LLAM Members had a wonderful time at the 2025 LLAM Holiday Party, held on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at the University of Baltimore Law Library.
Thank you, Julia Topper and the LLAM Programming Committee, for planning a fun event!
Category Archives: Blog
2026 LLAM Guidelines
The LLAM Special Committee to Review/Revise the LLAM Procedures Manual is proud to announce the LLAM Board has approved the updated 2026 LLAM Guidelines.
Committee members include Jessica Mundy, Chair, with Joe Neumann, Julia Roberts, Jill Schorr, & Teresa Sites.
The revised guidelines provide a more streamlined description of the roles and responsibilities of the LLAM Board of Trustees, Financial Guidelines, Expense Reimbursement Policies, Committees, and Leadership Calendar.
If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Mundy, Committee Chair.
Crossing Waters, Changing Paths: My AALL 2025 Conference Experience While in Transition
By Tanya Thomas, LLAM Grant Recipient to AALL 2025 Annual Conference
This summer, thanks to a generous grant from the Law Library Association of Maryland, I had the opportunity to attend the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) 2025 Annual Meeting. The experience was not only a professional refresh—it was deeply personal. I attended while in a moment of major transition: moving across the country from Maryland to Hawaii, between jobs, and charting the uncertain but exciting course of a midlife pivot.
With this liminal space as my backdrop, I chose my conference sessions deliberately. I sought out programming that reflected where I’ve been—my years of experience in legal research and instruction—but also where I might be headed, and what I’m simply curious about. The result was a rich, multilayered experience that gave me new tools, perspectives, and a sense of connection and purpose as I move forward.
Legal AI: Caution and Curiosity
It’s no surprise that AI was the dominant theme of the conference. From the pre-conference workshop on “Legal AI Mastery” to multiple sessions on benchmarking tools and assessing critical thinking, it’s clear we’re in the middle of a rapid and sometimes overwhelming shift.
One takeaway from the “Generatively Speaking” session: adopting AI in law firms isn’t just a tech decision—it’s an ethical, strategic, and educational one. Whether it’s client confidentiality, vendor transparency, or knowing when AI is not the right tool, law librarians have a growing role to play in shaping these conversations. I was struck by the attention to nuance—many presenters emphasized critical use over mere adoption.
As someone reimagining my future work, I appreciated the frameworks offered for evaluating AI: questioning inputs and outputs, recognizing biases, and applying structured reasoning tools like CRAAP and SCAMPER. These aren’t just tech tools—they’re thinking tools.
Critical Thinking, Misinformation, and Civic Literacy
Sessions like “Resistance is Not Futile” and “Fake News is Lethal” reminded me why law librarians are essential beyond the research desk. We are stewards of information literacy in an age of misinformation and ideological polarization. One session explored the idea that the rise of answer engines over search engines reduces independent inquiry—a concern deeply tied to both AI and public trust.
As I contemplate new professional directions, I found myself drawn to these broader roles for librarians: as educators, as mediators of truth, and as civic actors. Sessions on civic education, community outreach, and even the design of “Little Lawyers’ Libraries” for self-represented litigants illustrated the creative, compassionate ways law libraries are evolving to meet community needs.
Reinvention and Serendipity
The most personally affirming session I attended was “Bold Moves Ahead,” a panel on career change, reinvention, and blooming where you’re planted. Each speaker had taken unconventional paths—some leaving law, some leaving libraries, some embracing new roles in academia, government, or even vendor work.
Their advice: follow your curiosity, trust your skills, and don’t worry so much about labels or perceived “demotions.” These words resonated as I weigh options that may not look traditional on paper but feel aligned with my values and goals. One panelist encouraged us to “prepare your elevator pitch for transition”—and AALL helped me begin crafting mine.
Grateful and Grounded
Attending AALL 2025 helped me feel less alone in my pivot. It reminded me that law librarianship—no matter where it’s practiced—is a field grounded in rigor, service, and adaptability. Whether I’m helping future students think critically about research or shaping policies around responsible AI, I’m inspired to bring the same care and thoughtfulness I saw reflected in every session.
Mahalo to LLAM for helping make this experience possible. From Maryland to Hawaii and wherever I land next, I carry your support with deep appreciation.
