Recent Developments in U.S. Foreign Relations Law and Research Strategies, and I had the opportunity to lead a group of six interns to create a navigation aid for the Statutes at Large digital collection (...)"

"What is the most interesting fact that you’ve learned about the Law Library?
We only have about 1% of the law collection in the Law Library Reading Room and the rest of the collection is in the closed stacks or in the off-site storage. The most interesting fact to me, is the Law Library’s closed stacks is located underneath our feet in the Madison Building and is approximately two football fields of compact shelving."

The Law Library of Congress is the world’s largest law library, with a collection of almost 3 million volumes from all ages of history and virtually every jurisdiction in the world.

Law Society of Ontario Tip on Finding Unreported Ontario Decisions

Know How, the blog of the Law Society of Ontario's Great Library, regularly posts very useful research tips.

It recently published one entitled Finding “Unreported” Ontario Decisions: Unreported, but not Unretrievable?

As the text explains, it may surprise some people but there are decisions (not only from Ontario but also from other Canadian jurisdictions) that have not been published and that do not appear in any of the big legal research databases.

It outlines some of the basic steps for tracking down these elusive rulings. 

The basic steps are:

• contact the courthouse where the case was heard
• find out about any offsite storage sites
• for much older cases, contact the provincial archives.

I know that many of the same steps can also apply when trying to find "unreported" cases from many other provinces.

Most Recent Issue of the Law Library Journal

The most recent issue of the Law Library Journal is available online. It is published by the American Association of Law Libraries.

New Canadian Law Librarian Salary Survey

The Canadian Association of Law Libraries and the Toronto Association of Law Libraries have teamed up to create a joint salary survey: 

"The 2023 Salary Survey is a joint undertaking between the Toronto Association of Law Libraries (TALL) and the Canadian Association of Law Libraries / L'Association canadienne des bibliothèques de droit (CALL/ACBD). The purpose of the survey is to determine benchmark employment remuneration received by members of the law library and legal information profession. A final report will be made available on the CALL/ACBD and TALL websites."

"Completion of this survey is voluntary. This survey is set up to collect responses anonymously. No identifying information will be shared and data will be presented in aggregate in the survey report. Any information that may be used to determine a respondent's identity will be excluded from the report."

The survey will remain open for two weeks from February 13-February 27, 2023.

Participants also have the option of entering a draw for ten $25 gift certificates.

Tabulated results will be available later in 2023

List of Fastcase 50 Legal Innovators for 2022

Fastcase, an American-based provider of electronic versions of U.S. primary law (cases, statutes, regulations, court rules, and constitutions), has unveiled its list of Fastcase 50 winners for the year 2022:

Created in 2011, each year the Fastcase 50 award honors a diverse group of lawyers, legal technologists, policymakers, judges, law librarians, bar association executives, and people from all walks of life. In many cases, honorees are well known, but in many others, the award recognizes people who have made important, but unheralded contributions.

“ 'When we look back at the pandemic era, we will see it as a great reset in our attitudes and assumptions about legal services,” said Fastcase CEO Ed Walters. “Even if they have had to spend more time on Zoom this year than they had planned, the 2022 class of honorees is making profound changes for the next generation of law. We celebrate these impactful advocates and inspiring innovators who are shaping the future under incredibly challenging circumstances'.”

There are a number of law librarians in the list as well as Sarah Sutherland, President and CEO of the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII).

Here is what Fastcase published about her:

Michael Mills, one of the Fastcase 50 in 2012, wrote in 2015 on LinkedIn about how the winners of the previous 5 years had begun to form an ecosystem of innovation:

“They champion transparency—in lawyer/client relations, in government data, policy, and practice, in judicial proceedings, and in legal education. They advocate for access—to the law itself, and to justice. They build structures, systems, and tools for access, quality, economy, and efficiency.”

“They also collaborate. A tour of the five classes found time and again 50’s who are working together across organizations and projects, who influence and inspire one another.” [my emphasis]

Using his company as an example, Mills writes that “from any one person among the Fastcase 250, there are lines linking in many directions to many others.”

That statement is truer than ever.