2025 Program Descriptions
MALLCO Programming
You do not need to be a MALLCO member to attend these roundtables!
8:15am Sessions
Law Practice Technology Roundtable
This session will focus on an open discussion of how law librarians are teaching their students the technology skills they will need as they enter the practice of law. Participants will share best practices, discuss emerging trends, and address common challenges.
Institutional Repositories Roundtable
This roundtable discussion will explore the potential of institutional repositories (IRs) in promoting legal scholarship and preserving the intellectual output of law schools. The open conversation will allow attendees to share their experiences and best practices.
9:30 Sessions
Reference and Faculty Services Roundtable
This roundtable discussion will bring together law librarians to explore reference and faculty services in the digital age. Participants will share best practices, discuss emerging trends, and address common challenges. Participants will have the opportunity to share their experiences, ask questions, and engage in open dialogue.
Acquisitions and Collection Development Roundtable
This Acquisitions and Collection Development roundtable discussion will be an open discussion to explore the latest trends and challenges in acquisitions and collection development. Participants will share best practices, discuss innovative strategies, and address critical issues facing law libraries today.
10:45 Sessions
Resource Sharing Roundtable
This session will bring together law librarians to discuss enhancing resource sharing and interlibrary loan (ILL) services. Participants will have the opportunity to share their experiences, ask questions, and engage in open dialogue.
Paper Workshop
- D.R. Jones, University of Memphis, Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Law Library | Topic: Evolving Law Library Collection Development and Management
- Amelia Landenberger, University of Akron, Associate Professor, Law Library | Topic: Access and Consequences: How Easy Access to Genetic Information Endangers Us All
D. R. Jones Abstract
What’s the Plan: Evolving Law Library Collection Development and Management
D.R. Jones
University of Memphis School of Law
Revised ABA Standards for law libraries significantly changed requirements for a collection. These new standards, however, still retain the requirement that a law library “formulate and periodically update a written plan for development of the collection.
What is a plan for the development of the collection? Given the flexibility in the revised standards, what should a plan include? For many years it has been difficult to think about the development of a collection when faced with continually shrinking budgets. Many libraries have met the ABA requirement for a development plan by revisiting their last submitted document a few years before each inspection. These documents, often titled “policies,” can be very static. How can law libraries make this process more dynamic? What is meaningful collection planning? With less prescriptive standards, how do law libraries reconsider planning?
In this article I discuss three major influences that have distorted planning. I discuss how the lessening of these influences provides the freedom and opportunity to really consider what a plan for the development of the collection can be. The diminishment of these influences provides opportunities to reexamine collection documents and the planning process. There is an opportunity to recognize library values, particularly stewardship, and to decide how those values inform library missions, policies, and plans. I explore a vision of collection planning that focuses on intent or philosophy rather than just certain details or procedures. I discuss how revised ABA Standards on assessment offer an opportunity to consider the role of the library in the law school and invigorate planning for an evolving collection. There could also be support for broader communities of researchers. I also explore concerns, particularly about the reliance on electronic resources, that require consideration.
Amelia Landenberger Abstract
Access and Consequences
How Easy Access to Genetic Information Endangers Us All
Amelia Landenberger, Associate Professor, Law Library, University of Akron
Over the past few years, genetic information that was once unknowable has become available for $199 to anyone willing to put their DNA into a tube and mail it off for testing.1. The dramatic increase in direct-to-consumer genetic testing was such a boom that it put its biggest company out of business: analysts suggest that in addition to a data breach that led to a loss of consumer confidence, 23andMe simply ran out of customers.2
This increase in genetic information caused a number of significant problems: legal, financial, and interpersonal. The danger of discrimination from employers and insurers and medical providers can lead to severe financial consequences from disclosure of genetic information. Though GINA protects employees from discrimination, these cases would be very hard to prove, and employees may not learn about their risks until after they have already made imprudent disclosures.
In the privacy sphere, one person can make a disclosure about an entire family’s genetic information, and there is no legal recourse for the family members whose condition has been disclosed. 23andMe also holds a treasure trove of genetic information and customers are rightfully worried about sale of this data in bankruptcy or future breaches of their genetic information.3 This includes data about individuals who have never used a genetic testing product.
