2026 GPLLA Institute
Friday, March 20
11:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Join the Greater Philadelphia Law Library Association (GPLLA) on March 20 for its annual educational Institute. This year's institute addresses The State of Law Librarianship Today.
The institute, kindly sponsored by Thomson Reuters Information Management Consultant Team, will be held Friday, March 20 from 11:30 - 5:00, at Reed Smith, 1717 Arch St #3100, Philadelphia, PA 19103, with a Happy Hour, sponsored by LexisNexis, to follow.
11:30: Check-in and Lunch
12:30: Opening Remarks
12:45: Panel 1
1:45: Break with coffee
2:00: Panel 2
3:00: Break
3:10: Panel 3
4:10: Roundtable Discussion
5:00: Conclusion
Join us immediately after the Institute for happy hour (location TBA).
Registration Costs:
- GPLLA Members: $40
- Student/Transitional GPLLA Members: $25
- Non-members: $60
Panel Information
Library Budgets: Making the Most of What You Have (60 minutes)
Summary: In an era of flat or shrinking budgets, law libraries face increasingly difficult decisions about collections, services, staffing, and technology. This panel examines how budgetary constraints influence access to legal information, research support, and attorney and law student training and education. Panelists will discuss how law librarians ensure competent and cost-effective legal research within a budget-limited environment.
Panelists:
- Yana Verenich, Supervisor Research Resources & Acquisitions, Morgan Lewis
- Gabriela Femenia, Director of Law Library, Temple University Law School
- Third Panelist, To Be Announced
Salaries, Credentials, and Status: Frank Conversations About Law Library Pay, Prospects, and Other Uncomfortable Topics (60 minutes)
Summary: Salaries, credentials, status, and other components of the market for law librarianship can be hard to talk about. Career progression in law librarianship varies significantly across academic, firm, and government settings. This panel explores how credential requirements, unionization, compensation structures, and institutional hierarchies shape the legal information workforce and the consequences and impact on the availability, continuity, and quality of legal research support provided to patrons.
Panelists:
- Ryan McGinnis, Reference & Access Services Librarian, Temple Law School
- Jim Currie, Senior Competitive Intelligence Manager, Norton Rose Fulbright
- Amanda Runyon, Associate Dean, Director of Biddle Law Library, Penn Carey Law School
New Roles & Services in Law Librarianship: New Titles, Roles, and Responsibilities for Law Librarians (60 minutes)
Summary: Rapid changes in legal publishing, technology, and client / patron expectations are reshaping the roles of law librarians. This panel explores emerging services, evolving job titles, and new responsibilities within law libraries. The panelists’ discussion will seek to answer: How changes in the legal information universe manifest in the law library? What new services are being offered and what new roles have been created? How are law libraries staying at the forefront of an ever-changing profession and industry? How are law libraries adapting to support efficient, technology-driven, and ethical legal research?
Panelists:
- Andrea Guldalian, Director of Library and Research Services, Duane Morris
- Stephen Wolfson, Assistant General Counsel / Copyright Advisor, University of Pennsylvania Libraries
- Andrew Winston, Assistant Director for Public Services, Jacob Burns Law Library, George Washington University Law School
