I’ve been developing this post in my head for quite a while now. What should I say in the very first post that will be an introduction to the public of my work and experience? Should I focus on information trends, research methods, training tips? Finally, I decided a great beginning would be information you need to know about me.
I am a professional librarian with 12 years of experience in a private law firm ranked in the top 5 in my region. I began my career at the age of 24 upon completion of my Master’s in Library Science from the University of Kentucky in 1995.
Fresh from library school, I worked part-time at a public library and my very first full-time gig was with the commercial lending department of a bank. I quickly moved from the bank to a law firm in what I term a moment of serendipity.
As a law firm librarian I was promoted from Assistant Librarian to the position of branch librarian for one of the newer offices. A few years later I was promoted to serve as the branch librarian for the largest of our offices. During my service with this firm I learned a great many things from a great mentor and supervisor.
I was lucky to be encouraged in professional development, new initiatives and challenging projects. During my tenure at this firm, I gained project management skills while leading the internal team for the implementation of a knowledge management solution. I became a skillful product manager while serving as the bibliographic controller for our ILS system and the KM solution. My last major undertaking for this firm was the creation and implementation of a firm-wide training program.
Teaching legal research skills, product intricacies and even just letting attorneys know what resources were available to meet their research need is a challenge. Getting attorneys to attend multiple presentations and participate in active learning, as well as request it is a sign of success that I am proud to say I received.
Above all, during my tenure as a private firm librarian I remained an active researcher. I was sought out for challenging projects that had turned into dead ends and brick walls for the attorneys or paralegals assigning the project. I developed strong business and legal research skills that allowed me to meet tight deadlines or find the seemingly unfindable.
I was a dependable resource not just for attorneys and paralegals, but also for marketing and business development. My competitive intelligence research skills were first developed during my work as an assistant at Bank One. I have strong experience in market and industry research as well as corporate background and public records research.
One very challenging project required the skills of every firm librarian working at the top of their abilities. I was lucky enough to work with a great team of professionals and to serve as the cooridinator and organizer for a major industry study. The team work demonstrated on this project allowed the library services team to deliver quality information in a timely manner in just the right format. It was a proud moment when the final pieces were delivered and I was able to say thank you to all of the team members as expressed by the client.
So now you know:
I am an excellent researcher who can work independently or in a team setting to provide accurate, timely information to answer a client’s need.
I have strong legal, corporate, market, industry and public records research skills that I can teach to others in group or individual settings.
I am the Answer Maven.
Posted by answermaven 
