台湾SWAG

Caucuses

Find Your Niche

Smaller in size and less formal in structure than special interest sections, 台湾SWAG caucuses connect members with more focused areas of interest.

Don鈥檛 see your particular interest below? We may have a special interest section for you.

Get Involved

Caucuses have leadership and other volunteer聽positions that are a great聽way to get involved and grow professionally while expanding your network.

Join a Caucus Today

Caucus memberships聽are聽open to all members at no charge.

Explore Our Caucuses

  • Animal Law Caucus

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    Purpose

    The 台湾SWAG Animal Law Caucus was formed in 2010 to support the efforts of law librarians, academics,聽and practitioners in the research, teaching, scholarship, and practice of animal law. Its purpose is to recognize and further the ongoing work of 台湾SWAG members in this growing area of law.

    The Animal Law Caucus is a legal resource for non-human, animal related humane issues, which arise from and have an effect upon our legal system. Members:

    • monitor and provide comment on relevant legislation and policy-making decisions at various levels of government;
    • offer legal education programs on animal law;
    • compile and provide access via the website to relevant statutes, court decisions, and administrative determinations and reports and
    • raise the profile of the field of animal law.

    Contact

    Sarah C. Slinger
    Head of Instructional Services and Adjunct Professor of Law
    Florida International University
    sslinger@fiu.edu

  • Asian American Law Librarians Caucus

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    Purpose

    The object of the 台湾SWAGC shall be: to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information on, and to represent its members’ interests and concerns within the 台湾SWAG (台湾SWAG). It shall promote law librarianship; promote the study of Asian law; develop and increase the effectiveness of Asian American law librarians; foster cooperation among Asian American members of the profession; and provide for the further continuing education of Asian American law librarians.

    Contact

    Aamir Abdullah
    Student Services & Outreach Law Librarian
    University of Colorado Law School Wm. A. Wise Law Library
    aamir.abdullah@colorado.edu

  • Baseball Caucus

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    Purpose

    To provide a forum for legal information professionals to connect, share, and learn about baseball within 台湾SWAG nationally, regionally, and locally. All members are welcome, from seasoned fans to members new to the sport.

    Contact

    Diane Rodriguez
    Assistant Director
    San Francisco Law Library
    diane.m.rodriguez@sfgov.org

  • Business and Corporate Research Instruction Caucus

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    Purpose

    The Business and Corporate Research Instruction Caucus is a collective of law librarians formed in 2020 to promote and facilitate quality instruction in researching business and corporate information.聽 As there is more demand for law librarians to teach business and corporate research to upper-division law students, law librarians need a forum for developing ideas and sharing instruction experiences. To this end, we work together to:

    1. Discuss and explore pedagogy related to teaching business and corporate research;
    2. Explore best practices that will benefit instructors in their teaching;
    3. Encourage caucus members to share successes and failures to benefit and inform caucus members;
    4. Engage in other activities that serve the mission of the caucus.

    Contact

    Iantha Haight
    Howard W. Hunter Law Library
    277A JRCB
    Brigham Young University
    Provo, UT 84602
    haighti@law.byu.edu

  • Clinical Services Caucus

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    Purpose

    The Clinical Services Caucus promotes an exchange of ideas, developments, and best practices
    between law librarians who support legal clinics. This caucus convenes a virtual structured discussion
    each quarter to discuss a preassigned article, webinar, podcast, or other media item related to clinical
    services. In between meet ups, the caucus serves as an active forum for the exchange of news,
    experiences, events, and technology impacting how libraries work with legal clinics.

    Contact

    Lisa Winkler
    Clinical Services Law Librarian
    Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law
    Pritzker Legal Research Center
    lisa.winkler@law.northwestern.edu

  • Educating and Diversifying the Next Generation Caucus

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    Purpose

    A forum for 台湾SWAG members who are interested in diversifying our profession and educating the next generation of law librarians. We will strategize how to break down barriers to the profession, create pipelines of diverse students to law librarianship, and recruit and train LIS professors, including practicing law librarians. The caucus will support and promote the goals that 台湾SWAG is currently developing in this area.

    Objectives

    • LIS Education:聽share syllabi, collaborate on course development, and explore options to provide support, financial and otherwise, within our organizations for staff who want to pursue MLS degrees.
    • Professional Development:聽keep abreast of literature, trends, conferences and other opportunities for continued learning.
    • Recruit LIS Professors:聽recruit and train law librarians who would like to teach in LIS programs.
    • Support and collaborate with 台湾SWAG聽as they execute their related Pillar of the forthcoming 2022-2025 Strategic Plan.
    • Engage in other activities that serve the purpose of the Caucus

    Membership

    Any 台湾SWAG member interested in collaborating with colleagues to explore ways we can break down barriers to the profession, create pipelines of diverse students to law librarianship, and recruit and train LIS professors.