Another issue is a company’s failure to find an existing genetic issue or to find a false positive. 23andMe purported to test for breast cancer risk but didn’t properly disclose that it only tested for a small fraction of BRCA mutations.4 Because of this, women who should be doing additional cancer screening may believe themselves to be risk-free. How can you sue a bankrupt company for selling you a fraudulent assurance that you were free from genetic risk of breast cancer?
Doctors can help patients navigate these issues when genetic testing happens in a medical context, but when consumers find out about their genetic status from a test they bought to find out if they’re Irish, or from their cousin’s Facebook post, people may be lost without reliable information about their risks and choices.
Regulation and the market must grapple with these interconnected issues of privacy, finances, and the emotional and medical impact of genetic information to prevent future harm. Until they are solved, who is equipped to navigate the consequences of easy access to this information? Of course doctors hold the medical information, lawyers hold the legal information, and librarians are concerned with the privacy implications of this new technology. Are law librarians the perfect superheroes who can navigate these interconnected issues of consumer health information, privacy, and legal research?
- Gina Kolata, F.D.A. Will Allow 23andMe to Sell Genetic Tests for Disease Risk to Consumers, THE NEW YORK TIMES, Apr. 6, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/06/health/fda-genetic-tests-23andme.html.↩
- Bobby Allyn, 23andMe Is on the Brink. What Happens to All Its DNA Data?, NPR, Oct. 3, 2024, https://www.npr.org/2024/10/03/g-s1-25795/23andme-data-genetic-dna-privacy. “The one-and-done nature of Wiles’ experience is indicative of a core business problem with the once high-flying biotech company that is now teetering on the brink of collapse. Wiles and many of 23andMe’s 15 million other customers never returned. They paid once for a saliva kit, then moved on.” Id. ↩
- Yan Zhuang, 23andMe Files for Bankruptcy Amid Concerns About Security of Customers’ Genetic Data, THE NEW YORK TIMES, Mar. 24, 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/24/business/23andme-bankruptcy.html. ↩
- Heather Murphy, Don’t Count on 23andMe to Detect Most Breast Cancer Risks, Study Warns, THE NEW YORK TIMES, Apr. 16, 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/16/health/23andme-brca-gene-testing.html ↩
Program 1
Hitting an Orientation Home Run: Training Legal Rookies for the Big Leagues
Speakers:
- Jaime Klausner, Esq, Training and Content Integration Manager, BakerHostetler
- Alexis Branham, JD, MLIS, Legal Researcher, BakerHostetler
Step Up to the Plate: Success Strategies for New Associate Onboarding. Join Alexis and Jaime as they walk you through BakerHostetler’s all-star onboarding playbook for summer, fall, and new lateral associates. From introducing firm guidelines and AI policies to delivering practice-specific training and key research skills, their approach covers all the bases. Learn how their mentorship program, bullpen-style research support, and vendor training lineup help rookies hit the ground running. With post-season surveys to refine the game plan, this session offers top tips and proven strategies to ensure your new associates knock it out of the park.
Program 2A
Old Dogs, New Insights: What Decades of Writing and Publishing Have Taught Us – and What’s Next
Speakers:
- Paul D. Callister, Library Director & Professor of Law, Leon E. Bloch Law Library, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law
- Susan Azyndar, Senior Associate Director, Kresge Law Library, Notre Dame Law School
- Susan deMaine, Director of the Law Library & Senior Lecturer in Law, Maurer School of Law, Indiana University Bloomington
- Ben Keele, Scholarly Services Librarian, University of Minnesota
Join a candid and practical conversation with experienced academic law librarians as they reflect on lessons learned about writing and publishing during their careers. This session will cover topics such as identifying and understanding your audience, overcoming the inertia of beginning to write, making time amid professional demands, and selecting the right publication venues based on your career stage. Panelists will share insights into collaboration, building partnerships, and strategies for sustaining writing habits. Whether you're an aspiring writer or a seasoned scholar, you'll leave with encouragement, concrete advice, and a better sense of how your own writing path might evolve.