2025 AALL Annual Meeting & Conference – Portland, OR
The AALL Annual Meeting & Conference is around the corner, and we hope to see many LLAM members there. This year’s conference runs from July 19 to July 22 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland.
Join us for the LLAM Dine Around on Saturday, July 19th! We’re headed to the Cartside Food Carts, which is a 15-minute walk from the Convention Center. If you want to walk over together, we’ll meet in the Hyatt Regency lobby at 6:30pm. If you prefer to meet up there, we expect to arrive before 7pm.
Also, check out these LLAM Member programs.
Hot Topic: Federal Courts: A Year In Review
Sunday, July 20, 2025 2:00pm – 3:00pm PDT
- Eleanor S. Tyler
Principal Legal Analyst, Bloomberg Law - David E. Matchen, Jr.
Assistant Director for Access Services and Adjunct Professor, University of Baltimore Law Library - John T. Parry
Edward Brunet Professor of Law, Lewis & Clark Law School
Resistance Is NOT Futile: Strategies for Integrating a Critical AI Perspective in Libraries
Sunday, July 20, 2025 11:30am – 12:30pm PDT
- Rebecca Fordon
Law Librarian and Assistant Professor of Professional Practice, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law - Kate Irwin
Reference Librarian, Government Documents Librarian, Wake Forest Law - Leland Sampson
Head of Web Content and Services, Maryland Thurgood Marshall State Law Library
Deep Dive: Hitting the Documentation Trail: Where Every Step Is a Guidepost
Sunday, July 20, 2025 2:00pm – 4:15pm PDT
- Chi H. Song
Systems & Instruction Librarian, Thurgood Marshall Law Library - Sara Billard
Director of Research & Information Services, Miles & Stockbridge PC - Jessica Mundy
Head of Collection Management, Maryland Thurgood Marshall State Law Library - Hiroko Hashitani
Acquisitions & Access Services Librarian, University of Utah
Diversity Symposium: What Does Professional Look Like?
Sunday, July 20, 2025 3:15pm – 4:15pm PDT
- Tanya Johnson
Research & Instructional Services Librarian, UConn School of Law - Marina Valenzuela
Research Analyst, Holland & Hart, LLP - Kirstin Nelson
Law Librarian and DEI Speaker, University of Maryland
Animal Policies in Libraries: Balancing Accessibility, Safety, and Inclusion
Monday, July 21, 2025 9:45am – 10:45am PDT
- Savannah M. G Long
Faculty Services & Reference Librarian, University of Baltimore Law Library - Wendy E. Moore
Associate Director for Collection Services, University of Georgia School of Law, Alexander Campbell King Law Library - Corinne Schram
Supervising Attorney, Disability Rights Oregon
Fake News Is Lethal: How Critical Media Literacy Aids to Avert the Violent Consequences of Disinformation
Monday, July 21, 2025 9:45am – 10:45am PDT
- Zanada Joyner
Associate Director for Collections & Information Discovery, University of Maryland, Francis King Carey School of Law, Thurgood Marshall Law Library - Randy Blazak, Ph.D
Chair, Oregon Coalition Against Hate Crime - Christian Goering
Professor, University of Arkansas, College of Education & Health Professions
Bold Moves in DEI Strategic Planning
Monday, July 21, 2025 1:15pm – 2:15pm
- Kirstin Nelson
Law Librarian and DEI Speaker, University of Maryland - Kaitlin Desselle
Founder, Wayfinders Coaching & Consulting - Shoshona “Shoni” Britton
Transformational Culture Leader, LITE Forward, LLC
Hot Topics in Library Operations
Monday, July 21, 2025 1:15pm – 2:15pm
- Brittany Persson
Assistant Professor & Director of the Library, Brooklyn Law School - Kristina J. Alayan
Associate Dean for Library & Technology, Law School Associate Professor, University of Maryland – Francis King Carey School of Law - Kim Nayyer
Edward Cornell Law Librarian, Associate Dean for Library Services, and Professor of the Practice, Cornell Law School and Cornell University Library - Kris Turner
Associate Director of Public Services, University of Wisconsin Law Library
2025 LLAM Election Results
Congratulations to our newly-elected 2025-2026 Executive Board members!
