Law librarians, research specialists, knowledge managers, reference librarians: we go by many titles, but the element most fundamental to our professional construct is the desire to provide excellent service. Maintaining a cost-effective yet high-quality electronic and paper collection, ready for instant access whenever our attorneys need it, takes time and a mutual understanding of respective needs and modus operandi. Librarians, especially during these economic times, must perfect the balancing act of culling without compromising access; allocating extra resources towards nonobvious investments; negotiating long-term contracts in anticipation of future usage needs; and justifying the cost of soft-value resources where value, though not directly attributed to the bottom line, adds value nonetheless. Attorneys, now more than ever, must be efficient and cost conscious with their clients’ time while providing high-quality service. They may also need to rapidly expand their subject matter expertise and juggle between vastly differing subject matters at a moment’s notice. Here are five common wishes from the librarian community that can help towards the improvement of the firm and service to our clients:
1. We want to know what you are up to.
