Guest post by Ben Doherty (they/them), Head of Library Instruction and Research Librarian at the University of Virginia Law Library
Guest Post – AI Refusal in Legal Research Instruction – Part 3: Assignments that center students and not AI
American Association of Law Libraries Blogs
Latest from American Association of Law Libraries
From Family Law to Access to Justice: The History of the People’s Law Library of Maryland
The People’s Law Library of Maryland (PLL) has served as a vital bridge between complex legal systems and the public for nearly three decades. What began in 1996 as a focused project on family law has evolved into a comprehensive, award-winning resource that serves over 2.1 million pageviews annually to users across Maryland, the United States, and the world.
The Pitfalls of AI in Legal Research Instruction
Over the last several years, AI has become pervasive, both in our daily lives and in our work as law librarians. In my personal and work life, I find AI to be helpful sometimes, but I use it less than some of my peers, and certainly less than most of the students I have taught.
AI’s Invisible Human Library Labor
Efficiency is one of the main selling points for new AI-powered tools, but efficiency is oftentimes the result of the AI tool and invisible human labor. This post looks at some of the ways law librarians are performing this often invisible labor and creating an illusion of efficiency for primary users.
First, I want to
The Gap Between Purpose and Text in Berkeley’s AI Policy
Guest post by Justin Peters, Research and Instruction Librarian, College of Law Research Center, Florida State University.
I am finally taking a turn to weigh in on the much-discussed UC Berkeley Law Artificial Intelligence Policy. Plenty of critiques are already out there. Ashley Arrington had a great post on one major issue, the rule’s
Email Apnea
Are you breathing right now? If you just paused from reading or composing an email you may not have taken regular, controlled breaths for the last several minutes. You can thank a phenomenon known as “email apnea.” Though less familiar than sleep apnea, email apnea also affects your health, well-being, and perhaps even your cognitive
Yes, You Will Use This In Real Life: Incorporating Practical Skills In The Law School Classroom.
Guest post by Mary Csarny, The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law
“What’s the point, I am never going to use this in real life!”
Thankfully those of us instructing law students are far less likely to hear this complaint than our peers teaching non-professional students. The first year law students in my second-semester
Breathe Deep and Listen to Reggaeton
The music pulses, the crowd is in a frenzy, and I am ready to do some legal research. I recently got a standing desk. I love it. I especially love blasting some Bad Bunny and imagining I’m the headliner at a proper rave. But mainly, I love my work, especially when I have healthy coping
Importance of Good Communication
I recently read an article in AALL Spectrum titled, “Communication Shortfalls in a Library Setting,” and I think it brought up several good points. The article didn’t just focus on communication shortfalls with patrons but also with communication shortfalls between staff. I think recognizing these communication challenges can help libraries improve their services and morale
Fine, Let’s Talk About AI Bans
Friends, it is 2026 and I am tired.
Tired of *gestures wildly at many things I can’t control, a few things I can, and anything getting airtime on C-SPAN.*
But here is the specific tiredness I want to address: I am a person with an invisible neurodevelopmental disorder that affects how I organize and produce