Julia Topper – Vice President/President-Elect
Jill Schorr – Treasurer
David Matchen – Board Member (2 years)
Mary Jo Lazun – Board Member (1 year)
2025 LLAM Elections
Executive Board elections for LLAM officers and board members will open this week. Please watch your email for a link to the ballot.
Below is the slate of candidates:
Vice President/President-Elect: Julia Topper
The Vice-President/President-Elect serves as a member of the LLAM Board of Trustees, coordinates LLAM programming, performs such duties as are assigned by the President, and serves the following year as LLAM President.
Julia Topper is the Head of Reference Services at the Thurgood Marshall State Law Library (TMSLL). She previously served as TMSLL’s Collection Management & Reference Librarian. Prior to joining TMSLL, Julia worked at the Anne Arundel County Public Library. She received her MLS from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Julia has been a LLAM member since 2018 and served on the Board from 2020-2022 and 2024-2025.
Treasurer: Jill Schorr
The Treasurer serves as a member of the LLAM Board, maintains an accurate and current record of the all financial transactions of the chapter, and serves a 2-year term.
Jill Schorr is the Assistant Law Librarian at the Montgomery County Circuit Court Law Library in Rockville. She first held that position thirty years ago, then took a detour involving a law firm library, 3 kids, and a school library, eventually making her way back to the same position she held right out of library school. She received her MLS from the University of Maryland at College Park. She has been a member of LLAM off and on (probably mostly off) since 1995.
Board Member (2 years): David Matchen
Board members serve as members of the LLAM Board of Trustees, attend Board meetings, and participate in its discussions and deliberations.
David Matchen is the Assistant Director for Access Services and Adjunct Professor at the University of Baltimore Law Library. He originally joined UB in 2008 as the Electronic Resources/Reference Librarian, and accepted a position as Head of Circulation later that year. Before that, he practiced law in Illinois, specializing in admiralty and transportation. In 2016, he received AALL Spectrum’s Article of the Year award for a co-authored piece on crisis management in libraries. David is presently working on an article for publication in an upcoming issue of the University of Baltimore Law Forum, and teaches a three-credit Legal Research Workshop course to upper-level students. David’s bar trivia team, Buffy the Trivia Slayer, is presently on a tear, and David is still convinced, in the face of too much history, that the Cubs are due to win the World Series again this season.
Board Member (1 years): Mary Jo Lazun
Board members serve as members of the LLAM Board of Trustees, attend Board meetings, and participate in its discussions and deliberations.
Mary Jo Lazun is proud to have worked in all three branches of government and three levels of government. Mary Jo was one of the first webmasters with the Treasury Department’s Fiscal Service. She also worked at the Maryland State Law Library and the Charles County Circuit Court Law Library. She loves her current job as a legislative librarian with the Maryland Department of Legislative Services. Her hobbies include reading, crocheting, cooking, and riding her recently “electrified” bike.
Congratulations to Jessica Mundy!
Congratulations to Jessica Mundy, Head of Collection Management at the Maryland Thurgood Marshall State Law Library in Annapolis! She is the co-author (with Charlie Amiot) of Maryland State Documents: A Bibliography of Legal and Law-Related Material, which is now available on HeinOnline. The publication will be an essential resource for anyone conducting research with Maryland government documents.
2024 LLAM Election Results
Congratulations to our newly-elected 2024-2025 Executive Board members!
Sara Billard – Vice President/President-Elect
Sara Denbo – Secretary
Julia Roberts – Board Member
2024 LLAM Elections
Executive Board elections for LLAM officers and board members are coming soon! Please watch your email for a link to the ballot, which will be sent on Thursday, May 2, 2024.
Below is the slate of candidates:
Vice President/President-Elect: Sara Billard
The Vice-President/President-Elect serves as a member of the LLAM Board of Trustees, coordinates LLAM programming, performs such duties as are assigned by the President, and serves the following year as LLAM President.
Sara Billard is the Director of Research and Information Services at Miles & Stockbridge, PC. She was previously the Research Director at Gordon Feinblatt LLC, another mid-sized Baltimore law firm, for over 15 years. Sara has been a LLAM member since 2005. She served as the chair of the LLAM membership committee for the last several years, and previously served as LLAM President in 2011.
Secretary: Sara Denbo
The Secretary serves as a member of the LLAM Board of Trustees and attends and keeps minutes of all Board meetings.