Program 2B
ORALL Private Law Librarians SIG Meeting
Program 3A
Meet the Bots: Exploring AI Personas for Legal Information Needs
Speakers:
- Susan Azyndar, Senior Associate Director, Krege Law Library, Notre Dame Law School
- Jennifer L. Wondracek, Director of the Law Library and Professor of Legal Research & Writing, Capital University Law School
- Rebecca Fordon, Law Librarian & Assistant Professor of Professional Practice, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
This session will explore three types of generative artificial intelligence tools: legal, general consumer, and deep search. These types of GAI are not interchangeable. This session will help law librarians understand the differences between these tools and when it might be appropriate for law students/lawyers/law librarians to use each.
Program 3B
ORALL County Law Librarians SIG & County Consortium Business Meeting (2 hours)
Program 4
Sun Tzu’s Legal Research Strategies: The Art of War for Law Librarians
Speaker: Hans J. Herzl-Betz, Reference & Instructional Services Librarian, Creighton University School of Law Library
This session will demonstrate potential pedagogical and practical applications of the Art of War to legal research. On a conceptual and pedagogical level, the lessons of the Art of War will be compared and contrasted with the traditional Rombauer Framework. On a practical level, the nuances of the Art of War will be revealed through an examination of a famous historical case and then applied to the current context, including the use of Generative AI.
Program 5A
Protecting the People: Providing Law Library Benefits to Public Patrons in a Time of Misinformation
Speakers:
- Matt Timko, David E. Shapiro Memorial Law Library, Northern Illinois University College of Law
- Cindy Bassett, University of Missouri
- Judy Maxwell, Delaware County (Ohio) Law Library
- Sarah Maxwell Leckband, University of Iowa
Law Libraries' primary focus is on our primary patrons (lawyers, judges, students, etc.). However, the public is a vital part of any library, whether they are open to the public or not. This session will explore ways that ALL libraries can provide assistance to the public, either actively or passively.
Program 5B
Developing Learning Outcomes for Legal Research Courses
Speakers:
- Sarah Starnes, Associate Professor, Law Library, University of Akron School of Law
- Maggie Kiel-Morse, Faculty Services Librarian, Indiana University Maurer School of Law
This program will introduce and discuss methods for creating learning outcomes for legal research courses, utilizing concepts such as backwards course design and course alignment. The presenters will begin by discussing common learning frameworks, explaining backwards course design, and then focus on the importance of establishing learning outcomes at the course-level and module- or unit-level. Most of the program will focus on the crucial task of crafting clear, measurable and actionable learning outcomes. Attendees will be invited to participate in exercises to assess and edit a set of learning outcomes, and finally work on drafting their own.
Program 6A
Teaching the Ethical and Effective Use of Generative AI to Students, Faculty, Practitioners and Beyond
Speakers:
- Bonnie Shucha, Associate Dean & Law Library Director, University of Wisconsin Law School
- Cindy Bassett, Law Library Director, University of Missouri
- Jim Abernathy, Reference Law Librarian, Young Law Library, University of Arkansas School of Law
- Susan Azyndar, Senior Associate Director, Kresge Law Library, Notre Dame Law School
- Shea Daley Burdette, Assistant Professor of Law Libraries and Assistant Director of Zimmerman Law Library, University of Dayton School of Law
As AI is becoming more and more prevalent in law school and in practice, it is important that students, faculty, and practitioners alike are trained to use it effectively and ethically. Join our speakers as they share how they have spread their knowledge of best practices in the effective and ethical use of generative AI with students and faculty at the law school, and to the greater legal community through outreach. Hear how they develop learning activities around the use of AI, ethical considerations, and upcoming AI trends.
Program 6B
Law Libraries and ADA Title II
Speakers:
- Susan M. Boland, Senior Librarian & Associate Director of the University of Cincinnati’s Robert S. Marx Law Library
- Elaine B. Bradshaw, Assistant Director for Collections and Digital Projects at the University of Oklahoma College of Law's Donald E. Pray Law Library
- Susan David deMaine, Director of the Law Library and Senior Lecturer in Law of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law's Jerome Hall Law Library
- Ryan Overdorf, Research and Instruction Librarian & Lecturer in Law at Indiana University, McKinney School of Law's Ruth Lilly Law Library
In 2024, the Department of Justice published its final rule on Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which includes requirements for state and local governments to ensure that web content and mobile applications are accessible to people with disabilities. Most entities have until April 24, 2026 to comply. This rule covers third party e-resources, repositories, digitized content, webpages, videos, social media, and more. Although making materials accessible is the right thing to do, and libraries are often at the forefront when it comes to accessibility, this is still an enormous undertaking. How are law libraries managing this task?
