Category Archives: 2024 Issues

Meetings Committee Annual Report 2023-24

Co-Chairs:

  • Carrie Port
  • Mike McMillan

Members:

  • Jesse Bowman
  • Amy Tomaszewski

Committee Accomplishments: 

The committee coordinated 4 business meetings. Two were virtual, and two in-person meetings.

Business Meeting Logistics

  • In-person versus Zoom/virtual. Committee suggests First and Last meetings to be in person due to weather and celebratory events. Middle two meetings on Zoom.
  • Meeting dates. We recommend setting the dates for all Business Meetings at the beginning of the year. This makes it easier to plan and coordinate with venues and should also make it easier for Vice President to coordinate with speakers.  Tuesdays tend to work best as it tends to accommodate more people with hybrid office/remote schedules.  Always best to avoid Mondays and Fridays.
  • Food/meeting cost for members. Meeting costs for members increased to $30 for 2023/2024.  Would a bump to $35 be tolerable and help CALL with associated costs and perhaps expand venue options with slightly higher price points?
  • In-Person Meeting Materials. Name tags and check-in sheets is always something to consider for in-person meetings.
  • Dietary restrictions? We didn’t hear any complaints. Neon does have option for “dietary restrictions” along with the vendor opt-out option, but not something that we used. Carrie and Mike tried to consider vegetarian options when making menu selections.
  • AV Equipment. Good to try figuring this out on front end when coordinating with venues. Do we have a budget?
    • Some venues seemed to lose some of their capabilities during Covid, but have maybe rebuilt those options. For a previous meeting, we used Craig Schultz at AV Pro Connections (craig@avproconnections). He was great helping accommodate us last minute, but was a bit expensive.
    • Projectors add extra challenges. Some folks have them at work and can bring them, but it can be hard to coordinate. Are there any low-cost very portable options already within CALL or something to invest in maybe?
  • Guest speakers. Make sure to include them in luncheon headcounts. It’s definitely nice to have speakers, but it’s probably OK if we don’t get anyone. It allows for more time for CALL business and networking. We’re not totally clear on how much time speakers have and/or if that should be enforced somehow.
  • Zoom testing for virtual meetings. Some technical issues getting things set up on Zoom, partly due to login/password issues. We recommend running test runs a few days ahead of time, including any guest speakers and/or others who might have presentations they want to include.
  • Event Registration. Neon can be difficult to figure out when setting up events. It’s not always super-intuitive and finding certain settings (vendor opt-out, dietary restrictions) seems to be tricky.
  • We had a few sponsors who asked if they could make sponsorship payments with credit card. We were able to create a separate event in Neon for 1 attendee and the sponsorship cost to facilitate. This system seemed to work well.
    • Sponsor/vendor reps. We need to know how many are coming. What is the policy and how flexible is it?
    • Raffle prizes. Bridget MacMillan at Lexis has been great about keeping an open invitation for these and we then coordinate with the winners via e-mail. Someone mentioned that Blythe McCoy at Westlaw also threw the idea out there that they would be interested at some point, but that’s hasn’t been explored.
  • Other committee members. Mike wishes he would have done a better job keeping the other committee members (Jesse and Amy) involved. It might be good to suggest that other members feel free to proactively insert themselves along the way. This committee is also a good option for newer members as they could help out at sign-in/welcome table and get to know other people.

Other Meetings

  • The committee suggests that the monthly happy hours are hosted by different committees. That way there is always someone that will attend and the different committee chairs can choose a venue/time convenient to them. Also, these would not be canceled last minute causing issues for members’ schedules.
  • Mandy, as President, tried to coordinate some less formal gatherings (lunches, happy hours, other?) that seemed like a great idea, but not sure how successful those gatherings were.
  • Other meetings have fallen to the wayside a bit as it seems a bit much for Chairs to coordinate on top of meeting planning duties. Book/Media clubs have been suggested.
  • The happy hour at 320 S. Canal in August was very successful – maybe this could be run by the board to kick off the year?

