Blog

March Event – Member Roundtable: Preparing for Summer Associates 🗓

Friday, March 27, 2026
12:00 pm –1:00 pm on Zoom
Register by emailing Kathy Taggart
at ktaggart@lowenstein.com for the Zoom link by 3/27/26

Summer associate season brings both exciting energy and real preparation challenges for law firm librarians. How do you equip a cohort of law students with the research skills and tools they need to hit the ground running — often in just a matter of weeks? This one-hour member roundtable will explore how law librarians can prepare to support summer associates before the summer and as they arrive at their firms.

Featuring speakers from both a law firm and a law school, this discussion will highlight expectations from each side of the pipeline—what students learn in law school, what firms expect when they arrive, and how librarians can bridge the gap. Panelists will share practical strategies for onboarding, research training and resource orientation.

Participants will have the opportunity to exchange ideas, discuss common challenges, and share approaches that have been effective at their own institutions. This interactive session is designed for anyone working with summer associates in a law school or law firm setting.

NJLLA Founders Grant Now Available for 2026

The New Jersey Law Librarians Association is excited to send one of our chapter members to the American Association of Law Libraries (“AALL”) Meeting & Conference in Cleveland, OH, July 18-21, 2026!

The AALL Meeting & Conference is a unique opportunity that can be explored further by visiting their website at AALL Annual Meeting & Conference. Our goal is to provide an enriching experience as the awarded member learns and networks with colleagues from across the country. The purpose of this grant is specifically designed to assist the grant recipient with the costs of registration, transportation, and hotel accommodations up to $1,500.00.

Please note:

  • All applicants must be a participating member of NJLLA for a minimum of 3 months prior to the date of their application. (New requirement!)
  • Applications are reviewed by a blind committee; therefore, questions should only be directed to the President of NJLLA, Amber Cain, via email at amber.cain@shu.edu.
  • Contacting any Grant Committee members directly regarding your grant application, or anyone else’s grant application, will be grounds for disqualification.
  • Application Deadline: Monday, April 6, 2026, 11:59pm.
  • Please read the full list of qualifications and requirements on the application before you apply.
  • Use the link below to access the application
  • Even if you are not a grant recipient, we encourage you to be an Early Bird attendee. Visit the AALL conference link above for more information. The AALL Early Bird registration rate ends May 20, 2026. The Early Bird Hilton Cleveland Downtown hotel registration rate ends June 24, 2026.

Message from the Chair: Good luck to all applicants! As the 2023 Founders Grant recipient, I thoroughly enjoyed attending and could not be more grateful to the association for providing this grant. I’m excited to give back and encourage you all to attend the conference. RLM

Questions should only be directed to the President of NJLLA, Amber Cain, via email at amber.cain@shu.edu.

2026 NJLLA Founders Grant Application is available via this hyperlink:

GRANT APPLICATION

NJLLA 2025 Holiday Party 🗓


New Jersey Law Librarians Association

Join us for a fun holiday celebration, including a dinner buffet and dessert.
We look forward to seeing you!
Note: This event is for NJLLA members only.

DATE:                        Thursday, December 11, 2025

LOCATION:             Gateway Center 2, Seton Hall University Concierge Space, Newark NJ (directions below)

TIME:                         5:30 – 8:00 pm

RSVP:                        Contact Zoe Michaud by Friday, December 5th at
zmichaud@lowenstein.com

Thank you to Thomson Reuters for generously sponsoring this holiday party every year!

Community Service Project:
We will be doing our traditional collection of children’s pajamas and books for the Pajama Program. In addition to bringing items to the party, you can donate directly using this link (include NJLLA in the comment section) or Venmo Johanna Bizub at @johanna-bizub and she can purchase them for you and include them in the collection.

Suggested parking (there are many other lots available. Parking fee is personal responsibility):
Three Gateway Garage
267 Market St.
   – Up to concourse level 5, turn right past Jersey Mike’s

Dropoff Directions:
Gateway Two, 283-299 Market Street
– corner of Market St. and McCarter Highway
– Up escalator, past security desk to the left

November Program: Member Roundtable: Managing Law Library Moves and Print Reductions in the Digital Era 🗓

November 2025 Program

Member Roundtable: Managing Law Library Moves and
Print Reductions in the Digital Era

Wednesday, November 12, 2025
12:00 pm –1:00 pm on Zoom
Register by emailing Kathy Taggart at
ktaggart@lowenstein.com for the Zoom link by 11/11/2025

Relocating or downsizing a law library presents a unique set of logistical and strategic challenges. Join fellow law librarians for an engaging discussion about the real-world challenges of relocating collections, reimagining space, and letting go of print materials in an increasingly digital world.

Our panel will share stories, lessons learned, and creative solutions for tackling tight space constraints, managing stakeholder expectations, transitioning to online versions, and finding responsible ways to downsize or dispose of print volumes. Whether your library is preparing for a big move or simply trying to make room for the future, you’ll leave with practical ideas, fresh perspectives, and maybe even a little inspiration for turning upheaval into opportunity.