Program 7A
Guarding Your Sources: How to Teach Bluebooking Without Putting Your Students to Sleep
Speakers:
- SaraJean Petite, Reference & Government Documents Librarian, Case Western Reserve Judge Ben C. Green Law Library
- Stephanie Ziegler, Law Librarian, The Ohio State University
Do you teach citation format? Are your students falling asleep? In this session, we will discuss how we teach our students about citations to prepare them to practice in law firms.
Program 7B
Community Engagement Roundtable
Speakers
- Ariel Newman, Student Services & Reference Librarian, UMKC School of Law
- Christina Lowry, Law Practice & Technology Librarian, University of Kentucky Law Library
Discussion will encompass topics of interest to law libraries, including but not limited to how to set library policies and maintain communication with colleagues/patrons, to support mental health efforts for library staff, to continue to support engagement efforts without an institutional mandate or while facing pushback, and other ways to be productive and constructive in an increasingly changing environment. Additional discussion topics that are of interest or concern are also welcomed to be introduced and discussed by attendees.
Program 8A
Data-Informed Law Libraries: Exploring Benchmarking Methods & Resources
Speakers:
- Amanda Karel, Project Manager, NELLCO Law Library Consortium
- Elaine Bradshaw, Assistant Director for Collections and Digital Projects, University of Oklahoma College of Law Library
- Kerry Lohmeier, Associate Dean of Library & Information Service, University of Akron School of Law
Law libraries collect and report copious amounts of data about operations, resources, and services. However, the effective use of data in decision-making and advocacy is inconsistent. Thoughtful benchmarking – that is comparing data to peers or set standards – is a valuable starting point for leveraging data. This session will explore the value and methods of benchmarking for law libraries, identify available data sources and their limitations, and discuss key factors when working with benchmarking data. Understanding these aspects will empower law libraries to make informed decisions, advocate for their needs, and, in turn, better serve their users.
Program 8B
“They’re Going to Use It Anyway”: Rethinking Legal Information Literacy in the Age of AI
Speaker: Ariel Newman, Student Services & Reference Librarian, UMKC School of Law
Gen Z researchers increasingly rely on AI tools like Lexis+ AI and ChatGPT as their starting point for legal research. Rather than discouraging this behavior, law librarians must guide it. This session rethinks legal information literacy in the age of AI by exploring how to help users verify, evaluate, and supplement AI-generated content. Through messaging strategies, teaching frameworks, and hands-on exercises, attendees will learn to support responsible AI use in academic, firm, and government settings—without sacrificing research rigor. Participants will leave with adaptable resources for integrating AI literacy into instruction and research consultations.
Program 9A
Guarding Ourselves: Intro to Self-Defense for Librarians
Speakers:
- Maggie Kiel-Morse, Faculty Services Librarian, Indiana University Maurer School of Law
- Morgan Kelly, Student Engagement Librarian, Indiana University Maurer School of Law
This session will cover an introduction to basic self-defense techniques that anyone can use to respond to a few common situations. We will begin with a brief discussion of situational awareness and distance management, then move on to establishing a ready stance, and finally cover a few specific techniques. Introductory self-defense utilizes concepts such as balance, leverage, and momentum for skills that are repeatable and easy to remember. While this is not a traditional proposal, practicing skills unrelated to typical day-to-day job duties can spark creativity, foster communication and team building, and increase overall functionality.
Program 9B
Law Librarians/Guardians Discuss Book to Action Social Justice Themed Book
Speakers:
- Gail Wechsler, Library Director, Law Library Association of St. Louis
- Matt Timko, Interim Deputy Director and Associate Professor, David E. Shapiro Memorial Law Library, Northern Illinois University College of Law
The MAALL Book to Action session continues a tradition held since 2015. Each year at the MAALL Annual Meeting, attendees read and discuss a book on a social justice theme. In addition, MAALL Book to Action supports a book drive at a local independent bookstore to support a local charity. Our 2025 book selection is Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann. Our 2025 charity is Kids’ Book Bank, and you can purchase donated books from Cleveland independent bookstore Loganberry Books.