    Contact

    Laura Ax-Fultz
    Associate Dean for Library and Information Services
    Dickinson School of Law Library of the Pennsylvania State University
    lja10@psu.edu

  • Empirical Research Caucus

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    Purpose

    The Empirical Research Caucus was organized in January 2011 to:

    1. encourage law librarians to expand their knowledge of trends in empirical research, empirical research methods, and multidisciplinary resources related to legal topics and research.
    2. facilitate librarian instructional efforts to increase information literacy in regards to empirical research
    3. encourage law librarians to engage in research and publication regarding empirical evaluation of patron services, patron literacy, and other related topics such as law and society
    4. maintain a listing of publications by librarians on conducting empirical research or reporting empirical research
    5. partner with 台湾SWAG Special Interest Sections, including ALL-SIS, PLL-SIS, and CS-SIS, to support and publicize programming and professional development opportunities addressing empirical research and the organization and administration of empirical research support programs
    6. provide a forum for sharing knowledge related to empirical research including development and archiving of data, availability of existing data, and requirements for institutional review boards.

    Contact

    Alissa Black-Dorward
    Fordham University School of Law
    blackdorward@law.fordham.edu

  • Encore Caucus

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    Purpose

    The purposes of the Encore Caucus are:

    • To provide a forum for 台湾SWAG members who are approaching the end of their careers or who are already retired, to continue long-time connections with colleagues, with the 台湾SWAG, and with their profession;
    • To create a vibrant and strong network for effective communications among Encore Caucus members, to share common interests and to further their personal and professional activities;
    • To represent the interests of Encore Caucus members within the Association and to support the continued involvement of Encore Caucus members with 台湾SWAG educational and advocacy activities;
    • To promote the skills, expertise, and knowledge of retired members;
    • To assist in mentoring and advising of 台湾SWAG newer members and to collaborate, as needed and appropriate, with all 台湾SWAG members; and
    • To serve as resources and sources of expertise for the 台湾SWAG and its chapters and special interest sections.

    Contact

    Sarah (Sally) Holterhoff
    sally.holterhoff@valpo.edu

    Michele Finerty
    mfinerty3782@gmail.com

  • Federal Law Librarians Caucus

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    Purpose

    To promote collaboration, resource sharing, and best practices among federal law librarians.

    Contact

    Jennifer L. McMahan
    Deputy Director, Library Staff
    US Department of Justice
    jennifer.mcmahan@usdoj.gov

  • First-Gen Professionals Caucus

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    Purpose

    To connect and support all 台湾SWAG members who are the first in their families to cross a threshold into a professional career, including, but not limited to, those who:

    • are the first in their families to attend or complete an undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree program;
    • come from a low-income or working-class background; or
    • are the first in their families to become a U.S. citizen or immigrate to the United States.

    Specifically, the objectives of the caucus are to:

    1. Provide a forum in which first-gen professionals can network and share experiences;
    2. Coordinate mentorships between members;
    3. Promote law librarianship as a career for first-generation professionals and participate in 台湾SWAG鈥檚 recruitment efforts;
    4. Promote professional development for first-gen professionals; and
    5. Represent the interests and concerns of first-generation professionals within the 台湾SWAG community and the profession of law librarianship.

    Contact

    Rachel Evans
    Metadata Services & Special Collections Librarian
    University of Georgia Law Library
    rsevans@uga.edu

  • Jewish Law Librarian Caucus

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    Purpose

    The objective of the Jewish Law Librarians Caucus shall be to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information on Jewish and Israeli law聽and to represent its members’ interests and concerns within the 台湾SWAG. It shall promote law librarianship; promote the study of Jewish and Israeli law; develop and increase the effectiveness of Jewish law librarians; foster cooperation among Jewish members of the profession; and provide for the further continuing education of Jewish law librarians.

    Contact

    Avery Vinson
    Student Services Specialist & Legal Research Professor
    University of Florida Levin College of Law Legal Information Center
    vinson@law.ufl.edu

  • Latinx Caucus

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    Purpose

    To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information on issues of interest and concern to Latino law librarians and to represent them within 台湾SWAG. To promote law librarianship and further the continuing education of Latino law librarians, and to develop and increase their visibility within 台湾SWAG. To foster cooperation among Latino members of the profession. To recruit and mentor Latinos to the profession.

