Running a modern law library

Galin Brown and Professor Stephanie Davidson discuss how law libraries have changed and how librarians have adapted to serve students.

When Galin Brown, access services librarian, and Professor Stephanie Davidson, Law Library director, began their careers, print was the standard and libraries were stereotypical, quiet places for studying with books and journals. Research was done primarily in print, and many librarians assumed this would always be the way of doing things.

Against a backdrop of technological advancements, changing educational philosophies, and the rapidly evolving needs of students and faculty, libraries are still a hub of information and resources.

At Willamette Law, Brown and Davidson are not only embracing technology but also preparing the library to serve the community for decades to come.

With the World Wide Web just developing toward the beginning of Davidson’s career, many librarians questioned how electronic resources should be incorporated into a library’s collections.

“In many ways, it was a good time to start in libraries,” Davidson says. “I learned to embrace technology at the start, and it’s aided me in being more adaptable throughout my career.”

Now, the conversation has shifted to how artificial intelligence (AI) will influence legal research and physical library space.

For many years, the library housed deep collections of books, “just in case” a researcher might need them. As technology developed and information brokers grew, researchers could find more information online, but libraries continued to buy and curate print collections. Davidson envisions a future where the library owns only limited physical books and focuses on licensing digital resources, reflecting the expanding capabilities of technology.

Though it can be hard to predict what students and faculty will need, the law library is poised to adapt.

“Librarians are leading many of the conversations around responsible use of AI in legal research education,” Davidson says. “There is a long way to go, but the fact that we are having conversations around incorporating new technologies into research instruction is critical for our students and future graduates.”

Embracing new skills

While some technological advances have made research easier, they have also raised important considerations. Information literacy and critical thinking skills are even more important for students, and librarians must work harder to ensure students and faculty are taking advantage of the many resources available to them.

“It’s important for library users to know that a TikTok clip is not a substitute for research,” Brown jokes. “Though, on a more serious note, it is important that they are even more discerning in their research than ever before.”

Both Brown and Davidson are working to develop ways to teach students about information literacy both as needs arise and also in more formalized training and library programming. The more electronic resources available, the more training the librarians need to prepare for students. There is a common misconception that technology should make research simpler. Brown sees it differently and notes that the “human component” of research is more important than ever.

“Sometimes people want to take everything AI says at face value,” Brown shares. “I try to remind them to constantly doublecheck, do the research themselves, and ask the librarians questions when they aren’t certain.”

The law school’s librarians embrace technology because researchers embrace it. Librarians are knowledge experts, and their focus is adding value to library users’ research wherever possible. As a result, Brown and Davidson work to stay on the cutting edge of new technology so they can be flexible in meeting the needs of the community.

Rethinking space

As the library houses fewer books, the physical space is being reconsidered to serve more purposes.

“Students both want and need to be here in person, and they are looking for spaces to gather,” Davidson says. “The library is the heart of the school and a social hub for people to ask questions and make connections.”

The librarians’ vision positions the library as a “third space” — a place for students and faculty to gather when they aren’t in class or at home. Long-term, Davidson envisions a variety of comfortable seating options, meeting rooms, Zoom spaces, and a mix of quiet and communal study areas.

In the immediate future, the library will be adding a wellness space and a multi-faith prayer room. As technology has opened the doors to new opportunities, the law school’s librarians are still grappling with what that will mean for years to come.

“It’s planning for the now but also thinking about 20 to 30 years down the line and how today’s decisions about space, staffing and collections will impact the future users of the library,” Davidson says.

The Willamette Law Library remains a place of service with experts to support research. The librarians emphasize that while it may carry fewer books in the future, it will always be a place to gather, ask questions and build knowledge.

Students both want and need to be here in person, and they are looking for spaces to gather. The library is the heart of the school and a social hub for people to ask questions and make connections.

- Professor Stephanie Davidson