Academic Law Librarians: Wallflowers or Social Butterflies?

Emily Allbon @lawbore

Maria Bell @bellmari

Wendy Lynwood @wlynwood

Issues around HE libraries Increased pressure on

budgets - staffing and collection development

Are we visible enough to our institutions as services move online?

User expectation vs. reality:

e.g. what is wanted vs. what it is possible to supply Space split: Social vs. study Librarian role – What are we doing? Where do we fit?

Are we seen?

Birkbeck Founded 1823, joined the

University of London 1913 98% students are part-time,

50% post graduate Law school formed in 1991

Around 1200 students (800 FTEs) on CertHE, LLB, LLM, MRes and PhD, programmes

Research has a socio-legal focus

Library – 70+ staff, in terms of budget and physical space below average (1994 group figures)

City Law Dept at

Northampton Square (1990) and ICSL at Grays Inn Place (1852) = City Law School 2004

Around 1200 students, covering LLB, GDL, LLM, LPC & BTPC. Growing PhD.

London School of Economics Institution founded 1895 by

Webbs, & G.B Shaw for research in social sciences

1900 →Univ. of London 2011: 9,000 students from

140 countries; high postgraduate population

Library est. 1896; new development 2001

Law always part of LSE teaching

2010-11: 800 LLB,

LLM & PhD

80 staff

Where we fit…not just law librarians anymore!

Pulled in all directions…

Relationships

are key!

Teaching and learningOur relationships with:

Academics Students Academic support

officers Learning technologists IT Teaching and learning

staff

Information Skills Teaching

City LLB1 – Teach core module Legal

Method in tandem with lecturer - planning content together.

Lectures, workshops Set/mark compulsory assessments Ad hoc teaching for other programmes PhD seminar series Occasional staff teaching

LSE LLB

Legal research lectures early in term in collaboration with academic staff

Work with individual academic staff to deliver legal research skills LLM

Lunchtime seminars mid year for dissertation prep. PhD

Research skills seminars in Michaelmas term Legal research skills on info skills programme – sign up classes

Variable engagement with staff. Improvements each year in integrating skills teaching.

Challenge is to keep momentum going.

Birkbeck

LLB – lecture & sign-up sessions

LLM – no formal slot but sign-up popular

Academic Support Officer

= successful relationship

Resource provision

Collection VLE E-packs

Supporting Academics

Find out what their research interests are, and keeping them up to date with relevant information

Distribute information of forthcoming events to staff and students

Offer 1-2-1 training in their offices to showcase resources

Plug in to the wider School community – mooting, law clinic work etc.

Research

Great potential! Forging relationship

with research divisions

Showing extent of skills

Traditional skills

given new lease of life

Repositories REF

Law School Administration

Ideal partners Good way in to

department

Central services External Relations

(incl. alumni) / Marketing

Careers Other departments

in the library Learning

technologists IT

Your turn…==DISCUSS==

1.Your most successful &2. Your most challenging

relationships.

Why did they work/not work?

Example of post-its

Successful relationships

Timing Accept that often things ‘just

happen’ Respond to things quickly Have something to show Chemistry Get involved socially

Tensions / issues that negatively affect relationships

Lack of time Institutional / departmental politics Copyright law! Money – or the lack of it

Relationships with each other How do we build and maintain these? Could we be more effective in developing

relationships and if so how? Law and beyond Have we got time, given increased pressures

within day to day?

Thanks for listening!

Thanks for the images! Slide 1: ‘Butterfly and Wallflowers 1’ by sylvanfae http://www.flickr.com/photos/sylvanfae/3702284684/ Slide 2: ‘Perfekte Tarnung’ by DocSnyder http://www.flickr.com/photos/docsnyder/3304050421/ Slide 3: ‘London pubs’ by Not forgotten http://www.flickr.com/photos/khaugli/13409869/

Slide 5: Library International Law Reading Room, 1964 http://www.flickr.com/photos/lselibrary/3925727081/in/set-72157622616789324

Michael Peacock Atrium, 2001 http://www.flickr.com/photos/lselibrary/4359055970/in/set-72157622616789324 Slide 6: ‘Tug of war’ Toffehoff http://www.flickr.com/photos/toffehoff/244870161/ Slide 7: ‘close connection’ by alles-schlumpf http://www.flickr.com/photos/29487767@N02/2855271953/ Slide 8: ‘Sharon Allen visits Mays’ by Mays Business School

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maysbusinessschool/4309850534/ Slide 11: Students in computer room, c1990s

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lselibrary/4359056290/in/set-72157622618893958 Slide 12: ‘Plagiarism 3 - Michael Brunsden’ by photoeditorvision

http://www.flickr.com/photos/visionnewspaper/314107094/ Slide 13: ‘Crimson, Indeed….’ by corydalus http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydalus/19986766/ Slide 14: ‘Project 365 - Day 151 - 04/12/08’ by Peter Gerdes http://www.flickr.com/photos/petergerdes/3081937177/ Slide 16: ‘keyboard’ by mactitioner http://www.flickr.com/photos/mactitioner/5595830505/ Slide 18: ‘We want you’ by Jelle Vermeiren http://www.flickr.com/photos/letsflash/2812271260/ Slide 21: ‘ausgefranst’ by derpunk http://www.flickr.com/photos/derpunk/2601456834/ Slide 22: LSE Dinner in the Refectory, c1930s http://www.flickr.com/photos/lselibrary/4601150018/in/photostream