This item is in: Chandos > Library management > Public and other non-academic libraries

The Role of the Legal Information Officer

Trevor Harvey, Clifford Chance, UK

Chandos Information Professional Series

 - based on practical, day-to-day experience
 - jargon free; no ‘high-faluting’ theories
 - examines the threat (if such it be) of professional support lawyers

This is a no-nonsense book, written by a leading authority. It covers the ever-changing role of the information officer and how to survive. It discusses such issues as: what does a law information officer do on a day-to-day basis and the mechanics and processes for supplying information; a practical guide to enquiries and undertaking research; and how to set up and manage an information service. Importantly, the author does not take a ‘dry’ approach to the subject; rather, he discusses the following contentious issues: given the amount of information available on lawyers’ PCs, are information officers really necessary?; when should the information officer undertake the research and when should the lawyer do it; will information officers become redundant as the role of the professional support lawyer becomes more important. In essence, the book analyses the changing role of the law information officer and serves as a practical survival guide.

ISBN 1 84334 047 X
ISBN-13: 978 1 84334 047 8
September 2003
204 pages  234 x 156mm  paperback  
£42.50 / US$70.00 / €50.00

Reprinting – not in stock at present

£62.50 / US$105.00 / €75.00

An e-book version of this title is available to purchase as part of a Collection or Pick n Mix. Visit Chandos Publishing Online

About the author

Trevor Harvey’s current role is as Information Officer for the Financial Institutions Group in Clifford Chance, the world’s largest law firm. He supports 60 lawyers. He has worked in the information profession for over 20 years.

Titles which may also be of interest:
Law, Libraries and Technology
Finding Legal Information

Contents

Information roles and information sources
 - Qualifications
 - Where are legal information professionals employed?
 - Skills and aptitudes
 - The various legal information roles
 - Stock

Managing and recruiting
 - Managing
 - Recruiting

Marketing and promoting your service
 - Current awareness
 - Team meetings
 - Training

Research and enquiries
 - Basic facts about enquiries
 - What does the enquirer really want?
 - The search strategy
 - Going that little bit further
 - Evaluating and analysing the information
 - Know your sources
 - Presenting the results
 - Signposter or facilitator?
 - Final words on research

The Internet: threat or opportunity?
 - Glossary
 - Search engines/directories
 - Can I rely on the information?
 - Using the Internet for research: for and against
 - The invisible Web
 - Training
 - Practical example of research
 - Conclusion

You say taxonomy, I say classification – you say thesaurus, I say classification
 - Constructing a classification scheme
 - Cataloguing
 - Intranet

Know-how and knowledge management
 - Know-how
 - Knowledge management

Copyright
 - Where copyright applies
 - Copyright licences
 - Good practice
 - Databases and CD-Roms
 - The Internet

You’re on your own now
 - You and your surroundings
 - Self-management and motivation
 - Handling enquiries
 - Essential administration
 - Meetings
 - The paper mountain
 - The telephone
 - E-mail
 - How to say ‘no’
 - Isolation
 - Networking
 - Conclusion

The future for the legal information professional
 - Librarian vs lawyer
 - It’s all on their desktop
 - The onward march of the professional support lawyer
 - Career paths
 - Conclusion

Appendices
 - A week in the life of a legal information officer
 - Starting from scratch
 - 20 tips for being a first-class legal information officer