Sara Denbo is a Research Librarian at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, Thurgood Marshall Law Library. This is her first year of law librarianship, prior to which she earned her MLIS at the University of Washington and JD at the University of Michigan. She joined LLAM in Fall 2023 when she started at Maryland Carey Law and currently serves as co-chair of the Placement Committee.
Board Member: Julia Roberts
Board members serve as members of the LLAM Board of Trustees, attend Board meetings, and participate in its discussions and deliberations.
Julia Roberts recently accepted the position of Head of Reference Services at the Thurgood Marshall State Law Library (TMSLL). Previously, she served as TMSLL’s Collection Management & Reference Librarian, providing legal reference services and managing the Library’s Scanned Collections. Prior to joining TMSLL, Julia worked as a Library Associate at the Anne Arundel County Public Library. She received her MLS from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Julia has been a LLAM member since 2018 and served on the Board from 2020-2022.
Congratulations to Catherine McGuire!
Catherine McGuire, Deputy Director of the Maryland Thurgood Marshall State Law Library in Annapolis, has been named a 2023 recipient of the William L. Marbury Outstanding Advocate Award by the Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC). The award is “presented to someone who is not an attorney and has demonstrated outstanding services representing the civil legal needs of low-income Marylanders or expanding access to justice.” As many of you know, Catherine has been providing assistance to the self-represented for over two decades. For more than five years, she has collaborated with the Maryland Access to Justice Commission and the Conference of Maryland Court Law Library Directors to promote Frontlines, a program that has trained more than 1,200 Maryland public library staff in basic legal research and referral. The 2023 Awards Reception will be held on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, at the historic Westminster Hall in Baltimore. Congratulations, Catherine!
2023 Elections Results
Congratulations to our newly-elected 2023-2024 Executive Board members!
Jessica Mundy – Vice-President/President-Elect
Tanya Thomas – Treasurer
Jennifer Chapman – Board Member
2022 Holiday and 40th Anniversary Party!
You are cordially invited to LLAM’s 2022 Holiday Party and 40th Anniversary Bash! Join your fellow LLAM members for food, drinks, games inspired by the 1980s, and a silent auction as we celebrate our ruby anniversary. Family, friends, and non-LLAM members are welcome.
Wednesday, December 14th | 5:30pm – 8:00pm
The Point in Fells, 1738 Thames Street, Baltimore, MD 21231
Food and Drinks
- Hors D’oeuvres at 5:30pm
- Plated Dinner at 6:00pm
- First Course: Choice of Mixed Greens Salad, Caesar Salad, or Cup of Crab & Corn Chowder, served with dinner rolls
- Second Course: Choice of Roasted Chicken, Grilled Salmon, Prime Rib, or Vegetarian Option, served with roasted potatoes & seasonal vegetables
- Third Course: Assorted Desserts for Each Table
- Non-alcoholic beverages include soft drinks, coffee, tea, and juice. Alcoholic beverages include domestic bottle & canned beer, select draft beer, and house wines.
- If you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions, please let us know when you RSVP.
Tickets: $30/person
- Purchase Tickets Online.
- Pay by Check. Send a check made payable to “LLAM” to Tanya Thomas, Thurgood Marshall Law Library, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, 501 W. Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
- Pay by Check or Cash at the Door (RSVP required).
Parking
Paid street and garage parking is available on the blocks surrounding the Point in Fells. Garage options include Caroline Street Garage Parking and Premium Parking.
RSVP Required.
RSVP online by 5:00pm on Wednesday, December 7, 2022.
Silent Auction
Silent auction items will be on display during the party. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Maryland Food Bank.
If you would like to donate an item to the LLAM Silent Auction, please complete this form. If you have a last-minute item to donate, feel free to bring the item with you to the party!
If you have any questions, contact Chi Song.
Recruiting, Retention and Resilience: A Collaborative Conversation on Law Library Diversity + Equity
On Thursday, May 26, the VALL Chapter is hosing their Spring meeting, and are looking for chapters and other groups to join them in these conversations. This meeting will focus on efforts to support and sustain opportunities to work in law libraries and with legal-related employers. This grows out of conversations about how the range and number of people applying for jobs, as well as the variety and diversity of current and future colleagues. VALL has put together an effort to explore this, through a hosted collaborative conversation. Four people, including LLAM’s own Kristina Alayan, will present their ideas, followed by smaller group discussions.
