Deborah Schander
Associate Professor of Law & Law Library Director
Center for Information and Technology
Seton Hall University School of Law
2019 AALL Annual Meeting, Washington DC
I was fortunate to be the recipient of this year’s NJLLA Founders Grant to attend the AALL Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. As always, the Annual Meeting was a fantastic mix of excellent programming, networking opportunities, social events, and a chance to visit a great city.
The opening reception may be the first official event at the Annual Meeting, but for me, things really kick off at the PEGA Party which follows the opening reception. Sponsored by the Professional Engagement, Growth, and Advancement SIS, the PEGA Party is a fun way to meet newer members of the profession. And PEGA, in turn, is a great place for those newer members to get involved with committee and SIS work, get feedback on their scholarship, and receive advice from more seasoned members of the profession. The event is usually very close to the convention center and open to all attendees, not just PEGA members, so if you haven’t attended so far, mark your calendars for New Orleans.
One of the things I take most seriously about being a member of this profession is the responsibility to help ensure it continues to thrive for many more years. Mentorship is part of that responsibility, and I actively seek out both librarians whom I can help mentor and those to whom I can turn when I need some insight and advice. As part of AALL’s Mentor Program, I was matched with two amazing librarians this year, one whom I mentor and one who mentors me. Although I knew of both of them by reputation, and we’d been having regular phone calls, I hadn’t actually met either of them before DC. Thanks to the Annual Meeting, I was able to have face-to-face conversations with each of them and deepen our professional relationships.
And we can’t forget the programming. Our profession is lucky to have some phenomenal members, and they often share their wisdom at the Annual Meeting. Two programs in particular stood out to me this year. “Define Yourself,” coordinated by Kris Niedringhaus, took a personal approach to how we as law librarians can shape our professional identities (and why we might want to consider doing it). The speakers each provided personal insights. The program also included several chances to self-reflect and talk with others considering their personal brands. Then I closed out the meeting with “To Catch a Thief,” coordinated by Jean O’Grady, which was a delightful first-person look at how librarians and archivists from the Folger Shakespeare Library helped uncover (and recover) the stolen Durham First Folio.
Thanks to NJLLA, I was able to attend the Annual Meeting and continue to grow as a law librarian. Thank you, NJLLA!