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Law Librarianship

Law librarians work in many different settings. They can be found in academic law libraries, in state- and county-level public law libraries, in court houses, government agencies, private law firms, and other environments. Their patrons range from the general public, to law students, to attorneys, and possibly judges. Some law librarians have a J.D., or law degree, but it is certainly not necessary to work in the field. According to the 2008 American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) survey, fewer than 30% of law librarians hold a law degree. Some positions, especially reference positions, list it as a desired, but not required, qualification.

Within the profession there are a number of sub-specialties. Law librarians are government information librarians, legal catalogers, technical services specialists, web design experts, information resources managers, research specialists, competitive intelligence analysts, and many other job titles and areas of specialization exist within law librarianship.

Law librarianship is similar to other library career paths in a number of ways, but there are some significant differences. Similar to other reference librarian positions, law librarians search for and organize information. One difference might be the types of sources they consult while trying to locate relevant legal cases, statutes, and treatises. Once the law librarian has found the necessary legal information, it is necessary to ensure it is up to date and has not been overturned. The law is constantly changing — and sometimes surprisingly difficult to locate — therefore, law librarians must work to ensure they have the most current information. This applies outside of reference work, ensuring currency and relevance is part of collection development, cataloging, and more.

To learn about the field and begin to identify if a career in law librarianship is right for you, watch the SLISwebcast Law Librarianship Overview (37 minutes). Also, start the process of talking to people in the field. Join professional associations like AALL link goes to non-SJSU web site and one of its 31 local chapters (such as NOCALL -Northern California Association of Law Libraries and SCALL - Southern California Law Libraries Association) and the Special Libraries Association (SLA ), and its 56 subject interest divisions (such as the SLA Legal Division and the Solo Librarians Group). As a student, rates are lower, and these associations provide great opportunities for you to network, conduct informational interviews, intern and/or volunteer.

Core Theory and Knowledge

Understand the structure of the United States Legal System, and the publications associated with it.
Understand how to organize information and how to make it findable. Understand legal cross-referencing systems.
Understand user perspectives, the search process, and how various files and technologies impact search strategy.
Understand free and paid legal online databases, search strategies, and resources.
Enjoy teaching patrons how to use these resources, and helping them find needed information.

Coursework

Although the SJSU SLIS program does not have an official "law library track" or specialized degree focusing on law librarianship, there are specific classes that are especially helpful to prepare you to become a law librarian.

Note: These are courses you should consider. If you do not take all of these courses, it does not mean that you will not become a law librarian.

Required Courses:

Foundation Courses:

The elective courses listed below have been helpful to other law librarians who have completed the SLIS program in the past. They are included because they help prepare students for job duties in a law library environment. The American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) has prepared a list of competencies for success as a law librarian. You might want to look at those competencies to help you select appropriate coursework. The competencies can be found at: www.aallnet.org/main-menu/Leadership-Governance/policies/PublicPolicies/competencies.html link goes to non-SJSU web site .

LIBR 210. Reference and Information Services - Law librarians answer a variety of questions and this class gives a good overview of general reference sources. The information on the reference process is useful for all librarians who will be interacting with people.
LIBR 220. Resources and Information Services in Professions and Disciplines - This is a seminar course with rotating topics focusing on different librarianship specialties. The legal resources class is especially useful if you do not have legal experience; if you have a law degree, it may not be as helpful.
LIBR 221. Government Information Sources – Law librarians often have to find obscure government documents and statistics. Some law librarians maintain collections of government documents. This class gives you tools for both.
LIBR 230 - 232. Issues in Academic Libraries/Special Libraries and Information Centers/Public Libraries – If you're interested in working as a law librarian in a specific setting, monitor these courses for topics of interest.
LIBR 240. Information Technology Tools and Applications – Law libraries use many electronic and online resources for all areas of library operations.
LIBR 244. Online Searching – Law librarians work with an enormous amount of databases, so having solid searching skills is essential to most reference positions.
LIBR 246. Information Technology Tools and Applications (Advanced). Focus on Web 2.0 – This is a seminar course with rotating topics. Technology and especially Web 2.0 skills are very useful for Law and other Special Librarians.
LIBR 250. Design and Implementation of Instructional Strategies for Information Professionals – Law librarians train patrons on how to use different library resources and some teach classes in academic settings.
LIBR 251. Web Usability – Law librarians are often involved in creating web interfaces for the delivery of electronic resources and knowledge of user-centric design principles is critical to serving the time-sensitive needs of legal professionals.
LIBR 281. Seminar in Contemporary Issues – This class changes focus, but past topics of interest include Competitive Intelligence, Information Policy and Cultural Perspectives, and Digital Copyright.

Additional Resources

Professional Associations:

AALL – American Association of Law Librarians link goes to non-SJSU web site

NOCALL – Northern California Law Libraries Association link goes to non-SJSU web site

SANDALL – San Diego Area Law Libraries link goes to non-SJSU web site

SCALL – Southern California Association of Law Libraries link goes to non-SJSU web site

SLA – Special Libraries Association link goes to non-SJSU web site

SLA Legal Division link goes to non-SJSU web site

Further Readings:

Update to Choosing Law Librarianship: Thoughts for People Contemplating a Career Move link goes to non-SJSU web site by Mary Whisner, published April 4, 2008

AALL– Law Library Careers link goes to non-SJSU web site

Marianne Sterna Wins Scholarship and Sets Her Sights on Law Librarianship [slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/meet/2009/meet2009jul31.htm]

Check the SLISweb site Meet…Our Students, Faculty, and Alumni to read about what others are doing in law librarianship.

American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) George A. Strait Minority Scholarship [slisweb.sjsu.edu/resources/scholarships/aall_minority.htm]

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