Title: Recruiting, Retention and Resilience: A Collaborative Conversation on Law Library Diversity + Equity
Date: Thursday, May 26
Time: 2:00 – 4:00 EST
Registration: https://bit.ly/Law-RRR
Registration is free and open to all members and non-members. The event will be held on Zoom.
Description: A discussion and collaborative exploration of topics in law library diversity, equity and inclusion, with a focus on library employee recruiting and retention. Each featured speaker will share discussion ideas, updates on their own work and ideas to frame and inspire conversations. We’ll have group discussion rooms to explore topics collaboratively during the meeting.
Speakers:
- Anne Klinefelter, Henry P. Brandis Distinguished Professor of Law and Director of the Law Library, UNC School of Law
- Nichelle J. Perry, Law Library Director, NC Central University School of Law
- Carla Wale, Associate Teaching Professor, Director, MLIS Law Librarianship Specialization, UW iSchool
- Kristina Alayan, Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Law, University of Maryland, Francis King Carey School of Law
For questions about this even, please contact VALL President, Roger V. Skalbeck.
Project 20/20 – June Events and Closing Speaker
Virtual Scattergories Game Night – Friday, June 18 at 6:00 PM ET
Don’t call it a comeback! We had so much fun playing Skribblio that we’re bringing it back this month. Looking for a chance to flex your best stick figure and other pandemic-developed art skills? Join us for an evening of the Pictionary-style drawing game Skribblio. Whether you consider yourself an MS Paint Van Gogh, or you’re more of a Frida Kahlo, all are welcome! Game access information will be shared during the Zoom call.
Build Your Pipeline: Paraprofessionals and Professional Development
with Adi Flory, Liz Graham, and Dawn Smith
Thursday, June 24 at 3:00 PM ET – Countless programs have been devoted to the rapidly evolving pressures facing libraries and efforts to navigate these challenges successfully (e.g., shrinking budgets, continuing appointment, change and crisis management). Less time has been committed to thinking about and discussing the role of paraprofessionals. If they receive professional development support: is it enough? Why aren’t more paraprofessionals earning library science degrees? Are there untapped opportunities to diversify the profession through more intentional recruitment of paraprofessionals? Join our knowledgeable panel of speakers as they discuss their experiences both working as and leading paraprofessionals in law libraries.
Project 20/20 Welcomes Ashley C. Ford
In Conversation with Kristina J. Alayan
Wednesday, June 30 at 2:00 PM ET – Please join us for a conversation with Ashley C. Ford as our closing speaker for the Project 20/20 Series: From Transition to Transformation. A respected voice on topics ranging from popular culture and race to imposter syndrome and healthy boundaries, Ashley C. Ford uses personal experiences to impart lessons about navigating upheaval through the transformative power of imagination, and living an unapologetically bold, joy-ful, and authentic life. She has interviewed movers and shakers from Serena Williams and Missy Elliot to Kamala Harris and Stacey Abrams. Anyone who follows her on social media knows she is the quintessential Renaissance woman sharing insight on everything from writing and personal finance to art and social justice.
Ashley C. Ford is a writer, host, and educator who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana with her husband, poet and fiction writer Kelly Stacy, and their chocolate lab Astro Renegade Ford-Stacy. Her memoir, Somebody’s Daughter, was published by Flatiron Books on June 1, 2021. Ford’s work is prolific. She is the former host of The Chronicles of Now podcast and co-host of The HBO companion podcast Lovecraft Country Radio. She was also the host of the first season of Audible’s literary interview series, Authorized. She has been named among Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30 in Media (2017), Brooklyn Magazine’s Brooklyn 100 (2016), Time Out New York’s New Yorkers of The Year (2017), and Variety’s New Power of New York (2019). Last year, she joined TIME as TIME100 Talks, a “weekly series that convenes extraordinary leaders from every field to spotlight solutions and encourage action toward a better world.”
Copyright © 2021 Project 2020 Series, All rights reserved.
Congratulations to Liz Graham!
