Emily AllbonLaw Librarian and Head of
Information LiteracyCity University London
What’s it like being an Academic Law
Librarian?
How I arrived here…
• BA (Hons) English Literature• Graduate Traineeship at IALS• MSc Information Science• Law Librarian • CPE/GDL• MCILIP• Law Librarian and Head of
Information Literacy
Information Services and Libraries at City University
• 5 campus libraries – Northampton Sq, Cass, Whitechapel, West Smithfield and ICSL
• New team at City – Learning and Research Support Team – managed by me.
• All acquisitions and processing done centrally by the Bibliographic Services team
Studying Law at City
• LLB
• GE LLB
• CPE/GDL
• LLM
At ICSL…• BVC• LPC
Unique position within City?
• Paid for by Law School and Library
• Managed by Library
• Office on the Law library floor
• Law = only subject to support
What kinds of things do you do then?
1. Enquiry service
2. Stock maintenance and selection– Society of Legal
Scholars, “A library for the modern law school”
– SLS/BIALL Survey of Academic Law Libraries
3. Information skills training & coursework marking
4. Support staff and students (with research)
5. ISL and Law School Committee meetings
So why do I love my job?
Free rein!
Lots of surprises!
Freedom and financial support to develop Lawbore
Helping students keeps me young
Interesting subjectAlways changing
Opportunities for research, giving papers
at conferences etc
Get to use lots of new technologies
General BIALL stuff
• Great opportunities to get involved• Funding for overseas conferences• Good network of other helpful information
professionals – LIS-LAW, Biall Blog• Training• LIM• Encouragement for those new to the profession• Annual Conference/parties
Thanks to…
The following brilliant photographers for their images courtesy of www.flickr.com
• Slide 2: ‘Windy Road’ by Snarl http://www.flickr.com/photos/snarl/109805050/
• Slide 4: ‘Studying for last law exam’ by John Cohen http://www.flickr.com/photos/johncohen/152850884/
• Slide 5: ‘One in a million’ by Pickersgill Reef http://www.flickr.com/photos/preef/483721967/
• Slide 6: ‘Asking questions’ by *glub* http://www.flickr.com/photos/glub/384471829/
• Slide 8: ‘red pen takes a rest’ by florriebassingbourn http://www.flickr.com/photos/75166820@N00/22356758/
• Slide 9: ‘strongman – a tribute to banksy’ by Manny Hernandez http://www.flickr.com/photos/askmanny/1205403707/
• Slide 10: ‘yawn (2.48am- 05.12.06)’ – wiseacre photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/wiseacre/314847233/
..And more thanks…
• Slide 12: ‘Love in the mud’ by Annie in Beziers http://www.flickr.com/photos/74531485@N00/1432961433/
• Slide 13: ‘Free rein’ by Katford http://www.flickr.com/photos/katnetzler/137920587/
• Slide 14: ‘Surprise’ by Fatal Cleopatra http://www.flickr.com/photos/fatalcleopatra/236842046/
• Slide 17: ‘Min with Kaleidoscope’ by Ollie-G http://www.flickr.com/photos/ollie_g/191361703/
• Slide 18: ‘Dissertation debris’ by dnkbdotcom http://www.flickr.com/photos/dnkb/1082538418/
• Slide 19: ‘macintosh orgy’ by adpowers http://www.flickr.com/photos/adpowers/9888092/
