Monday, March 19, 2007

Guest Column: One Kind of Alternative Career

Law Librarian: an Alternative Career Path for the J.D.
By James G. Durham
Head of Public Services, Gould Law Library, Touro Law Center

Many students and staff ask for research assistance in the Reference Office of the Gould Law Library. They may not realize, however, that the reference librarians working in that office attended law school and earned a Juris Doctor degree. These circumstances are not unusual. Reference librarians in academic law libraries typically hold both a law degree and an advanced degree in library science. Law firm librarians typically hold master’s degrees in library science or a law degree (but not both). Professionals who choose this alternative path even have their own organization, the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL). The group’s web site contains information for those who are considering law librarianship as a career. Law librarians enjoy research, teaching, technology, and helping others. If you are curious about law librarianship as a career, please feel free to ask our reference librarians for more information about the field and their experience.

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