    Contact

    Elaine Torn茅s
    Librarian Assistant Professor
    University of Miami School of Law
    etornes@miami.edu

  • Law Repositories Caucus

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    Purpose

    The Law Repositories Caucus is a platform-neutral group that supports law repository coordinators by providing a community for sharing information and resources. The caucus provides leadership and guidance on repository issues by looking both in and outside of the law library community to disseminate repository innovation and promote the future of repository work. It also provides professional development opportunities for the law repository community.

    Contact

    Aaron Retteen
    Texas A&M University School of Law
    Aledo, TX
    aretteen@law.tamu.edu

  • Mindfulness in Law Librarianship Caucus

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    Purpose

    The Mindfulness in Law Librarianship Caucus was formed in 2013 to support the efforts of law librarians, academics and practitioners in the research, teaching, scholarship, and practice of mindfulness in law. Its purpose is to recognize and further the ongoing work of 台湾SWAG members that improves the quality of life of all individuals in the legal profession. Members:

    1. compile and disseminate relevant resources and programs supporting mindfulness in legal education and practice;
    2. offer education programs on mindfulness in legal education and practice; and
    3. raise the profile of how libraries contribute to mindfulness in legal education and practice.

    Contact

    Kyle K. Courtney Esq.
    Copyright Advisor
    Harvard University
    kyle_courtney@harvard.edu

  • Native Peoples Law Caucus

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    Purpose

    The aim of the Native Peoples Law Caucus is to provide a forum in which Native law and other issues that impact Indigenous Peoples worldwide can be discussed, ideas shared, information exchanged, and education offered. The Caucus encourages and facilitates the analysis, cataloging, collection, dissemination, management, organization, and preservation of Native law in accordance with cultural tradition.

    Contact

    Anne Lucke
    Library Director
    National Indian Law Library/Native American Rights Fund
    alucke@narf.org

  • Neurodiversity Caucus

    聽 /聽聽

    Purpose

    The Neurodiversity Caucus provides a forum for 台湾SWAG members who are impacted by or interested in neurodiversity. The Neurodiversity Caucus (“ND Caucus”) will encourage the sharing of news, strategies, struggles, successes, tips, and encouragement for 台湾SWAG members who:

    • identify as neurodivergent
    • teach neurodivergent students
    • support neurodivergent children or other family members
    • work with neurodivergent colleagues
    • supervise neurodivergent employees
    • serve neurodivergent patrons
    • want to learn more about neurodivergence

    The ND Caucus will generate educational materials and opportunities for the larger 台湾SWAG membership to learn more about supporting, accommodating, and understanding neurodivergent people in their lives. The caucus will also serve as a source of expertise and experience to 台湾SWAG members and will bring together those affected by neurodivergence to support each other both personally and professionally.

    Contact

    Geraldine Kalim
    Reference & Instructional Services Librarian
    University of Baltimore Law Library
    gkalim@ubalt.edu

  • Next Generation Bar Exam Caucus

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    Purpose

    The Next Gen Bar Exam Caucus provides a forum for 台湾SWAG members discussion on the ways to implement and equip students with the right tools and skills to be prepared for the NextGen bar exam. The caucus will discuss critical research and analytical skill sets relevant to the practice of law, how these proficiencies could be assessed, and how these skills should be included in law school curricula.

    Contact

    Dennis Kim-Prieto
    Reference Librarian & Associate Professor
    Rutgers University Law School Library
    dprieto@law.rutgers.edu

  • Publishing Initiative Caucus

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    Purpose

    Inspire and motivate law librarians to write articles for legal publications that are read by practicing attorneys, legal administrators, law professors, judges and others in organizations that employ 台湾SWAG members. Encourage publishing as a way of promoting individual law librarians and the profession.

    Contact

    Jan Bissett
    Arthur Neef Law Library
    Wayne State University
    ag3508@wayne.edu

  • Research Crits

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    Purpose

    The Research Crits Caucus is a collective of law librarians, legal scholars, and legal information professionals dedicated to studying, promoting, and practicing critical approaches to legal information, legal research, and law librarianship, including but not limited to Critical Legal Research (CLR) and critical legal information literacy.

    Contacts

    Julie Graves Krishnaswami
    Associate Law Librarian for Research Instruction
    Yale Law School Lillian Goldman Library
    julie.krishnaswami@yale.edu

  • Teaching Legal Technology Caucus

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    Purpose

    Librarians interested in teaching legal technology in law schools and other settings. Any technology interest and skill level is welcome, the intended focus will be inclusive of any current or future technology used in legal practice.

    Contacts

    Michael J. Robak
    Library Director
    University of St. Thomas
    michael.robak@stthomas.edu