GPLLA News

GPLLA Winter Newsletter

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:13:30 GMT

Click through to view GPLLA's Winter 2026 Newsletter.

Registration Open: GPLLA Institute on March 20

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 19:02:30 GMT

The Greater Philadelphia Law Library Association’s Annual Institute is happening on March 20. Registration, which includes lunch and a happy hour, is now open and closes on March 15. We have a fabulous group of speakers who will explore this year’s theme: The State of Law Librarianship Today. Panels will look at how library budgets impact the delivery of legal information services, how factors like credentials and salary impact the legal information workforce, and how law librarians are adapting their services and roles to meet patron needs in an evolving industry.

I look forward to seeing you there! Full event and registration details available here.

Save the Date: GPLLA'S 2026 Institute on March 20

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 13:36:43 GMT

January 7 - GPLLA Holiday Party @ Rosy's Taco Bar

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 15:40:59 GMT

Come celebrate the start of 2026 with GPLLA on January 7 at Rosy's Taco Bar! Enjoy food, drink, and conversation with your fellow GPLLA members.

RSVP here: https://gplla.org/event-6459420.

October 15 - GPLLA Book Club Discussing Institutional Knowledge

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 18:09:00 GMT

Register now to join GPLLA over Zoom for the inaugural meeting of the GPLLA "Book" Club. The GPLLA Book Club will meet a few times a year to discuss a topic or theme centered around an article, book chapter, podcast, or other media. Just like a real book club you don't have to do the reading or watching in advance, you are more than welcome to join the conversation!

This is designed to be an informal conversation among colleagues.

For our inaugural meeting, we'll use a paired set of a reading and an AALL Annual meeting session recording to discuss the theme of institutional knowledge.

Settle in with some lunch, a coffee, and your hot takes on documenting, preserving, and transmitting institutional knowledge. We look forward to seeing you there!

GPLLA Fall Newsletter

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 14:46:05 GMT

Click through to read GPLLA's Fall Newsletter, previewing exciting upcoming events and other GPLLA happenings!

May 7 - GPLLA Elections and Happy Hour

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 15:59:29 GMT

GPLLA’s annual elections will be held in-person at the upcoming May 7 gathering at Devil's Alley Bar & Grill. Please be sure to register in advance.

GPLLA is seeking two candidates for director-at-large positions and volunteers for various Committee roles. Complete this form to express your interest in working with GPLLA this year. These are great positions for both new and experienced individuals. The only required qualification is a desire to make GPLLA’s coming year a success!

The director-at-large positions are important to shaping the work of GPLLA and provide excellent opportunities for networking, leadership experience, and professional development. If you would like to learn more about serving as a director-at-large, please contact Paul Riermaier.

GPLLA is also seeking volunteers for Committee roles. In particular, we are seeking volunteers for the Nominations Committee, Grants and Scholarship Committee, and Education and Programming Committee. Committee work is an easy way to stay involved with GPLLA and can serve as a stepping stone to AALL SIS roles. Basic committee information is available on the GPLLA website or contact Paul Riermaier for more information.

Be sure to register for and attend our May 7 meeting to help shape the future of GPLLA and reconnect with friends and colleagues. And complete the interest form if you would like to work with GPLLA in the coming year.

June 27 - Join Mark Podvia to learn about The Strange Case of Dr. Paul Schoeppe

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 17:46:45 GMT

The Greater Philadelphia Law Library Association is pleased to welcome Mark Podvia for a lunchtime Zoom talk on Thursday, June 27, at noon (EST). Mark will discuss the 1869 murder case Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Paul Schoeppe, which involved a wealthy spinster's death; a will leaving her entire estate to her doctor, Paul Schoeppe; and an autopsy revealing traces of prussic acid, a deadly poison. The case changed how medical evidence was presented and appeals were conducted in criminal cases.

Mark Podvia, a member of the emeritus faculty of the Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University, has authored over 75 articles and reviews, and in 2022 he published The Strange Case of Dr. Paul Schoeppe, which details the fascinating events surrounding Maria Steinnecke's death.

Please register at https://temple.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUqc-yrrTsiH9Wl-V1v90pb3KNCZ8HtanHP. If you have any questions, please contact Julie Randolph at julie.randolph@temple.edu.

