Experience the Law Library of Congress!
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58555 AALL Spectrum.JULY 7/26/99 1:11 PM Page 30 Experience the Law Library of Congress! fter the Opening Reception of the are frequent users of the collections of the Association’ Annual Meeting in Law Library, such as the Congressional A the Thomas Jefferson Building’ Research Service, whose staff collaborates magnificent Great Hall in the Library of with Law Library staff in the preparation of Congress on Sunday evening, July 18, research products for Congress. Margaret 1999, Law Librarian of Congress Rubens Whitlock (Director of Law Library Services) Medina invites colleagues from across the is the liaison to numerous library-wide nation back to Capitol Hill to Experience committees that set policy for various the Law Library of Congress (LLC) central LC library functions, and has a for a series of tours and programs with particularly important role as the Chair members of his staff. The types of of the LC Collections Policy Committee. programs and tours planned are geared at She relies heavily on the support of her those interested in technical services as deputies Robert N. Gee (Chief of Public well as those interested in research and Services) and Mark Strattner (Chief of automation. Check the new LLC Web site Collections Services). (http://lcweb.loc.gov://lcweb2.loc/gov/ Under the Law Librarian’s helm, and with lawweb) as well as the daily AALL the assistance of Nick Kozura (Automation Convention newsletter Capital Crossroads Planning Specialist), the Law Library for details. The Law Library is jumpstarting the 1999 Convention by offering a sequel to its 1993 AALL Winter Institute, “Introduction to Foreign Legal Systems.” Members are invited to “Meet the Legal Specialists: Expert Advice on Research and Acquisition of Foreign Law in the Vernacular,” Law Librarian Rubens Medina (back to camera) behind closed doors with members of his Management Team (counter clockwise): Director of Law Library a pre-Convention Services, Margaret Whitlock; GLIN Program Officer Janice Hyde; Nick Kozura, Workshop for the Computer Specialist; and Law Library Operations Officer LaVerne P. Mullin. experienced researcher on Friday, July 16, 1999. The Workshop offers an is energetically pursuing the use of opportunity for members of the Association groundbreaking technologies and to learn about the Law Library’s mission new solutions to old problems shared and its unique staff: out of a staff of 84, by libraries around the world. One of some 26 are foreign-trained attorneys and Medina’s initiatives is GLIN, the Global legal analysts conversant in approximately Legal Information Network, a multinational, 40 different languages who interpret intergovernmental, cooperatively built the collection and support the foreign, database of legal information contributed comparative, and international law by countries in the Americas, Africa, Asia, research needs of Congress and other and Europe. LLC Program Officer Janice branches of the U.S. government. The new Hyde is actively recruiting new members Director of Legal Research, David Sales, (read “nations”) to help the staff of the Law who reported for duty on June 14, 1999, Library enter the laws of the world into this just in time for the AALL Annual Meeting, shared, electronic, parliament-to-parliament oversees the Eastern and Western Law network of law and law-related information Divisions, as well as the Research and sources. GLIN currently has 13 members, Reference Support Unit. and several other nations have expressed interest in participating. Agencies and As a separate service unit of the Library institutions including NASA, the World of Congress, the LLC plays an important Bank and the Inter-American Development role in the institution. Other service units Bank are partners and provide support 30 AALL Spectrum July 1999 58555 AALL Spectrum.JULY 7/26/99 1:11 PM Page 31 by Marie-Louise H. Bernal and Natalie Gawdiak for various aspects of the project, such Funding is key as funding travel for GLIN teams from to maintaining ou K around the world to travel to Washington GLIN Y for training. and other The n services to d Law Library is o Another digital initiative is “A century i w make LLC the oldest single of lawmaking for a new nation: U.S. more department in the ? congressional documents and debates, accessible. Library of Congress, having 1774–1873,” which constitutes LLC’s effort However, D been created by an Act of to digitize historical documents of Congress has Congress in 1832. the first 42 Congresses as part of the held the Law National Digital Library Program of the The LLC, with its holdings of over Library to a Library of Congress. The project, headed 2.3 million books, is the largest law largely flat by Beth Davis-Brown under the direction of library in the world. budget Robert N. Gee, includes digital conversion through most One of the treasures of the Law specialists, graphic designers, scanning of the Library of Congress is the Russian specialists, quality review technicians, 1990s. It Imperial Collection, which in the and information technology systems has had to 1930s was sold to the United States analysts who are bringing together online absorb a by the Soviet Union to raise cash. the records and acts of Congress from 20 percent the Journals of the Continental Congress During fiscal 1998, the LLC cut in staffing. handled 130,835 research and through The Continental Globe, which most distinguished Under its 1999 reference requests and ceased publication in 1873. attorneys and jurists, budget, LLC has circulated some 304,000 this membership The Law Library is marking the 200th been authorized items from its organization today anniversary of the Library of Congress to fill three new collections. in the year 2000 by organizing a major positions, and Medina includes attorneys, scholars international conference, “Democracy and says he hopes to and librarians, law firms, the Rule of Law in a Changing World receive similar authorization in publishers and corporations, and Order,” co-sponsored with the New York 2000. The Law Library, therefore, research and academic institutions across University School of Law. The conference needs to go outside for support, as well as the nation. Abe Krash of the Washington- will bring together about one hundred for help in funding activities and programs based law firm Arnold & Porter is its legal scholars, jurists, legislators, and which no longer receive congressionally President and the driving force. On his social scientists from many jurisdictions to appropriated funds. The most loyal of side he has the dynamic new Executive discuss the bearing of changing legal friends are the Friends of the Law Library Director Anne C. Mercer, who recently patterns on the relationships between law of Congress, a national, private non-profit arranged the successful annual fundraising and democracy. In charge of planning organization committed to the preservation event, the Wickersham Award, given for this multifaceted project is Rose Marie and growth of the nation’s law library. exceptional public service and dedication Clemandot. Founded in 1932 by some of the country’s to the legal profession. This year, George Mitchell was the honoree and received his award in the Supreme Court Chambers. Another ally of the LLC of major significance is the American Bar Association. Janet S. Zagorin (Chair of its Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress) annually testifies before Congress in support of LLC’s budget, often in conjunction with testimony by Mary Alice Baish of AALL’s Washington Affairs Office. Marie-Louise H. Bernal ([email protected]) is Special Assistant to the Law Librarian and Natalie Gawdiak is Department Editor for the Law Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. The Law Library’s face to the world: the staff of its Reading Room. Gathered behind the kneeling Robert Gee, Chief of Public Services, are lawyer/librarian reference specialists and library technicians who assist Congressional, as well as Judicial and Executive branch staffers and members of the public in one of AALL Spectrum July 1999 31 the busiest reading rooms of the Library of Congress..