The Southwestern Association of Law Libraries (SWALL) and the Houston Area Law Librarians (HALL) are hosting a joint conference in mid-April in Fort Bend County, Texas. (Both SWALL and HALL are chapters of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL), the only national organization for law library professionals.) This SWALL/HALL annual meeting provides an opportunity for attendees from Texas and other SWALL constituent states to gather for professional enrichment and connection-building.
It also offers an opportunity for librarians from law firms, academic law libraries, and government law libraries to share their knowledge of legal research with the non-law library community by offering a free preconference workshop. The SWALL Committee on Legal Information Services to the Public (LISP) invites all interested parties to attend this free virtual program, “Legal Research for the Non-Law Librarian,” Monday, April 11, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Members of the local library community, as well as other information professionals who need a basic understanding of legal research and reference, are welcome. Register for free here, by choosing the last option on the page. (NOTE: Attendance at the rest of the SWALL/HALL Annual Meeting is not free and requires separate registration.)
“Legal Research for the Non-Law Librarian” will be an online, live-streamed webinar and will cover the following topics:
Conducting Legal Reference Interviews (including avoiding unauthorized practice of law);
An overview of the Texas court system and statutes; and,
Researching Legal Materials on the Internet.
Speakers include:
Deborah Hamilton, Strategic Services Librarian-Law Collection, Pikes Peak Library District
Christopher Galeczka, Reference Librarian, Baylor Law School Library
Monica Ortale, Associate Director for Public Services, Fred Parks Law Library, South Texas College of Law Houston
Christopher Dykes, Head of Public Services, University of Houston Law Center, O’Quinn Law Library