WestPac AALL WestPac News

AALL 2026 Diversity Summit: Surviving a Tough Year: Wellness and Advocacy

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 21:50:41 GMT

The PLLIP-SIS DEI Committee is inviting you to its 2026 Diversity Summit, themed Surviving a Tough Year: Wellness and Advocacy. This sixth Diversity Summit will examine wellness and advocacy related mechanisms to assist in surviving this tough year and beyond. It is a shorter two-day event based on attendees feedback last year. Day I on Friday, February 27^th , focuses on Wellness and will feature two keynote presenters i.e. Rhonda McGee & Nicki Salcedo along with a workshop. Day 2 on Friday, March 6^th,, will focus on Advocacy and features keynote presentation by Gwynne Wilcox, and a panel presentation of law librarians moderated by Kathryn Rubino. Please register here. Look forward to seeing you for this timely Diversity Summit.

WestPac Travel Grant for AALL Annual Meeting in Portland

Thu, 01 May 2025 17:25:30 GMT

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 Portland in July.

We strongly encourage you to apply – no letters of recommendation are required! The application form is on the Travel Grants page.

The deadline for applications is Friday, May 16. Please email Youngwoo Ban if you have any questions.

LIPA invites you to the American Writers Museum in Chicago

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 16:33:00 GMT

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

Chicago: AALL Pacific Chapters Joint Reception

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 15:37:10 GMT

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)

Lisa Mecklenberg Jackson

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 20:32:58 GMT

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

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 16:24:41 GMT

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

WestPac Travel Grant for AALL Annual Meeting in Chicago

Fri, 03 May 2024 16:39:55 GMT

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

National Self-Help in Libraries Survey (2023)

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 21:02:09 GMT

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/

WestPac is proud to present: The Pebble Workshop

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 21:12:55 GMT

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 Nominations for Emerging Leader Award Due March 1

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 01:12:08 GMT

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:

be an AALL member in good standing
have ten years or less of law library experience
not have previously received an Emerging Leader Award
have made a significant contribution to the Association and/or the profession
have shown outstanding promise for continuing service and leadership (examples of his/her continuing activities must be provided)

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.

Boston: Pacific Chapters Joint Reception

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 18:01:34 GMT

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.)

Travel Grants for Reno

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 22:12:27 GMT

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.

Register for Reno 2022

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 08:10:49 GMT

Registration for the WestPac Annual Meeting in Reno, Nevada, is now open. Share the news with your friends and colleagues and plan your experiences and excursions in the biggest little city in the world.

Join WestPac for the Pacific Chapters Joint Reception

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 15:57:18 GMT

Join WestPac for the Pacific Chapters Joint Reception on July 18 from 6:15 - 8:15pm at the Appaloosa Wright Room Grill in Denver, Colorado!

Converse with your colleagues from across the Pacific region who may be attending the AALL annual conference and enjoy a delicious buffet of enchiladas, potatoes, salad, and more!

The Appaloosa Wright Room Grill can be found at 535 16th St Mall #110, Denver, CO 80202.

Spring Education Series - Legal Research on the Road

Wed, 04 May 2022 22:57:43 GMT

UPDATE: Thanks so much to all who attended!! Recording is available under Conferences and Events > Educational Series once you sign-in to your WestPac account.

Please join us on Friday, May 20, at 10 a.m. PT (11 a.m. MT, 12 p.m. CT, 1 p.m. ET) for a discussion with Tawnya Plumb about her outreach project,

Legal Research on the Road, an initiative to promote free legal resources and services to public librarians in Wyoming. She'll cover grant opportunities, successes, and failures. Tawnya is the Head of Collections at George W. Hopper Law Library, University of Wyoming College of Law.

Zoom Link and passcode can be found here.

Questions? Email Anna Blaine (annablaine@uidaho.edu)

Annual Meeting: Call for Topics!

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 22:56:01 GMT

WestPac is issuing a call for topics for educational programming at the Annual Meeting in Reno (Sept. 30-Oct. 1). We will have varied and flexible time slots accommodating programs of 30, 45, and 60 minutes but are willing to consider longer programs as well. If you are interested in presenting, please e-mail Anna Blaine (annablaine@uidaho.edu) with your name, title, organization, and one paragraph describing your potential program. All ideas are greatly appreciated.

Deadline: July 8.

WestPac Grant Application

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 23:56:52 GMT

The WestPac Grants and Awards Committee and the WestPac Board are delighted announce that WestPac will be offering three $500 travel grants to attend the AALL Annual Meeting in Denver, CO, in July. We strongly encourage you to apply – no letters of recommendation are required!

The form can be found HERE.

The deadline for applications is Friday, May 6. Please email Hilary Hardcastle if you have any questions!

Fall Education Series - Slow Librarianship

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 01:13:06 GMT

Please join us on Wednesday, December 1, at 11 a.m. PT (12 p.m. MT, 1 p.m. CT, 2 p.m. ET) for a discussion with Meredith Farkas about Building a Better Collective Future with Slow Librarianship, the perfect antidote when achievement, productivity, and external validation have left you hollow and yearning for more reflection, collaboration, and inclusion (see attached flyer). Slow librarianship offers a path to a radical new future with more meaningful values-driven work and relationships, and thankfully Meredith has the map.

Zoom Link
Passcode: slowdown

Meredith's Biography: Meredith Farkas (she/her) is a faculty librarian at Portland Community College, a perpetual beginner, and a recovering workaholic. From 2007-2021, she wrote the “In Practice” column for American Libraries, focusing on accessible technologies, collaboration, values-driven work, antiracism, and reflective practice. Meredith was honored in 2009 with the LITA/Library Hi Tech award for Outstanding Communication in Library and Information Technology, and in 2014 with the ACRL Instruction Section Innovation Award.

WestPac AALL WestPac News

AALL 2026 Diversity Summit: Surviving a Tough Year: Wellness and Advocacy

WestPac Travel Grant for AALL Annual Meeting in Portland

LIPA invites you to the American Writers Museum in Chicago

Chicago: AALL Pacific Chapters Joint Reception

RSVP

Lisa Mecklenberg Jackson

Legal Research Instruction Roundtable

Legal Research Instruction Roundtable

WestPac Travel Grant for AALL Annual Meeting in Chicago

National Self-Help in Libraries Survey (2023)

WestPac is proud to present: The Pebble Workshop

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

AALL Nominations for Emerging Leader Award Due March 1

Boston: Pacific Chapters Joint Reception

Travel Grants for Reno

Register for Reno 2022

Join WestPac for the Pacific Chapters Joint Reception

Spring Education Series - Legal Research on the Road

Annual Meeting: Call for Topics!

WestPac Grant Application

Fall Education Series - Slow Librarianship