academic law librarians: wallflowers or social butterflies?
DESCRIPTION
A paper presented at BIALL Conference, Newcastle June 2011 by Emily Allbon (City University), Maria Bell (LSE) & Wendy Lynwood (Birkbeck College). The paper explored the role of academic librarians and how relationships are built and maintained looking at both successes and challenges.TRANSCRIPT
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