_____________________________________________

1. Joan Bellistri Wins Access to Justice Award

Joan Bellistri, Judge Irma S. Raker, Judge Robert Bell

Joanie Bellistri received an important Maryland state award this year. She was one of the inaugural recipients of the Maryland Access to Justice Commission’s Maryland Access to Justice Awards. “These awards recognize individuals, programs and entities in the State that improve the ability of all Marylanders to access the courts or to get legal help in civil legal matters so they can benefit from the rights, protections, services and opportunities that the law provides,” said retired Maryland Court of Appeals Judge Irma S. Raker, chair of the Commission. Joanie was awarded the Judicial Branch Excellence Award “for her ongoing efforts to make legal information more accessible through publications, training and programs such as the creation of a self-help corner in the court’s law library. [She] also created the ‘Ask a Lawyer in the Library’ program in Anne Arundel County, organizing attorney volunteers to staff regular clinics at local public libraries.” Joanie received her award at the 2011 Judicial Conference on May 13 in Annapolis. She was in good company. Other honorees included Gov. Martin O’Malley, winner of the Executive Branch Award, and Chief Judge Ben C. Clyburn of the District Court of Maryland, winner of the Judge of the Year Award.

________________________________________________

2. Two Members Receive AALL Awards

Janet Camillo, Joan Bellistri

Longtime LLAM members Janet Camillo and Joan Bellistri received national law library association awards this year, which will be presented during the 2011 AALL Annual Meeting and Conference in Philadelphia. Janet received the Bethany J. Ochal Award for Distinguished Service to the Profession from the SCCLL-SIS. “This award goes to a State, Court and County Law Libraries Special Interest Section member who has made a significant contribution to law librarianship and who is nearing the end of his or her library career or who has recently retired. Criteria for receiving this award include service to the profession of law librarianship, contributions to legal research, teaching and outreach efforts and recognition by members of the legal or government community.” Janet is the only recipient of the Ochal Award this year. She retired in January of this year from the Montgomery County Circuit Court Law Library, where she served as Director since 2006. The award will be presented at the SCCLL breakfast meeting on Sunday morning, July 24, at 7:00 a.m. in the Marriott-Liberty Ballroom Salon AB.

Joan Bellistri, director of the Anne Arundel County Public Law Library, was selected as the 2011 recipient of the American Association of Law Libraries Robert L. Oakley Advocacy Award, which recognizes “an AALL member or group who has contributed significantly to the AALL advocacy agenda at the federal, state, local, or international level.” The judges also consider “the extent to which the individual or group has been an active advocate for law libraries and legal information at the federal, state or local level.” Joanie will receive this award at the AALL Public Policy Update program (D-2) on Monday, July 25, at 8:45 a.m. in the Pennsylvania Convention Center Room 201 (A).

________________________________________________

3. Jenny Rensler Graduates

Jenny Rensler

Jenny Rensler graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law with a Juris Doctor degree on May 20, 2011. While in law school since 2007, Jenny continued working at the Thurgood Marshall Law Library as Research Librarian. Jenny will join her esteemed colleagues on the library faculty who teach legal research at Maryland School of Law and teach her first legal research course in Fall 2011.

________________________________________________

4. Kurt Meyer Accepts New Job

Kurt Meyer

Kurt Meyer, Research Librarian at Thurgood Marshal Law Library, has accepted a new job at Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington. Kurt’s new position will be Reference Librarian and Assistant Professor of Law.  Good luck, Kurt!

________________________________________________

5. Levasseur Graduates

Evan Levasseur

On May 26, 2011 Stephanie Levasseur’s son, Evan, graduated from kindergarten at the Immaculate Conception School. Congratulations, Evan!

________________________________________________

6. People’s Law Library Web Site Wins AALL Award

Congratulations to the Maryland State Law Library for being the 2011 recipient of the AALL Innovations in Technology Award for The People’s Law Library (http://www.peoples-law.org).  The Innovations in Technology Award was established in 2009 “to recognize an AALL member, SIS, chapter, or library for their innovative use of technology in the development of an application or resource for law librarians or legal professionals.”  The award will be presented during the AALL Opening Reception on Saturday, July 23rd, from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Kudos to the State Law Library and all its staff who have been involved in this project!