LLAM’s very own Liz Graham is a 2021 recipient of AALL’s Emerging Leader Award! The Emerging Leader Award recognizes newer members who have already made significant contributions to the Association and/or to the profession and have demonstrated the potential for leadership and continuing service.
In addition to her contributions to the profession and AALL, Liz has been a fantatsic LLAM contributor, including coordination of the popular Project 20/20: From Transition to Transformation online programming series as well as the 2019 Legal Research Institute. Liz is LLAM’s incoming President for the 2021-2022 year. We are excited to see what the new year has in store for us and lucky to have Liz’s leadership.
Congratulations, Liz!
AALL Spectrum Profiles C.J. Pipins
The May/June 2021 issue of AALL Spectrum features a leader profile of LLAM’s own C.J. Pipins, Associate Director for Public Services at the University of Baltimore Law Library. Through this profile, “Capitalizing on Good Luck,” C.J. describes his professional journey, from law student to reference librarian to associate director. He also shares his reflections on COVID-related challenges and career advice.
LLAM Election Results
Congratulations to our newly-elected 2021-2022 Executive Board members!
Rachel Englander – Vice-President/President-Elect
Tanya Thomas – Treasurer
Jenna Wolf – Board Member
Project 20/20 – May Schedule
Game Night: Skribblio Strikes Back – Friday, May 14 at 6:00 PM ET
Don’t call it a comeback! We had so much fun playing Skribblio that we’re bringing it back this month. Looking for a chance to flex your best stick figure and other pandemic-developed art skills? Join us for an evening of the Pictionary-style drawing game Skribblio. Whether you consider yourself an MS Paint Van Gogh, or you’re more of a Frida Kahlo, all are welcome! Game access information will be shared during the Zoom call.
Drug Development and its Discontents: A Crash Course in Policy and Research – Part II with Lynn McClelland
Thursday May 20 at 3:00 PM ET – For anyone who is interested in learning more about navigating these issues from a legal research perspective, you won’t want to miss the second half of this program. The first session covered challenges facing drug development policy and the approval process. The second session will focus on the different ways the FDA incentivizes drug development. The material is drawn directly from a for-credit course taught at UCLA that provides an overview of drug development, the approval process (standard and fast track), along with other aspects of pharmaceutical innovation.
Lynn McClelland will be generously sharing her syllabus and will answer questions for anyone interested in learning more about this topic. She is a former pharma lab rat and currently is a Reference Librarian at UCLA where she has taught everything from Health Law & Policy Research to Nonprofit Law Drafting. She has collaborated with both legal and medical scholars and practitioners at the local, national, and international levels.
Resume Workshop: The Sequel featuring Holly Riccio
Monday, May 24 at 3:30 PM ET – Are you up for promotion? Do you include a CV with your annual review? Contemplating a transition into a new position, new department, or new sector? Have you forgotten to dust off your resume since you applied for your current job? If you replied yes to one or more of these questions, come join us! This month’s resume workshop will build on the best practices established in last month’s workshop. We’ll include an interactive review of representative resumes to discuss and evaluate. Any attendees who would like to have their resumes reviewed are welcome to share with the group or schedule a separate 1:1 coaching session.
Copyright © 2021 Project 2020 Series, All rights reserved.
Internship Stipend
LLAM is offering one $500 stipend to a student or recent graduate working in an unpaid internship or volunteer position during Summer 2021. The stipend recipient does not need to be a LLAM member.
All applications must be received no later than Friday, June 11, 2021.
Selection Criteria:
- Current Library School Student or Recent Graduate (within 2 years)
- LLAM membership NOT required
- Currently interning/volunteering with a law library or similar organization
- Lack of financial assistance and/or financial need (e.g., unpaid internship, volunteer, limited stipend, etc.)
- Priority will be given to applicants who are interning for/volunteering with Maryland organizations
Registration Grants – 2021 AALL Annual Meeting and Conference
LLAM is offering 2 registration grants for LLAM members to attend the 2021 AALL Virtual Meeting and Conference, July 19th – 23rd.
We are also offering 1 grant for a student registration. The student grant recipient does not need to be a member of LLAM.
The grants will each cover the cost of registration for the AALL Virtual Meeting.
For more information, review this application for the Grants. The application deadline is Friday, May 28, 2021.
