Law librarians make case for their profession being among most forward-thinking and desirable
updated on 13 March 2015
The role of librarian ranked as the second most common 'dream job' among 14,000 people polled by YouGov, to the delight of the British and Irish Association of Law Librarians (BIALL).
BIALL members were quick to point out that the role bears little resemblance to the attractive stereotype of peaceful afternoons surrounded by books, but said that the multifaceted nature of the job makes it desirable in a different way. One law firm librarian commented: "As a law librarian in a busy legal practice I see my role as an integral and essential part of the service we deliver to our clients. From legal research, business development, contract negotiations with publishers, navigating a myriad of databases and providing a current awareness service to lawyers, I’m a lot more than just the person who stamps the books!"
Meanwhile, Angela Wright of University of Law Library Services, said: "The abiding perception of librarians in the media is that we're quiet and old-fashioned. The truth is that we're one of the most forward-thinking and evolving professions - we have to be, because our clients will come to us first to find out how to make the best use of new resources. This constant change helps keep our jobs really exciting and it's so satisfying helping people get great results."
