Listening to Podcasts

I have been listening to quite a few podcasts recently, and I have written about some of them here. One of the reasons that I listen to podcasts is to learn something that I might not otherwise have time to learn. I can listen to a podcast while I am doing something else, such as walking, driving, or working around the house.

Although you can listen to podcasts on your computer, I find that I have to get out of my office and away from my computer, or I will start checking my email or filing papers and get distracted by something that requires more than superficial verbal attention. Most of the podcasts that I listen to are somehow related to law librarianship, which is a wonderfully broad field. Besides podcasts by and about law librarians, there are podcasts about the practice of law, legal issues, news and current awareness, continuing education, legal research, government information, management, and career development.

For a list of podcasts to get you started, see Podcasts and Podcasting for Law Librarians, a column I wrote for the September issue of Law Library Journal.

Law Library Open House

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our Library Week open house yesterday. We had games, candy and bottled water, and five drawings.

Congratulations to Candle Wester-Mittan on a well-planned event.

New law librarian blog: All-Purpose BiblioBlawg

Meg Kribble, a reference librarian at Nova Southeastern University Law Library, has launched the All-Purpose BiblioBlawg. Meg has been a law librarian for about a year and has many interesting ideas. Listen to her give a tour of Second Life for Jim Milles on Check This Out! episode 59 and see her photos on Flickr.

In addition to law, librarianship, and legal research topics, future topics may include felines by the names of Rufus and Emma, second-sock syndrome, politics, Battlestar Galactica, Mac enthusiasm, video links, other amusing or enlightening topics. I can't wait. See Meg's introductory post for more information and subscribe to the All-Purpose Biblioblawg.

Congratulations, Meg!

Mind-Mapping Articles

I recently wrote a column on mind mapping for Law Library Journal. I received some nice feedback from other librarians, as well as references to two additional articles:

• Brian Heater, Mind-Mapping Tools, PCMag.com, Feb. 27, 2007;
• Pooja Songar, Knowledge Mapping in Legal Research and Litigation, 7 Practice Innovations 4 (July 2006).

Click on the map above to see the mind maps I used for our 2006 Lawyering Skills classes.

Five Things You Didn't Know About Me

Both Mary Whisner (Trial Ad Notes) and Bonnie Shucha (WisBlawg) tagged me for the "5 Things You Didn't Know about Me" meme a few days ago, but I waited until today, so I could include the last thing I reveal below. See Mary's explanation of this meme thing.

1. I practiced law for 13 years before enrolling in the UW Law Librarianship program.
2. I love my work and frequently spend days off and vacations working on projects I don't have time to do when I am at work.
3. I have started to write a column for Law Library Journal on "Technology for Everyone." My first column will appear in the next issue, due out early next year, and I have almost finished the second installment.
4. My dog Dakota died this fall. We were devastated, and Candy hated to stay home alone after that. So we adopted Dooley. Dooley will be an SIU Law Dog of the Week sometime in January.
5. The first time Dooley visited the vet, we discovered that he had heartworm disease. He started treatment for it a little over a month ago, and today his post-treatment heartworm test was negative.

I tag James Duggan and Frank Houdek, both of Law Dawg Blawg, Rob Truman, BoleyBlogs!, Matt Steinke, Moritz Legal Information Blog, and Little Sheba the Hug Pug, if they want to participate.

To Be a Law Librarian

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a law librarian, or considered law librarianship as a career? We have just received a book that you should read: Practicing Reference: Thoughts for Librarians and Legal Researchers by Mary Whisner. You can find it in the law library at Z 675 .L2 W495 2006 or purchase it online. (The author arranged with the publisher to make it available to students at a reduced price.)

Mary Whisner is Assistant Librarian for Reference Services at the M.G. Gallagher Law Library, University of Washington. She was one of the law librarians who trained me when I attended the UW Law Librarianship program. She is also author of the Trial Ad Notes blog and of the "Practicing Reference" column in Law Library Journal.

Other resources on law librarianship:

• other books in the AALL publications series;
• the Law Librarian Blog's Spotlight on Law Librarians;
• the American Association of Law Libraries Recruitment Committee's resources on Law Librarianship as a Career and What's It Like To Be A Law Librarian?

Meet Candle Wester-Mittan

Candle Wester-Mittan joined the SIU Law Library last week as Access Services Librarian and Assistant Professor. You may see her at the reference desk, teaching legal research in Lawyering Skills, or supervising access services (e.g., circulation, reserve, and interlibrary loan).

Candle has a BS in business administration from Nebraska Wesleyan, JD from the University of Nebraska, and MSLIS from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. We are delighted to have her on board. Please help us welcome her to Carbondale and the law school.

Duggan Elected AALL President

The returns are now in and the Law Dawg Blawgers’ buttons are bursting with pride that one of their very own—James Duggan—has been elected Vice President/President-Elect of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL), the world’s largest organization of professional law librarians (5000+). James, who serves as Associate Law Library Director and Professor at Southern Illinois University School of Law Library, will commence his term in July 2007 at the AALL Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Then, in July 2008, he will take over the reins as AALL president.
James is highly qualified to fill this important position. He has previously served as a member of the AALL Executive Board, as chair of several AALL national committees (currently he chairs the advisory committee that oversees the Association’s website, AALLNET), as chair of the Social Responsibilities and Computing Services special interest sections, and as president of the Mid-America Association of Law Libraries. Locally, James has chaired the SIUC Faculty Senate and is currently a member of that organization; he also served a two-year term as president of the Carbondale Public Library Board and remains today as a member.