All are welcome to a special reception hosted by the Legal Information Preservation Alliance (LIPA) at the American Writers Museum in Chicago, Illinois.

Date: Sunday, July 21, 2024
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Location: American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60601

Join us for an evening dedicated to fostering connections and discussions among individuals passionate about the preservation and archiving of legal information. An array of hot and cold hors d'oeuvres as well as beer and wine will be served. This reception provides a unique opportunity for members of the legal information community to come together, share ideas, and explore collaborative efforts to protect our valuable legal heritage.

The American Writers Museum, located in the heart of downtown Chicago, is a vibrant cultural institution dedicated to celebrating the diverse voices of American literature. Through interactive exhibits, engaging programs, and educational initiatives, the museum highlights the profound impact of writers on our history, identity, culture, and daily lives. As you mingle with colleagues, you’ll have the chance to discover exhibits that highlight the literary achievements of America’s greatest authors.

We hope to see you there for an evening of thoughtful conversation and networking!

MICHELE KNAPP (she/her)
Associate Director, Collections & Access Services
University of San Diego Legal Research Center

Headed to Chicago for this year’s AALL Annual Meeting & Conference? Thanks to the generous support of CEB, you are welcome to come and enjoy food, drinks, and camaraderie with your WestPac, LLOPS, NOCALL, and SCALL colleagues at our AALL Pacific Chapters Joint Reception!

WHEN: Sunday, July 21, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
WHERE: Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse, 33 W. Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654 (Google Map it)

RSVP

I received the sad news that 2005-2006 WestPac President Lisa Mecklenberg Jackson passed away on May 27. Among the many other great things she was and did, Lisa served as the Legislative Librarian for Montana and State Law Librarian of Montana. Should you be in or around Missoula, MT on July 7, 2024 there will be a celebration of life at the Missoula Public Library (1:30 PM).

Lisa Jackson Obituary (1966 - 2024) - Missoula, MT - Missoulian (legacy.com)

Thanks,
Anna Blaine
WestPac Immediate Past President

Legal Research Instruction Roundtable

Friday, August 9, 2024
9am - 12pm (PT)
Zoom - free and open to all!
Sponsored by NOCALL

Registration details will be sent in late June. Here are the topics we plan to cover:

• Assessment of student work: what's working, what's not?
• GenAI tools and legal research: current tools & use cases. Will GenAI change the core of legal research course content?
• Cool new teaching tools demo

Kristin Brandt
NOCALL Education Committee

The WestPac Grants and Awards Committee and the WestPac Board are delighted to announce that WestPac will be offering one $800 travel grant to attend the AALL Annual Meeting in Chicago in July.

We strongly encourage you to apply – no letters of recommendation are required!

Application Form
Deadline: May 8, 2024

Please email Youngwoo Ban if you have any questions!

Respectfully,
Youngwoo

Youngwoo Ban
Research Librarian & Assistant Professor
William S. Boyd School of Law
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
youngwoo.ban@unlv.edu
Office: 702-895-5819

The Law Librarians' Working Group of the Self-Represented Litigation Network surveyed law libraries in 2023 about their services, updating the 2019 results to incorporate post-pandemic services that have been retained. Learn more about best practices and full survey results in this story map.

This research and analysis was developed to expand SRL services among law libraries by demonstrating best practices for assisting SRLs. The information also describes important law library services for stakeholders, advocates and the public. 

The working group hopes you share these results with your stakeholders, partners, and general public.

Best,
Brian

Brian R. Huffman, JD, MLIS
Electronic Services Librarian
University of Hawaiʻi Law Library
P (808) 956-2599 | E brhuffma@hawaii.edu
https://law.hawaii.edu/library/

Have you been intimidated by the publishing process or are you having trouble solidifying a concept to write about?

If you have a scholarly writing idea or project that you would like to get off the ground but you’re not quite ready for the Boulder Conference… consider attending The Pebble Workshop! This informal forum allows participants to present scholarship ideas or works in progress and receive feedback. Along with the forum, published author Mari Cheney (Research Librarian at Perkins Cole LLP) will give a short presentation about the publishing process.

Date: May 17, 2024
Time: 12 – 2:30 PST
Platform: Zoom

Please register (https://forms.office.com/r/nM7PUdjc9H); more information will be sent to registrants about the workshop process.

Reach out to the WestPac Education Committee or WestPac VP Sara Archibald with any questions! We look forward to seeing you at The Pebble Workshop.

AALL is accepting nominations for the Emerging Leader Award. This award recognizes newer members who have made significant contributions to the profession and have demonstrated the potential for leadership and continuing excellence.

To be nominated, a nominee must:

The nomination deadline is March 1st. Please email the nomination form and supporting documentation as a single PDF to Jennifer Wahl.

Self-nomination by members is acceptable.

More details on the award, including a link to the Nomination Form, can be found here.

Please contact Darla Jackson if you have any questions about the award or the nomination process.

Headed to Boston? With the support of Lexis and HeinOnline sponsorships, come enjoy food, drink, and camaraderie with your WestPac, LLOPS, NOCALL, and SCALL colleagues at our Joint Reception! 

When: Sunday, July 16, 7-9 PM

Where: Rochambeau, 900 Boylston St. (About mid-way between Dalton St. & Ring Rd.)

If your institution is strapped for cash and cannot send you to Reno, we understand, so the Executive Board created seven grants and scholarships to help get you there.  Please consider applying for them. . .very few of you have so far.