June 20 - Virtual Lunch & Learn: The Moral, Ethical, & Legal Implications of AI in Law Libraries

Wed, 15 May 2024 14:02:53 GMT

Join the Social Responsibilities Committee on June 20 at Noon on Zoom for a panel discussion that will explore the moral, ethical, and legal issues at the nexus of artificial intelligence and law libraries. More information, including how to register, is available on Education page of the GPLLA Website.

GPLLA Grants and Scholarships

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 14:21:18 GMT

Check out the Education tab of the GPLLA website for information about Grant and Scholarship opportunities.

Join the GPLLA Board of Directors

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 14:20:54 GMT

GPLLA is seeking nominations for its Board of Directors! We are looking to fill the following positions for terms beginning in June 2024:

· President

Vice President / President-Elect

· Treasurer

· Secretary

· Director-at-Large

As a member of the GPLLA Board, you can help contribute to the law library community by planning educational programming and social events, organizing volunteer projects, administering scholarships, and more. Being on the GPLLA Board is also a wonderful opportunity for professional development and networking. New members are welcome!

If you are interested in being on the Board or want more information, please contact Charlie Perkins at charles.perkins@temple.edu.

Registration Now Open for GPLLA Institute - Keeping it Local

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 16:28:05 GMT

Please plan to join the Greater Philadelphia Law Library Association (GPLLA) for its annual educational institute. The theme of this year's institute is Keeping it Local. The institute will be held Wednesday, March 20th, at Kline Institute of Trial Advocacy, 1200 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, with a Happy Hour to follow. We are excited to see you there. Registration is now available by clicking on the Events tab of the GPLLA homepage. If you have any questions, please get in touch with charles.perkins@temple.edu.

Executive Board Election Results

Thu, 25 May 2023 14:25:33 GMT

GPLLA's Nominations Committee is pleased to announce the election of two at-large Executive Board members, Lizzie Yazvac (Temple Law Library) and Scott DeMaris (Reed Smith LLP) based on a vote of GPLLA members in attendance at our spring meeting. Congratulations to Lizzie and Scott! We would also like to thank Brianne Scott (Holland & Knight LLP) for her candidacy.

GPLLA is still seeking a candidate for Vice-President. Please e-mail gplla.web@gmail.com if you are interested!

GPLLA SRC Wins Award for Pennsylvania Legal Research 101

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 13:37:55 GMT

GPLLA is proud to announce that our Social Responsibilities Committee (SRC) has won the 2023 Dr. Joel Fishman Professional Publication Award from AALL's Government Law Libraries SIS for Pennsylvania Legal Research 101: About the Law and How to Find It, a guide to help the general public research federal, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia law.

The guide was co-authored by GPLLA SRC Chair Kristen Matteucci (Reference Librarian, Jenkins Law Library) and members Eric Berg (Senior Research Analyst, Holland & Knight LLP), John Cannan (Faculty Scholarship Librarian & Legal Research Instructor, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law), Andrew Lang (Head of Reference & Student Services, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School), Mary Cate Matta (Research Librarian, Duane Morris LLP), and Paul Riermaier (Reference Librarian, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School).

Call for Executive Board Nominations

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 16:56:12 GMT

Our 2023 Executive Board elections are coming soon! Please submit names of individuals who would make strong candidates for the following board positions:

Vice-President/President-Elect: One-year term as Vice-President followed by one-year term as President and one-year term as Immediate Past President (total three-year membership on the Executive Board)
Director-at-Large (two positions): Two-year term

You can find more information about these positions in GPLLA's Bylaws.

Candidates of all backgrounds and experience levels are welcome! Self-nominations are accepted and encouraged!

Please send your suggestions or self-nomination to the Nominations Committee at gplla.web@gmail.com no later than Monday, April 24.

Virtual Lunch & Learn: A Conversation with Pennsylvania Court Librarians

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 17:40:18 GMT

Curious about court libraries? Join us on Tuesday, April 11th at 12 pm for a virtual Lunch & Learn with Michael Hayes, Third Circuit Libraries Manager of Research Services, and Jamie Knizner, Washington County Courts Law Librarian. We'll discuss the work of Pennsylvania federal and state court librarians and dispel some court library myths along the way.

Click here to view a recording of the event.

Pennsylvania Legal Research 101: About the Law and How to Find It

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 21:16:11 GMT

GPLLA's Social Responsibilities Committee is proud to announce the launch of Pennsylvania Legal Research 101: About the Law and How to Find It, a guide to help the general public research federal, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia law. It is intended to be an educational guide to help users develop a strong foundation for doing legal research. Its collection of free federal, state, and local research resources may also be helpful for experienced researchers. Please feel free to use and share it!