Come with your own stories and suggestions as we can all learn from each other.

NJLLA Fall 2025 Program Schedule – Mark Your Calendars!

NJLLA Members,

The Program Committee is excited to announce our Fall 2025 event lineup! We have three engaging opportunities for professional development and networking ahead.

Upcoming Events:

Thursday, October 23, 2025 | 12:00–1:00 PM
NJLLA Book Club (Title TBD)
Virtual meeting

Wednesday, November 12, 2025 | 12:00–1:00 PM
Member Roundtable: Moving a Law Library & Disposing of Print
Virtual meeting

Thursday, December 11, 2025 | 5:00 PM
NJLLA Member Holiday Party
In person at Gateway Center, Newark

Formal email invitations with RSVP details and additional information will be sent closer to each event date. Whether you can join us for one session or all three, we look forward to connecting with you this fall!

Best regards,
The NJLLA Program Committee

ALLUNY-LLAGNY-NJLLA Social Gathering in Portland 🗓

For NJLLA Members who are attending the AALL Annual Meeting in Portland next month, please join us for a get-together on Monday evening!  

We are reviving the long-standing tradition of hosting a joint meeting for three NY-linked chapters and we hope to see you there.

Monday, July 21, 2025 from 6:00pm-8:00pm 
Name of Meeting:  ALLUNY/LLAGNY/NJLLA Tri-Chapter Meeting
Stop by the Deschutes A room, Level One, at the Hyatt Regency Portland at the Oregon Convention Center

Please make certain to RSVP to koesterle@pli.edu and cc amber.cain@shu.edu by July 7th.

Thank you, and safe travels!

New Leadership, New Opportunities: Join Us!

Last week, NJLLA held its Annual Business Meeting on Zoom and voted in the new Executive Board.  We also reviewed all the activities of the 2024-25 year.

Interested in getting more involved next year? Fill out the form to join a committee and get more involved!  You’ll connect with other members, develop your skills, and engage in a time-honored form of professional development. 

Time to Renew Your Membership

It’s time to renew your NJLLA membership for the 2025-2026 year! Complete information on renewing can be found below and on the NJLLA website.  Please renew as soon as possible! 

You can renew in a few ways:

1) Log in to the site to get to the Members Only page. From there, click on Manage Your Profile and/or Renew Membership and follow the instructions from there. You may pay online via PayPal/credit card, or via Zelle to ktaggart@lowenstein.com. You must complete payment in order for your membership to be processed.  Payment via PayPal will include a processing fee. Payment via Zelle incurs no additional fees.

2) Alternatively, you may print out (or email us) the fillable Membership/Renewal Application Form and send it, along with a check for the dues, to the address on the form.

3) Or finally, you will soon recieve a paper renewal form in the mail. You can return the renewal form along with your payment to the address on the form.

For membership questions, contact the Membership Committee chair

NJLLA 2025 Annual Business Meeeting 🗓

Join us for NJLLA’s 2025 Annual Business Meeting! NJLLA leadership and committees will share what was accomplished during the 2024-25 year and thoughts on the future. We will also vote on the Executive Board Nomination slate!

DATE:                        Wednesday, May 21, 2025

TIME:                         12:30 noon – 1:30 pm

LOCATION:               Zoom

RSVP:   Email your RSVP to Kathy Taggart (ktaggart@lowenstein.com). You will then receive a calendar invite with Zoom details.

NEW JERSEY LAW LIBRARIANS ASSOCIATION
2025 -2026 NOMINEES FOR OFFICE

In accordance with Article IX, Section 1 (b) of the bylaws, the Nominating Committee is pleased to present its candidates for the following offices:

PRESIDENT
(Appointed automatically by succession.)
Amber Cain
Seton Hall Law Library
Newark, NJ

VICE-PRESIDENT/PRESIDENT-ELECT
Aimee Sachs
Gibbons PC
Newark, NJ

PAST PRESIDENT
(Appointed automatically by succession.)
Magalie Desince
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
New York, NY

TREASURER
(First year of 2-year term.)
Kathy Taggart
Lowenstein Sandler LLP
Roseland, NJ

SECRETARY
Johanna Bizub
Morris County Real Estate Law
Morristown, NJ

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE
Carolyn Brown
Seton Hall Law Library
Newark, NJ

Roberta Matalon
Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP
Roseland, NJ

ADDITIONAL NOMINATIONS:
The Nominating Committee solicits the membership for input during the selection process and it is deemed that the nominees presented are the candidates of the membership. However, any member in good standing in the Association may make additional nominations by petition. The member must contact the President at least 30 days prior to the annual meeting, submitting the petition in writing, endorsed with the signatures of at least 10 other members, as specified in Article IX, Section 1 (c) of the Association’s bylaws.

ELECTIONS:
Election of officers will occur at the Association’s annual business meeting (virtual) on May 21, 2025.