Committee Coordination

  • Community Service. Mike also served as member on the committee and tried to coordinate for community service and donations messaging to go with meeting announcements.
    • Speaker Connections: It’s nice for Community Service to know our speakers so they can consider charities/organizations that speakers might be connected to for fund-raising, and/or avoid possible conflicts.
  • Secretary provides write-up for Bulletin. Should photos be included?

Outreach

  • Surveys. What do members want? We ended up skipping on surveys. Should Meetings Committee be doing them? Are they useful? It seems that a fairly simplified version might be advisable to make the feedback easier to consume and implement.
  • Communications/Social Media.Besides e-mails, where else do we post meeting information and who is responsible for making the updates?  I know that previous years, there was confusion caused by info posted on the website, but we can’t recall who was updating that info. Carrie posted the information on the website but a new committee member should be trained on WordPress.
  • New Members. Talk to membership coordinator prior to the May in-person meeting for the list of new members for the year. Either Meetings or Mentorship committee sends email to new members letting them know about their 1 free meeting perk. Members who accept are entered manually into the event (same as speakers and sponsors) and given free admission to the May meeting.

2023-2024 Meeting Details

CALL Meetings organized between August 2023 and May 2024:

  • August 8, 2023– Happy Hour at The Green.
  • September 20, 2023– Maggiano’s Little Italy with Steven Schwinn.
    • 56 registered.
    • Great food and service and good general venue for meetings and they had the A/V equipment we needed.
    • Sponsors: Trellis and TRG Screen
  • November 16, 2023– virtual Business Meeting with breakout rooms in place of speaker who had to cancel.
    • 50 registered.
    • Breakout rooms seemed to work out OK, but something we had to scramble on a bit due to speaker cancelation.
  • February 22, 2023 – virtual Business Meeting with Justices Aurelia Pucinski and Cynthia Cobbs.
    • 63 registered.
  • May 16, 2024– Wildfire with AALL President June Hsiao Liebert.
    • 67 registered
    • Great food and service and decent space for our event with accommodating A/V equipment for our needs.
    • Sponsor: Thomson Reuters

Considering Venues

The committee gathered costs and/or minimums at the time, which are also available.

  • Lettuce Entertain You is a great option as they have lots of great restaurants and a form for entering meeting criteria and selecting multiple restaurants. The restaurants still have to be dealt with individually, but it does help streamline things a bit.
  • City Winery– probably too expensive for our budget.
  • Il Porcelino– nice looking space, but looks like 50 max so maybe not flexible enough. Additional cost per person to add dessert.
  • Osteria Via Stato– worked out great for previous meeting.  Lots of good feedback from members.
  • Carnivale – $32 a person – could be an option for the future
  • Hub 51 – 65 max.
  • Lil’ Ba Ba Reeba– can check out space. Tapas charged per person. Maybe a decent option.
  • Harry Caray’s Italian Steak House – might be fun – was booked for our dates, so we didn’t pursue pricing info.
  • Beatrix River North – 65 max with a $3000 minimum.
  • Tallboy Taco– 40 seated, 50 reception style. Probably not flexible enough sizewize.
  • Ema– space looks decent and food yummy. Additional cost per person to add dessert. 60 max people for space.
  • Petterino’s – now has a magic show in their venue room – no longer an option.
  • Berghoff – only venue has bench seating.

Read about prior years on the Meetings Committee here on the Bulletin.

Public Relations Committee Annual Report 2023-24

Chair

Eugene Giudice

Membership

includes Jesse Bowman

Report

The committee was fairly inactive in the 2023-24 CALL year except for periodic updates to the CALL website for events like CALL meetings and meet-ups.

Eugene would especially like to thank Jesse Bowman for his continued stewardship of the CALL website, including all updates during the 2023-24 season.

Recommendations for the forthcoming year

The committee recommends to the CALL board that the charge of the Public Relations Committee be reviewed such that it can be better utilized as a resource for all CALL committees and a more effective external voice for CALL.

