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MLIS

Q: Where do you work?

A: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; Pasadena, California

Q: What’s your job title and what do you do?

A: I am the Assistant Pasadena Branch Librarian for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The Pasadena branch is one of 19 staffed libraries in the Ninth Circuit and has a collection tailored to the needs of the court. As one of only two librarians in the branch, I support all day-to-day operations, from processing new materials to supporting patron requests. Every day is different, but my core responsibility is supporting the information needs of the judges and their staff. These can be as simple as pulling a book and as complex as drafting a memorandum regarding a novel area of law. I also work on circuit-wide projects. A few include redesigning the library’s public-facing webpage, developing and maintaining internal research guides and providing training to court staff.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about the field you’ve chosen?

A: My job is to learn. As a court librarian, I am constantly researching new and nuanced areas of law. Often when I am asked questions, it is because the answer was not readily discernible. This provides me with the opportunity to test and apply my skills in both librarianship and law. It is also fulfilling knowing the work I do makes a difference. The judges and their staff depend on me to provide quality information to support the reasoning of their decisions.

Q: What’s the biggest challenge you overcame to get to where you are today?

A: Imposter syndrome and insecurity. Despite objective success throughout my time in academia and legal practice, I never saw myself as being good enough. It took years to overcome the persistent feelings of self-doubt, stress and anxiety. I needed to know what was happening within me to understand how I affected the world around me. It was only by learning to accept myself, my passions and my accomplishments that I could break through and make a career change.

Q: When you were at the iSchool, what helped you build community?

A: I was fortunate to have a built-in cohort in the law librarianship program. The demands of the accelerated program would have otherwise made it difficult to establish a community. I also gained good connections with other MLIS peers through group projects.

Q: How did your experience at the iSchool prepare you to solve information challenges in the industry?

A: My program helped strengthen my research skills and introduced me to librarianship. As a former judicial law clerk and attorney, I was a skilled researcher, but I was not as efficient as I could have been. The knowledge and skills that I gained in my program, including about various resources and applying research strategies, have been invaluable to my work.

Nearly everything in the realm of librarianship was new to me. I seldom used a library growing up and in school, so when I entered my program, I did not even know how to navigate a library. The knowledge and skills I gained prepared me to support the technical operations of my library, including everything from processing new materials to weeding and collection reorganization.

Q: What’s next on the horizon for you?

A: My job is a fantastic place to be. I am fortunate to have such broad exposure in my early years. But as a newer law librarian, I am admittedly still learning where my skills and passions best fit in the profession. Beyond my role, I have related professional interests in copyright law and legal ethics. I recently published an article and presented on issues of copyright liability in librarianship, and am a member of the American Association of Law Libraries’ Copyright Committee. I plan to continue establishing myself in this area, including through further presentations and scholarship.

Like when I moved into law librarianship, before any future move, I need to figure out how I can I best serve the profession while being true to myself.

Q: What advice do you have for students interested in a career like yours?

A: For anyone interested in law librarianship, the best thing you can do is network. Law librarians are based throughout government, law schools, law firms and the private sector. Each is likely to do something quite different from the next. Networking is the best way to help you envision where you might best fit. Do not let uncertainty dissuade you. Many law librarians move between sectors during their careers.

Joining the American Association of Law Libraries and its local chapters can also provide valuable insight into the field. Attending the national association’s annual conference helped me confirm I was making the right decision to change careers.

Also, don’t burn bridges. Six degrees of separation? More like two. What you say and what you do will carry with you. So, be honest with yourself and others, be civil and stick to your word.