Those who are new to Pennsylvania legal research may also be interested in GPLLA's self-paced Legal Research Course.

2022 Institute Recording Available

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 19:34:58 GMT

If you missed the 2022 Institute, a recording is now available to current GPLLA members here, along with slides from our legislative history panelists.

Not a member? Click here for information on how to join GPLLA.

GPLLA 2022 Institute

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 18:42:24 GMT

On November 11, 2022 at 12:00 PM, please join the Greater Philadelphia Law Library Association (GPLLA) for its annual educational Institute. The theme of this year's Institute is History and the Law Library. Recent decisions from the Supreme Court of the United States have thrust legal history into the forefront of public debate. Our panelists will discuss the impact of legal history on policymaking, legal research, and the legal information profession.

Check out our Events page for more information!

GPLLA Wins AALL Community Engagement Award !

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 14:04:27 GMT

In case you missed it, GPLLA (along with LLSDC and LLAM) won this year’s AALL Excellence in Community Engagement Award for the Project 20/20: From Transition to Transformation series, which ran from October 2020 through June 2021.

Project 20/20 was originally inspired after the pandemic unceremoniously disrupted the in-person speaking engagement LLSDC had scheduled with NYT bestselling author Ijeoma Oluo for the Sandy Peterson Memorial Lecture. In the process of converting this event from in-person to virtual, it became apparent that there was a silver lining. Instead of limiting Ijeoma Oluo’s expertise to the LLSDC in-person audience, her speaking engagement could be made available to librarians around the world at no additional cost. It wasn’t long before we realized there was an opportunity to bring law librarians together during a period of profound instability and disconnection. And rather than settling for a one-time event, we created and curated programming to keep that engagement going.

For nine consecutive months, the three-track series produced one program, one workshop, and one social networking event each month at no cost to registrants. The series concluded with New York Times bestselling author, Ashley C. Ford. The series provided over 1200 engagements with librarians from around the world. If events, programming, and networking are things you’d like to learn more about or get involved in, don’t hesitate to reach out to a Board Member for more information. We’re always looking for people who have ideas and enjoy getting to know colleagues. There is a place for everyone to get involved, you just have to reach out!

GPLLA Election Results

Tue, 11 May 2021 15:36:33 GMT

The 2021 GPLLA Board Election closed at midnight on May 10th; thanks to everyone who cast a ballot in the virtual election!

We are pleased to announce that Eric Berg has been elected as our new Vice President/President-Elect and that Brian Carroll and Mary Shelly are joining the Board as Directors-at-Large.

Congratulations to GPLLA's newest Board members!

AALL Emerging Leader Award Nominations

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 23:07:46 GMT

AALL is now accepting nominations for the Emerging Leader Award. This award recognizes newer members who have made significant contributions to the profession and have demonstrated the potential for leadership and continuing excellence.

Selection criteria include:

The nominee must be a member in good standing of AALL
The nominee must be in their first 10 years of law library experience
The nominee must not have previously received an Emerging Leader Award
The nominee must have made a significant contribution to the Association and/or the profession.
The nominee must have shown outstanding promise for continuing service and leadership. Specific examples of their continuing activities must be provided.

The nomination deadline is February 1st. Letters of recommendation can take some time to gather and holidays are approaching, so we encourage you to begin the process as soon as possible in order to meet the deadline.

More details on the award, including a link to the Nomination Form, can be found here: Emerging Leader Award

GPLLA Virtual Institute 2020

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 18:18:52 GMT

The 2020 GPLLA Virtual Institute

November 20, 2020

Events from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM

All events will take place online.

Keynote Address

Work and Life during the Pandemic: Leadership Skills for Challenging Times

(1:00 PM – 2:00 PM)

Join researcher, educator, coach, professor, and working parent, Dr. Alyssa Westring, for a webinar as she provides evidence-based, practical guidance on how to gain a greater sense of purpose, control, and connection as you strive to meet the demands of remote work and life during these turbulent times.