June 2024 Executive Board Minutes

Date: Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. Central

Board members present:  Philip Johnson, Jill Meyer, Clare Willis, Emily Byrne, Lucy Robbins, Mandy Lee

Board members absent: Mike McMillan

Guests: none

Treasurer’s report (Section IV):

  1. Checking account balance as of June 11, 2024: $21,214.74
  2. Membership numbers as of June 11, 2024: 118 (3 new)

Significant Actions: 

Policies:

The Corporate Memory Committee was formally dissolved as a standing committee.  (see V. Old Business, b)

The Mentorship Committee and Placement and Recruitment Committees were combined into a single standing committee.  (See VI. New Business, b)

August 2024 Executive Board Minutes

Date: Tuesday, August 13, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. Central

Board members present:  Philip Johnson, Jill Meyer, Clare Willis, Emily Byrne, Lucy Robbins, Mandy Lee, Mike McMillan

Board members absent: None

Guests: none

Treasurer’s report (Section IV):

  1. Checking account balance as of July 31, 2024: $17,673.49
  2. Membership numbers as of July 31, 2024: 183 (8 new)

Significant Actions:  None

 

CALL Executive Board 2024-2025

The Nominations and Elections Committee sought nominations for the 2024-2025 CALL Executive Board: Director, Secretary, and Vice-President/President-Elect via over the CALL listserv. The slate was announced on the CALL listserv.

Slate

Vice President/President Elect

Jill Meyer

Manager, Legal Information Services, Dykema Gossett

Therese Clark Arado

Interim Directory of the Law Library and Professor, Northern Illinois University

Treasurer

Mike McMillian

Senior Research, McDermott, Will & Emery LLP

Director

Jim Fortsas

Technical Services Librarian, Cook County Law Library

Emily Byrne

Library Clerk, Chapman & Cutler LLP

Winners

Winners were announced on the CALL listserv following the election.

Vice-President/President Elect

Jill Meyer

Treasurer

Mike McMillan

Director

Emily Byrne

Congratulations to the incoming executive board!

AALL: Welcome to Chicago! Recommendations from Local CALL Members.

With the AALL conference being held in Chicago this year, we wanted to showcase local recommendations for things to do, places to eat, and more!

Downtown Hidden Gems

Milton Lee Olive Park, recommended by Sarah Reneker Andeen

“The Milton Lee Olive Park is a small gem of a park right on the Lakefront near Navy Pier. Less chaotic and crowded than the main Lakefront it is a great place to see the iconic Chicago views. Many people take picnics or takeout. ”

Favorite Building

The Rookery Building, recommended by Emily Barney

“The Rookery Building at 209 South LaSalle Street was designed by Burnham & Root in the late 1800s, and updated by Frank Lloyd Wright in the early 1900s with a gorgeous “light court” in the center of the building. The lobby is free to visit M-F fr4om 7am to 6pm and on Saturday from 8am-2pm.”

Multiple buildings, recommended by Caitlin Archer-Helke

  • “Monadnock Building (Dearborn and Jackson) is the world’s tallest building with load-bearing walls!
  • Bond Chapel (University of Chicago) is very small, very intimate, and is a remarkably beautiful little space
  • Roosevelt University/Auditorium Theater
  • Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church (formerly Temple Isaiah) in Bronzeville, one of the birthplaces of gospel music and a testament to Dankmar Adler’s genius in architecture and acoustical engineering
  • Roby House, Frank Lloyd Wright. and the U of C’s business school across from it, which echoes its terraces as well as the main campus’s Gothic Revival architecture
  • Carbide & Carbon Building, Burnham Brothers, Chicago Loop – the wine bottle-top (completed 1929) totally speaks for itself
  • Bertram Goldberg’s Marina Towers
  • Jeannie Gang’s Aqua
  • The Intercontinental Hotel (just north of the river), because where else can you find a zeppelin launcher on the top of a building?!”

Favorite Neighborhood

Hyde Park, recommended by Jasmine Schreiber

“Headed to the Thomson Reuters party? Head over a little early to explore Hyde Park! A beautiful neighborhood with the gothic architecture of UChicago and proximity to the lakeside, Hyde Park recently made Time Out’s list of the 40 coolest neighborhoods in the world. Take a stroll by the lake at Promontory Point and soak in the view of the city skyline. Or, check out the Garden of the Phoenix in Jackson Park, nestled behind the Museum of Science and Industry. To get to Hyde Park, take the number 6 bus, or the Metra from downtown. ”

Pilsen, recommended by Emily Barney

“Pilsen is a neighborhood with great public art, the wonderful (free!) National Museum of Mexican Art, lots of great restaurants, and local shops from Mexican candies and bakeries to record shops and clothing and art galleries. If you stick around Chicago through the next weekend, the 52nd annual Fielsa del Sol will be held from Thursday July 25th through Sunday July 28th.”

