The Outstanding Lifetime Achievement in Law Librarianship Award is presented annually to a librarian for an outstanding lifetime achievement in law librarianship.

The 2020 Winner is Kathleen Powers Goodridge recently retired from the Library of the United States Courts of the Seventh Circuit.  Find out more about Kathleen and help us wish her a well deserved congratulations on her award, and her retirement!

When I graduated from college, I started working as a library researcher for Encyclopaedia Britannica.  That position opened the door for me to attend Rosary College Library School.  After library school, I worked at the Loyola Law School Library,  the John Marshall Law School Library, and, finally,  since 1989, at the Library of the U.S. Courts.

What has CALL meant to you during your Career?

CALL was the resource for people and background knowledge over the years and the changes in my positions.  There was always someone willing to help.

What is one of your happiest/proudest/fondest moments from your career?

Happiest, proudest, and fondest times were the months before and after my retirement.  I have enjoyed looking back.  Also, the Court libraries have a series of oral histories of judges, and I cataloged most of them.  I am glad to think that future researchers and historians will be able to find those unique oral histories because of my cataloging.

What is one piece of advice you would like to offer to CALL members today?

Even though you are busy with your family life and your career, the time you invest in CALL is worthwhile!  Your time and talent are needed, and, with the ever present changes in technology, we all need help.

Would you like to thank anyone?

I would like to thank my many friends and mentors.  From Loyola, I thank Bob Doyle, Nancy Tuohy, and Alex Sved and from John Marshall John Austin, Randy Petersen, Dorothy Li, and Judy DeGarmo.

Much more recently, I thank all of my co-workers at the Library of the U.S. Courts. I am truly honored and humbled to receive this award.