Alyssa F. Westring is Associate Professor of Management at the Driehaus College of Business, DePaul University. She is co-author of Parents Who Lead: The Leadership Approach You Need to Parent with Purpose, Fuel Your Career, and Create a Richer Life. An award-winning educator, Westring shares her expertise on leadership, work/life integration and women's careers in leading academic and popular outlets and is a frequent speaker at Fortune 500 companies. She has two school-aged children and lives in Chicago.

Programs

(2:00 PM – 4:00 PM)

Following the keynote address, we will host two moderated sessions for GPLLA members to discuss the many lessons we have learned, both personally and institutionally, during the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis. Forced to make repeated pivots, we have all experienced successes and missteps. Drawing on the collective experience of our professional community, these sessions will provide a space to share the techniques, strategies, and practices that have proven successful for navigating these unprecedented times.

If you have questions or topics that you would specifically like to see addressed during these sessions, please include them in the registration form.

GPLLA 50^th Anniversary Happy Hour

(4:00 PM – 5:00 PM)

Please join us after the programs for a virtual happy hour to (re)connect with colleagues and commemorate GPLLA’s 50^th Anniversary.

No separate registration is necessary--the happy hour will immediately follow the afternoon programs and will use the same Zoom link.

Please note: there will be no registration fee for this year’s Institute. This has been made possible with generous support from our sponsors.

We look forward to seeing you on the 20th!

GPLLA Statement in Support of Black Lives Matter

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 20:05:24 GMT

The Board of the Greater Philadelphia Law Library Association wishes to express its support of the Black Lives Matter movement against oppression and state-sanctioned brutality. As legal information professionals, we must acknowledge that racism has deeply influenced the U.S. legal system from colonial times through the present day. We believe that the U.S. Constitution is not serving its purpose to ensure due process and equal protection. From slavery through Jim Crow, the MOVE bombing, and the recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others, the law has often been used as an instrument of oppression to deny the value of Black Lives while exploiting the value of Black labor.

It is up to all of us to renounce this history and set a just path for the future. We call upon all of our members to take action however they can, personally and professionally, against racism, state violence, and white supremacy in all its myriad forms. We particularly encourage our members to examine and confront the ways in which exclusion and conscious or unconscious bias has shaped our own libraries and workplaces.

GPLLA exists to promote librarianship and foster a spirit of cooperation in the profession. As a chapter of AALL, our ethical principles call for us to oppose discrimination and value diversity. The Board will be considering ways in which GPLLA can help to foster a racially inclusive vision of law librarianship, and we invite all of our members, especially those from marginalized communities, to offer suggestions about how GPLLA can play a productive role. We are here to listen.

2020-2021 Board Election

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 19:58:45 GMT

Thanks to everyone who voted in the 2020-21 GPLLA Board election! We are pleased to announce the results and hope that you will join us in congratulating the new board members!

Vice President/President-Elect: Dave Haendler

Secretary: Leigh Cohen

Treasurer: Kristen Matteucci

Director-at-Large: Erin Vassalotti

If you are interested in running for a board position in a future election, please let us know! We love to provide leadership opportunities for our membership.

Wishing you all safety and good health!

Special message regarding GPLLA’s response to COVID-19 and our 50th Anniversary

Sat, 21 Mar 2020 01:30:18 GMT

Dear GPLLA Members,

GPLLA is committed to protecting the health and safety of our members and colleagues during these uncertain times. At this time, we have chosen to cancel all in-person events until the city of Philadelphia lifts the current coronavirus restrictions. Members with questions about AALL’s response and the annual meeting should refer to the AALL Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates and Resources page.

This also means that we have decided to postpone the GPLLA 50^th Anniversary Dinner until further notice.

GPLLA’s founding meeting was held on March 10, 1970 and was organized by Susan G. Alford and Vicki M. Ward. Ms. Alford served as GPLLA’s first president from 1970-1971 and was succeeded by Ms. Ward who served as president from 1971-1972. We will gather as an association and celebrate our organization’s first 50 years and all the members who have contributed to its longevity and support of the profession as soon as it is safe to do so. We will share further details with everyone as soon as we are able.

If anyone has questions about GPLLA events, please reach out to any of the board members.

Thank you for your continued support and wishing you all safety and good health.

Janet Peros

GPLLA President 2019-2020

Welcome to the new GPLLA Website

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 01:46:02 GMT

The GPLLA website has a new look!

Current GPLLA members have access to members-only features such as the member directory, minutes from prior board meetings, presentations from past professional development events, and a forum.

Use the forgot password link on the login page to request a password.