A Trend You Can\u27t Ignore: Social Media as Government Records and Its Impact on the Interpretation of the Law

There has been a sharp increase in official communications from government agencies and elected officials that occur initially, primarily, and even solely, on social media. The Federal Records Act (FRA), Presidential Records Act (PRA) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) govern the retention, access, preservation and disclosure of records produced by the federal government. Recent litigation has highlighted why courts, attorneys, and other legal researchers must consider social media as a primary source of government information, particularly when records may become inaccessible once a social media post is modified or deleted, or when technology becomes obsolete. Additionally, as social media platforms are invoked to preserve the historical record, the absence of clear and consistent retention policies for social media compounds access and preservation issues researchers face when government information is digitally erased days—or even minutes—after it appears. This article establishes that until clear and consistent retention policies exist and there are systemic ways to access and preserve social media as government information, the definition of a “record” becomes irrelevant

Using the Power of Storytelling to Shape Your Institution’s Narrative

People love stories. For generations, storytelling has been the basis of human communication. Stories capture our attention, and they recount authentic human experience. Stories enable individuals to understand the world around them and to make sense of the who, what, when, where, why, and how of institutional actions. Most importantly, stories enable people to create meaningful connections with one another and with members of their community. The law library has always acted as a community hub that encourages and facilitates scholarly activity and collaboration. By connecting citizens with laws and narratives, the role of the modern law library has evolved to address important institutional, business, and societal needs. Law libraries empower members of local communities with tools to interact with those in positions of power, whether they are judges, landlords, or employers. Through well-managed records, law libraries can also leverage their archives and special collections to position themselves as key contributors to institutional advancement and community engagement

Discovering Diamonds In Your Survey Data

Library surveys enable us to open up a dialogue with our patron base in order to uncover areas of improvement and to facilitate a better user experience for all of our patrons. Traditional survey creation has innate challenges, such as asking the right questions, properly coding the data, and addressing the proper audience. All of these challenges must be considered when drafting and designing surveys to ensure the collection of useful data for outcome-driven decision-making at your library. Additionally, librarians can also redesign their own or other open-sourced surveys to enable library administration to plan for, manage, and achieve outcomes that will drive future services, initiatives, and programs aimed at improving the entire institution

A Comparative Study on Process Optimization and the Modern Law Library’s Involvement in Achieving Efficiency at the Law School in Times of Change

Law firms have been utilizing process optimization tools, such as Lean Six Sigma, to improve internal processes and build efficiencies. Successful outcomes require leadership teams that believe that process improvement is more than just a tool kit to solve problems or a collection of methodologies and processes. Through collection development practices, continuous learning opportunities, and the use of cross-functional teams, the modern law library has effectively demonstrated its ability to meet the dynamic needs of the law school community. Similarly, law librarians find themselves uniquely positioned to collaborate with law school administration on continual process improvement strategies in times of change. This article will provide a foundation on process optimization methodologies, such as Lean Six Sigma, Agile, and Legal Lean, as well as the application of those tools and techniques in various fields. Finally, the article asserts that law schools should adopt process optimization techniques and leverage their law libraries to improve business processes and operations at their respective institutions

Campus in Crisis? Process Optimization Can Help

Assessment, academic success, and retention are at the forefront of higher education. When budgets and programs are systematically reduced, higher education institutions can face these challenges by applying process optimization techniques. In times of crisis, cross-functional teams employing these techniques create direct change in higher education environments. This article provides college and university presidents, provosts, deans, and other senior leadership with a foundation on process optimization methodologies, such as Lean Six Sigma and Agile. It also also provides a primer for department and unit heads on the application of specific tools and techniques

Southeastern Association of Law Libraries Annual Meeting

The 2009 SEAALL Annual Meeting was held in Athens Georgia, April 16-18, 2009

Taking on the Ethical Obligation of Technology Competency in the Academy: An Empirical Analysis of Practice-Based Technology Training Today

Today\u27s lawyers must be technologically competent, per Model Rule of Professional Conduct 1.1. Law schools and law firms were keenly aware of this expectation and summarily responded. While law firms offered more professional development opportunities, law schools began offering various courses focusing on technology skills. These courses have increased and evolved over time as the curriculum has changed with the technology. First, we present the evolution of ethical requirements surrounding legal technology competency and offer a description of the lawyering competency models most discussed today. We then review data about technology trends at the most innovative law firms and examine curricular offerings in technology or technology-related fields at American Bar Association-accredited law schools. Next, we offer a comparative analysis of multiple empirical studies to determine whether key areas of technology training were reflected in the legal education curriculum and were sufficient to meet ABA ethical expectations. Finally, we recommend solutions law schools may implement to increase technology instruction, services, and infrastructure to meet ethical standards. ABA-accredited schools should implement these recommendations in light of ABA Standard 301(a), the forecasted changes planned by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, and the new virtual practice landscape set by the COVID-19 pandemic