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4 Legal Information Alert 1 (1985)

handle is hein.lbr/leinfal0004 and id is 1 raw text is: What's new in legal publications, oDm\v m databases and research techniques. j JANUARY 1985 Volume 4, Number 1 LAWYERS & COMPUTERS: HOW THE LAW FIRM LIBRARIAN CAN HELP by Steven E Mitchel Computers are allowing lawyers and librarians to do new things with the information that libraries have tradition- ally provided. While librarians have long recognized the application of automation to library services, they are also in the best position to help lawyers learn how to use the new technology themselves. In this article Catherine Pennington tells us how the computerization of the law library can help both the lawyer and librarian. She is a well-known authority on the subject of law libraries and how computers play a significant part in their everyday operations. She was head librarian at Johnson & Swanson and is the incoming Chairperson of the Private Law Libraries Section of the American Association of Law Libraries. Lawyers will not only have to know how to retrieve material, but how to manipulate it, says Catherine Penning- ton. Librarians have always helped law- yers obtain the information they need; but Pennington adds, If on top of that I can help the attorneys utilize these materials more effectively, so much the better. The manipulation and better utilization she is referring to primarily involve computers. The use of computers in law firms has advanced way beyond search- ing databases to save time, or using microcomputers for accounting or serial records. A personal computer in the library can be integrated into a whole information network, including word- processing and data processing inside the firm and databases outside. For example, a full-text database such as Westlaw can be accessed through the personal computer, the desired cases can be downloaded into the computer's memory and the appropriate quotes can be edited right into a brief that is being put together in word processing-all at one terminal, all by one person. Lawyers can recognize the value of these capabilities once they are intro- duced to them. At the firm where Pennington was formerly head librarian, this introduction was made through the library, where a structured class on the use of personal computers was offered. It was a very slow beginning. Mostly what we had were secretaries and paralegals taking the course to begin with. And then all of a sudden the word got around, and we trained a total of sixty people, including associates and partners. The class was three lunchtimes. We limited the class to six, and had three terminals-everyone got hands-on expe- rience. Then they had an assignment to do between classes. The first class was a basic introduction-an explaination of terms-and an introduction to the disk operating system. They were required to format a diskette. The second session was an introduc- tion to databases. They were required to access Lexis and Westlaw and load a paragraph off of Westlaw. In the third session they were intro- duced to word processing and spread- sheets where they would edit the documents they had obtained from (continued on page 2) From The Editor It's that time again, the start of a new volume. Although we're running behind schedule, we are on our way to catching up--and as always, providing quality, up-to-date information for the law librar- ian. The ALERT is always trying to be as useful as possible as well as accessable to our readers. We will be installing a new phone number, 312/525-7594. Our office hours will be from 9:00 to 1:00 on Tuesdays and Fridays, otherwise you may leave a message. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to call US. To start off the new volume, we have an interview with Catherine Pennington, a prominent law librarian, who is a quite knowledgeable about law libraries and how they utilize microcomputers. Our author and fellow law librarian, Steven Mitchel, presents us with more than just a question and answer interview. He gives us a complete understanding on how the computerization of the law library can benefit both the lawyer and law librarian without all the computer jargon. U Contents Article: Lawyers & Computers: How Law Firm Librarian Can Help Calendar Database News For Your Information Index New Publications Publishers the 1 12 3 9 11 3 10 24 NORTH WABASH * SUITE 939 * CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60602 * (312) 525-7594

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