Program 10A
Law Librarians and DEI: Where Are We Now?
Speakers:
- Matt Timko, Interim Deputy Director and Associate Professor, David E. Shapiro Memorial Law Library, Northern Illinois University College of Law
- Le'Shawn Turner, Reference Librarian, Oklahoma City University Law Library
- Gail Wechsler, Library Director, Law Library Association of St. Louis
Since January of this year, efforts have been made to eliminate any efforts to consider diversity, equity and/or inclusion in a host of institutions, including libraries. How have different law libraries and/or their parent institutions if applicable, responded to these efforts? Is it still viable to consider or lift up DEI where you work and in your state? If so, how are you doing so?
Program 10B
Uncovering Buried Treasure: Tips and Tricks for Searching Patents, Trademarks, and Copyright Records (2 hours)
Speaker: Sarah Dobransky, General Research Collections Manager, Cleveland Public Library
Searching for IP records can be a chore - especially if you aren't familiar with the databases. Add in a frantic law student or a demanding attorney, and you'll have a frustrating, headache-inducing, and exhausting day. Save yourself the aspirin and learn how to navigate USPTO as well as the multiple catalogs/collections from the Copyright Office, each with its own platform. We'll cover the pros and cons of AI searches and find out how IP records can be used in multiple ways. You never know when a genealogist asks to find the attorney on file for the Newman's Own Company!
Program 11
All Aspects of Law Librarianship
Speakers:
- Le'Shawn Turner, Reference Librarian, Oklahoma City University Law Library
- Erin Waltz, Law Library Director, Ohio Supreme Court Law Library
- Lee Little, Research and Instruction Librarian & Lecturer in Law, Indiana University, McKinney School of Law's Ruth Lilly Law Library
- Alexis Branham, JD, MLIS, Legal Researcher, BakerHostetler
- Ashley Russell, Instructional & Reference Services Law Librarian, University of Cincinnati College of Law Library
- Katy Marcy, Senior Librarian, Harbor Global
- Jim Abernathy, Reference Law Librarian, Young Law Library, University of Arkansas School of Law
The panel will discuss the work they do in law librarianship and discuss moving from one type of law librarian to a different type (i.e. firm librarian to academic librarian).
Program 12A
Always a Bridesmaid Never a Bride: The Important Role of the Interim
Speaker:
- Susan Boland, Associate Director for the University of Cincinnati Robert. S. Marx Law Library
- Miriam Murphy, Director & Senior Lecturer in Law, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Ruth Lilly Law Library
- Therese Arado, Interim Director/Professor, David C. Shapiro Memorial Law Library, Northern Illinois University College of Law Library
The interim role in law libraries is often seen as a placeholder, however it is an important role and work to advance the institution can be accomplished. Interim positions are more than holding steady, they provide opportunities and challenges for the person in the role. An interim can ensure the library continues to move forward, can make their mark on the institution, and ensure the library is ready for new leadership. In this session we will discuss approaches to being an interim, major projects that were undertaken by interims, and why not wanting to be a director, but being happy in the interim role is a professional success.
Program 12B
Guardians of the Legal Research Galaxy: Developing a Framework to Ethically Review AI Output
Speakers:
- Joe Lawson, Associate Director, Ruth Lilly Law Library
- Tamara Rogers, Research and Instructional Services Librarian & Lecturer in Law, Robert H. McKinney School of Law Ruth Lilly Law Library
ABA Op. 512 clearly requires lawyers to review all outputs of Generative AI tools to comply with ethical responsibilities of Competence and Candor to the Tribunal when submitting their research to courts, clients, and colleagues. However, the potential problems that have presented in legal research outputs of Generative AI tools are diverse and plentiful, and continue to growth. By developing a framework to categorize these potential output issues and to use traditional legal research approaches to vet the outputs, law librarians can help lawyers comply with their ethical duties all while combating hallucinations, contrafactual biases, and misinterpretations.