Favorite Free Attraction

Chicago Cultural Center, recommended by Caitlin Archer-Helke and Kristen Naik

“Chicago Cultural Center, including some of the world’s biggest Tiffany mosaics and a lot of free exhibits, concerts, and more.” Located in the Loop.

Museum of Contemporary Photography, recommended by Emily Barney

“The Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College (at 600 South Michigan Avenue) is open 10am-5pm Monday-Saturday, and 12pm-5pm on Sundays. They have rotating exhibits with wide-ranging subject matter and feature artists from around the world.” Located in the South Loop.

Favorite Local Brew (coffee, tea, brewery, etc.)

Raised Bar, recommended by Kristen Naik

“While not the tallest of the buildings along the river, it is right on Wacker and gives you a great view of the riverwalk. If you are able to get an outside table, you can look right over the river! Also has some fun drinks!” Located downtown, on the river.

Eli’s Tea Bar, recommended by Shannon Conder

“Eli’s has an amazing drink lineup (with really creative seasonal options!), and they host events pretty much every night! It’s a bit of a hike from the Loop, but it’s at the end of a great lineup of shops in Andersonville.”

Favorite Chicago Pizza

Pizzeria Due, recommended by Stacia Stein

“Pizzeria Due — Spinoccoli deep dish. Spinach and Broccoli make this a nourishing and nutritious choice. It’s basically a health food.” Located in River North.

Favorite Library 

Blackstone Branch of the Chicago Public Library, recommended by Caitlin Archer-Helke

“It’s small and maybe not impressive (except architecturally), but it was my childhood branch, and it was always a magical place for me.” Located in Kenwood.

Harold Washington Library, recommended by Leah Whitesel

“Check out the top floor!” Located in the Loop.

Chinatown Branch of the Chicago Public Library, recommended by Shannon Conder

“It’s currently closed for renovations, but if you ever find yourself in Chinatown, stop by the library! It’s an absolutely gorgeous building, and they occasionally host cultural events.”

Favorite Bookstore

The Book Cellar, recommended by Leah Whitesel and Jim Forstas

“The Book Cellar. Independent bookshop with a little cafe attached in the heart of Lincoln Square across from Giddings Plaza.” Located in Lincoln Square.

Unabridged Bookstore, recommended by Emily

“Unabridged Bookstore – Unabridged has been around 40+ years, has a large collection of LGBTQ+ titles, a big sale section, and a very cute kids section. They sell cute totes and mugs that would be wonderful souvenirs. Staff there is knowledgeable and open to questions. They also usually have some signed copies of newer releases by Chicago authors. In the Lakeview East neighborhood, and near North Halsted neighborhood, Belmont Harbor, and the Lakefront Trail.”

Favorite Public Art

Murals, recommended by Emily Barney

“If you’re looking for an emblematic public mural to represent your visit, the ‘Welcome to Chicago’ mural by the duo known as Greetings Tour – Victor Ving and Lisa Beggs, is designed like a classic postcard with each letter highlighting different famous images of Chicago. A block or two south is another Mural honoring Robin Williams and just beyond that is a small ice cream parlor, Margie’s Candies, that’s been in business for over 100 years.”

Favorite Restaurant

Minghin, recommended by Sarah Reneker Aldeen

“Minghin is a great place for Dim Sum – and all Chinese food. The Dim Sum menu is offered all day and there is a happy hour from 2-5 of 20% off (not in Chinatown).” Locations in Lakeshore East, South Loop, Streeterville, and Chinatown.