Project 20/20 – April Schedule
Resume Workshop – Tuesday, April 20 at 12:00 PM ET
Are you up for promotion? Do you include a CV with your annual review? Contemplating a transition into a new position, new department, or new sector? Have you forgotten to dust off your resume since you applied for your current job? If you replied yes to one or more of these questions, come join us! The resume workshop will begin with a brief presentation on best practices followed by an interactive review of representative resumes to discuss and evaluate. Any attendees who would like to have their resumes reviewed are welcome to share with the group or schedule a separate 1:1 coaching session.
Drug Development and its Discontents: A Crash Course in Policy and Research with Lynn McClelland
Tuesday, March 16 at 12:00 PM ET – For anyone who is interested in learning more about navigating these issues from a legal research perspective, you won’t want to miss this program. The session will integrate highlights drawn directly from a for-credit course taught at UCLA that provides an overview of drug development, the approval process (standard and fast track), along with other aspects of pharmaceutical innovation.
Lynn McClelland will be generously sharing her syllabus and will answer questions for anyone interested in learning more about this topic. She is a former pharma lab rat and currently is a Reference Librarian at UCLA where she has taught everything from Health Law & Policy Research to Nonprofit Law Drafting. She has collaborated with both legal and medical scholars and practitioners at the local, national, and international levels.
Skribblio Game Night – Friday, April 23 at 6:00 PM ET
Get ready for an evening of verbal shenanigans! You know that feeling when you’re trying to describe someone or something and you can’t find the right words? (“That SNL comedian who plays an overeager Target cashier?” or “That movie with the love fern?” or “She shared the stage with a dancing shark?”) For those of you on TikTok, it’s similar to the “tell me you’re a [blank] without telling me you’re a [blank]” trend. As you describe your assigned word, other players submit guesses. The faster the answer is guessed, the more points you (and the correct guesser) earn. The more the merrier, so feel free to share the registration link – family and friends are welcome.
Copyright © 2021 Project 2020 Series, All rights reserved.
LLAM 2021 Elections
It’s that time of year! Elections for LLAM officers and board members will take place later this month!
Available positions are Vice-President/President-Elect, Treasurer, and Board Member.
- The Vice-President/President-Elect serves as a member of the LLAM Board and performs such duties as are assigned by the President. The Vice-President serves the following year as LLAM President.
- The Treasurer serves as a member of the LLAM Board and is responsible for maintaining an accurate and current record of the all financial transactions of the chapter. The Treasurer serves a 2-year term.
- A Board Member serves as a member of the LLAM Board, attends Board meetings, and participates in its discussions and deliberations. A Board Member serves a 2-year term.
More information about each position’s responsibilities is in LLAM’s Policies and Procedures Manual.
To submit your name as a candidate, please contact Chi Song (chi.song@mdcourts.gov) by Monday, April 5, 2021.
Elections will be held in April. Watch your email for election related announcements!
Project 20/20 – March Schedule
Debunking the Productivity Myth and Other Missives with Dr. Mirya Holman
Tuesday, March 23 at 11:00 AM ET – For anyone interested in learning from an irreverent, social media savvy scholar with unfiltered hot takes on productivity, mentorship, and not being a jerk: you won’t want to miss this program.
She is a founding member of the #FeministMafia and tweets about politics, terrible people, and revenge. In her spare time, you’ll find her fighting the patriarchy, screaming into the abyss, and hanging out with her dogs and cat. Competitive eaters will be impressed to know she is a two-time watermelon eating champion.
EXCELing in the Dark Arts: A Guide to the Magic of Spreadsheets with Liz Graham
Tuesday, March 16 at 12:00 PM ET – For anyone interested in mastering data manipulation, we’re excited to hear from an Excel spreadsheet mastermind who will share her best practices, tips, and techniques.
Blather ‘Round Game Night – Friday, March 26 at 6:00 PM ET
Get ready for an evening of verbal shenanigans! You know that feeling when you’re trying to describe someone or something and you can’t find the right words? (“That SNL comedian who plays an overeager Target cashier?” or “That movie with the love fern?” or “She shared the stage with a dancing shark?”) For those of you on TikTok, it’s similar to the “tell me you’re a [blank] without telling me you’re a [blank]” trend. As you describe your assigned word, other players submit guesses. The faster the answer is guessed, the more points you (and the correct guesser) earn. The more the merrier, so feel free to share the registration link – family and friends are welcome.
