Navigating a Career in Law Librarianship
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Margaret (Meg) Butler
Law librarians benefit in many ways from their production of scholarship. Scholarship promotes the profession of librarianship. It encourages the identification and implementation of best practices, among other things. Employers may see the scholarship as an indication that the employee has interest and motivation and expect that to spill over into fulfillment of other job responsibilities. A librarian’s interest in scholarship may also be perceived as an indicator that the librarian is aware of important ideas and trends in the profession.
Librarians can start small in developing their scholarship. Basic steps include starting small, writing regularly (practice), seeking support, and learning the market. Remember that it is important to find the right balance between regular work duties, creating scholarship, and enjoying your personal life.
- The role of scholarship in hiring and promotion varies from employer to employer.
- Balancing daily job responsibilities with scholarly interests is a crucial skill for the aspiring writer.
- Develop as a published writer by starting small, volunteering, practicing, seeking, support and learning the market.
Scholarship in Hiring & Promotion
Many types of employers hire law librarians, such as law firms, government law libraries (including state, county, agency, and other government law libraries), and academic law libraries. This section describes the role of scholarship in hiring or promotion for librarians working in those environments.
Firm & Government Librarians
Remaining aware of current issues in librarianship is important for both law firm and government librarians. Although these librarians are not always expected to produce scholarship, they are expected to perform effectively and efficiently. Professional development, in the form of current awareness through reading blogs, newsletters, and journals remains important.
Hiring
When looking for a first position, job candidates often look for ways to set themselves apart from the candidate pool. Including a publication or two on the resume is one way to do so, particularly if the publication is relevant to the position’s duties or in an area of interest to the employer. Publications on a resume demonstrate that the candidate is able to manage project-related tasks, such as planning and meeting deadlines as well as showing interest in the substantive material included in the piece. Those interested in pursuing work as a government librarian should, before an interview, educate themselves about conflict of interest limitations, as well as potential standards of conduct that may govern writing or other outside activities.
Promotion
When working as a firm or government librarian, it is important to understand the role of publication in the promotion process. Your supervisor can easily provide guidance about whether scholarship or publication is directly rewarded by your employer. Some law