About My Blog

This blog was created for a dual purpose.  Firstly, I have created it to meet the requirements of my Information Storage and Retrieval class (LS 5013) at Texas Woman's University where I am pursuing my Master's in Library Science.  Secondly, I hope to use this blog to document my discoveries and explore my interest in the field of library science, with a particular focus on law librarianship.

I obtained a secondary teaching certificate during the course of my undergraduate studies, but went directly to law school after graduation from college.  I was admitted to the State Bar of Texas as an attorney and enjoyed serving in the profession of law, before taking time off to focus on family.  However, I always was curious about a career in law librarianship and have finally made the decision to obtain a Master's in Library Science to meet this career goal.  In researching this career field, I discovered that law librarians work in law school libraries, government agency libraries, court and bar libraries, and private law firms and corporations. Almost every position for a law librarian requires the MLS degree, very few will hire someone who only has the J.D., and many require both the J.D. and MLS.  The latter is particularly true in law school libraries where law librarians frequently have law professor status on a tenure-track, and in some government libraries where a higher degree in addition to the MLS is required.  Although my teaching certificate and family obligations suggest exploring opportunities in school librarianship, at least for a time, my goal is to ultimately utilize my law background to serve in a law library.

Law librarianship is somewhat unique in that there has been much debate about preparation for law librarians.  There are necessary subject competencies for law librarians, namely knowledge of the law and the US legal system, the legal profession and its terminology, legal literature, and ethics.  This is why many law librarians enter the field already having their J.D.s, or subsequently obtain a law degree, take law school courses or special courses and programs of the American Association of Law Libraries, or in some cases, may obtain a Master's of Legal Studies.  Having the Juris Doctor has provided me with a foundation in the necessary subject competencies.  However, the general competencies of librarianship will be provided by the MLS through the core courses and electives I will take.  I am interested particularly in learning how technical services operate in the law library setting.  I want to explore the issues specific to law libraries that may arise in acquistions, cataloging, serials, and preservation.  My topic focus should narrow as I learn more in my studies. Obviously, most research and reference law librarians are hired for their skills and expertise in the subject competencies, therefore most of these tend to have both the J.D. and MLS.  I hope to end up in a law school as a Reference/Research Librarian one day, aiding faculty and teaching students, and possibly even as a director of a law school library. However, I think a strong grounding in technical services, combined with the J.D., would increase career opportunities and development.

I look forward to using this blog to record what I learn and store helpful information I retrieve along the way.