Copyright © 2021 Project 2020 Series, All rights reserved.
Project 20/20 – February Schedule
Bite-Sized Marketing with Mary Evangeliste
Thursday, February 18 at 1pm ET – Please join us on Thursday, February 18 for an opportunity to hear from a dynamic speaker who has cultivated expertise in marketing and branding for over 15 years. Time will be reserved for questions.
Mary Evangeliste has taught, lectured, and presented in the areas of librarianship and marketing for local and national groups including the State Department, the Maryland School of Art and Design, Prince George’s Community College, the University of Pittsburgh, the Library Administration and Management Association, the Association of College and Research Libraries, and the ALA. She is the co-founder of Fearless Future and has been honored with two national library marketing awards, 3M Check-It-Out Yourself Day and ACRL’s 2005 Best Practices in Marketing Academic and Research Libraries @ your library Award.
Integrating Diversity into Legal Research Instruction in the COVID Era: Tips and Techniques for Class Management with Shamika D. Dalton, Clanitra Steward Nejdl, and Raquel Gabriel
Wednesday, February 24 at 1pm ET – Effective classroom management is a crucial component of promoting learning and student engagement, decreasing student anxiety, and maintaining an orderly academic setting. As the inclusion of race, diversity, and implicit bias becomes more prevalent in the legal research classroom, the need for meaningful and effective classroom management techniques intensifies. Without having these techniques at the ready, the introduction of such issues could prove disastrous.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic has led to many legal research classes moving to online platforms, addressing race, diversity, and implicit bias in these classes becomes even more challenging. Legal research instructors and professors have had to adjust their classroom management techniques accordingly. The first part of this program will introduce attendees to classroom management techniques that support and advance the benefits of addressing race, diversity, and implicit bias in the legal research classroom. In the second part of the program, the presenters will provide ways to adjust these techniques to match the challenges of addressing these issues during an online legal research course. Emphasis will be placed on providing concrete examples of classroom management techniques that suit the online environment. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss classroom management techniques with one another.
Among Us – Video Game Night – Friday, February 19 at 6pm ET –
Join Project 20/20 for an evening of interstellar social networking while playing the popular multiplayer video game, Among Us. Open to novices and gamers alike, there will be plenty of opportunities to connect with colleagues as you work together to complete your space mission.
Please be sure to download the Among Us app prior to the event. Among Us is available for free in both GooglePlay and the Apple Store.
Copyright © 2021 Project 2020 Series, All rights reserved.
Project 20/20 – January Schedule
Bite-Sized Marketing with Mary Evangeliste
Thursday, January 21 at 2pm ET – Please join us on Thursday, January 21 for an opportunity to hear from a dynamic speaker who has cultivated expertise in marketing and branding for over 15 years. Time will be reserved for questions.
Mary Evangeliste has taught, lectured, and presented in the areas of librarianship and marketing for local and national groups including the State Department, the Maryland School of Art and Design, Prince George’s Community College, the University of Pittsburgh, the Library Administration and Management Association, the Association of College and Research Libraries, and the ALA. She is the co-founder of Fearless Future and has been honored with two national library marketing awards, 3M Check-It-Out Yourself Day and ACRL’s 2005 Best Practices in Marketing Academic and Research Libraries @ your library Award.
Post-2020 Instruction Debrief with Genevieve Tung
Tuesday, January 12, at 1pm ET – Now that we’ve all had some time to decompress, let’s talk about the 2020 instruction experience. The unprecedented circumstances upended a lot of expectations, creating new challenges and opportunities to innovate. In this roundtable discussion, we want to hear from you—what worked, what didn’t, and what you’re planning to change going forward. This conversation will be facilitated by Genevieve Tung, Associate Director of Educational Programs at Penn Law.
2021 Planner Party – Thursday, January 7 at 12pm ET – Love office supplies? Ready to leave 2020 behind? Grab your favorite pens and planners and get ready to map out the new year. Join Project 20/20 for a social networking lunchtime event devoted entirely to all things planning. Share your favorite supplies, best practices for setting goals, and connect with colleagues who appreciate planning (and washi tape) just as much as you.
Copyright © 2021 Project 2020 Series, All rights reserved.
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