Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Transition To Retirement, Mary Whisner

Librarians' Articles

Perhaps this article will start you thinking about your own retirement, whether it’s around the corner or many years in the future. You can talk to financial advisers about pensions and health insurance. It’s also important to think about intangibles, like changing your professional identity and what you will miss about your work. You plan your other career moves (job to job, city to city); this transition is worth planning, too.

Service Within And Beyond Our Walls, Mary Whisner

Librarians' Articles

With the growth of the Internet, the typical patron base that reference librarians serve has increased to a much wider group of people who use various electronic means of communication to seek assistance. Ms. Whisner examines how technology has expanded these service borders and discusses the ramifications for the modern reference librarian.

Animal Stories For Good Reference Librarians, Mary Whisner

Librarians' Articles

This essay uses animals and animal-related metaphors to illustrate several short lessons about practicing reference.

Not What I Planned (A Writing Detour), Mary Whisner

Librarians' Articles

Ms. Whisner reflects on the busy lives of law librarians and why sometimes the demands of reference work may keep law librarians from completing planned writing projects in a timely manner.

Race And The Reference Librarian, Mary Whisner

Librarians' Articles

Ms. Whisner examines how race arises in the day-to-day work of law librarians, and discusses how law librarians can foster cultural competence and create more welcoming environments in diverse institutions.

Thanking And Being Thanked, Mary Whisner

Librarians' Articles

Ms. Whisner contemplates the process of expressing and receiving appreciation for favors and assistance provided by librarians, and considers when giving thanks publicly is appropriate.

Change And Continuity (Rip Van Winkle's Reference Office), Mary Whisner

Librarians' Articles

How much has law librarianship changed over the past twenty years? Ms. Whisner imagines coming back to her library after being asleep for twenty years, and concludes that while our tools have changed, the basics of our jobs have remained remarkably stable.

Law Librarian, J.D. Or Not J.D.?, Mary Whisner

Librarians' Articles

Ms. Whisner considers whether and how a law degree helps her in her job as a law librarian

Memorial: Viola A. Bird (1905-2007), Penny A. Hazelton

Librarians' Articles

No abstract provided.

Our Oldest Alumna: Viola Bird, Peggy Roebuck Jarrett

Librarians' Articles

No abstract provided.

A Tribute To Viola A. Bird On The Occasion Of Her 100th Birthday, Patrick E. Kehoe

Librarians' Articles

Consists of a biographical sketch and reminiscences of Mrs. Bird by former students and co-workers.

On Not Doing Research, Mary Whisner

Librarians' Articles

Even though her usual business is "looking up," Ms. Whisner explores a variety of situations in which it is professionally appropriate not to engage in research.

The Catalog Vs. The Home Page? Best Practices In Connecting To Online Resources, Georgia Briscoe, Karen Selden, Cheryl Rae Nyberg

Librarians' Articles

Connecting users to the best available sources of legal information is one of the traditional functions of the law library. These sources now include Web sites, electronic journals, and subscription databases. This article explores the best way to bring these useful Internet resources to the attention of users, concentrating on the pros and cons of using the catalog or the home page.

This article received the 2004 Law Library Journal Article of the Year Award from the American Association of Law Libraries.

Learning From Library Science, Mary Whisner

Librarians' Articles

Ms. Whisner describes the method and some of the results reported in a recently published book about the reference interview written by two library school professors. She points out that despite its academic approach, the book has much to offer the practicing reference librarian.

Finding Out What They Want To Know, Mary Whisner

Librarians' Articles

A skilled reference librarian knows more than simply where and how to look up information. Recognizing the importance of knowing what to look for as well, Ms. Whisner discusses the venerable reference interview and its role in this key aspect of patron services.

Memorial: Elizabeth Roe Wilkins (1915-1999), Viola A. Bird

Librarians' Articles

No abstract provided.

Why Let Them Go? Retaining Experienced Librarians By Creating Challenging Internal Career Paths: Introducing The `Executive Librarian'?, Jonathan A. Franklin

Librarians' Articles

In a traditional hierarchical library, librarians often must leave the institution to move up the career ladder The library loses an experienced librarian and must also invest a substantial amount of time and money to train a new employee.

The author argues that libraries should attempt to retain experienced librarians by creating continuously challenging career paths with equivalent rewards. He proposes a new type of position—that of executive librarian—that would include increasingly individualized job content, a voice in institutional decision making, and optional administrative responsibilities.

One Piece Of The Collection Development Puzzle: Issues In Drafting Format Selection Guidelines, Jonathan A. Franklin

Librarians' Articles

New electronic formats have made collection development decisions more complex. Mr. Franklin discusses how to incorporate a library's primary goals and resource limitations into library-specific format selection guidelines, and proposes criteria to help selectors choose the appropriate format for specific resources. A format selection checklist is appended. para This paper won the student division of the American Association of Law Libraries / LexisNexis Call for Papers Award in 1994.

Anatomy Of The Aall Scholarships And Grants, Viola A. Bird

Librarians' Articles

The American Association of Law Libraries Scholarship and Grants Program may not have reached its age of majority, but it is a well developed teenager. Like other teenagers, there has been some confusion over its activities. Thus, some explanation is merited here for a better understanding of its purpose and selection procedures than has been possible through the year-after-year announcement of names of donors and recipients. Probably even those who attended an institute or convention under the sponsorship of the program understand little more than that their checks arrived shortly before the meeting date and gave them real financial assistance …