Daisy’s Po Boy, recommended by Jasmine Schreiber

“Daisy’s Po Boy is a gem of the South Side of Chicago. The menu is packed with delicious options(including vegetarian and vegan options) that will transport you to New Orleans. Yes, even alligator is on the menu! Chef Erick Williams was named Best Chef: Great Lakes by the James Beard Foundation in 2022. Your appetite is in good hands. ”

Café Central, recommended by Caitlin Archer-Helke

“Café Central, a long-standing Puerto Rican greasy spoon/hole-in-the-wall that is very worth a visit. It is the oldest Puerto Rican restaurant in Chicago and is so delicious.” Located in Noble Square.

Margie’s Candies, recommended by Mike

“Margie’s Candies is great old time ice-cream/soda-shop and candy store still owned by original family members. Jump in the DeLorean and take a ride back to the 1930s.” Located in Bucktown.

CALL Trivia Night

CALL will be hosting a trivia night during the AALL Annual Meeting.

Sunday July 21st 8:30-10:30

Timothy O’Toole’s
622 N. Fairbanks Ct.
Chicago, IL 60611

There will be trivia from Quizmaster Dave and drinks.

CALL at AALL: Sessions with CALL Member Speakers

While you’re planning your schedule at the 2024 AALL Conference, consider attending these fascinating sessions featuring CALL members! Our members will be presenting, moderating, or speaking at several sessions on a wide range of topics, from GenAI to mentoring to state court dockets and much more. Some of the sessions run at the same times, but if you plan ahead, you can join at least one session featuring a CALL member every day of the conference.

Saturday, July 20 at 9:00am (Atlanta)
Discover Foreign & International Law in The Second City (Separate Registration Required)
CALL Member(s): Jean M. Wenger, Adam Weber, Diane Wood, Mandy Lee
How do we best prepare students and assist attorneys with research involving foreign and international law and legal questions? AALL must lead in training the next generation of law librarians knowledgeable about foreign and international law research as our legal landscape requires professionals possessing these specialized research skills. Taking advantage of Chicago as a global legal marketplace, this day-long workshop will tap the expertise of lawyers, judges, academics, and law librarians, focusing on international and foreign practice. Law librarians in all institutional settings, academic, firm, public, and government, encounter questions about international and foreign law and practice and will benefit from attending this workshop.

Saturday, July 20 at 9:00am (Grand Ballroom A)
Unleashing Innovation: A Rollercoaster Ride to Implement, Plan, and Fund Your GenAI Toolkit (Separate Registration Required)
CALL Member(s): Diana J. Koppang
This is a high level and strategic workshop designed for professionals seeking to harness the transformative potential of GenAI tools. The workshop will delve into practical implementation strategies, financial planning, and integration considerations. Participants will gain insights into how GenAI can reshape work processes, enhance decision-making, and drive efficiency.

Sunday, July 21 at 2pm (Grand Ballroom A)
Cool Tools Café: Existing and Emerging Technologies
With new technologies releasing faster than ever, the annual Cool Tools Café provides a space for legal information professionals to get hands-on learning experience with a variety of emerging and existing technologies. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about tools that can improve library services from fellow legal information professionals who have used these technologies in their own libraries. Previous iterations of this program have included tools for legal research, collaboration, marketing services, instruction, productivity, citation, presentations, and website functionality.

Sunday, July 21 at 3:15pm (Grand Ballroom)
Hot Topic: AI: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly–60 AI Websites, Tools, and Apps in 60 Minutes
CALL Member(s): Bridget MacMillan (Speaker)
Artificial Intelligence has impacted every aspect of our culture—or will, shortly. Join us for a fast-paced review of AI websites, tools, and apps—from the sublime to the ridiculous. An AI-powered stuffed cat or a self-driving bicycle? Sure, why not? An app that summarizes case law in seconds and explains it to you “like you were five”? Sounds perfect. Every profession, every hobby, every aspect of our physical, emotional, and even spiritual lives is being transformed. But what makes a “good” application of AI, and what is just silly? By reviewing a wide range of applications (the good, the bad and the ugly), attendees will see just how far AI is infiltrating our collective experience and walk away with some practical applications—and a few laughs as well.

Monday, July 22 at 9:30am (Grand Ballroom A)
Bridging Differences in Mentoring Relationships
CALL Member(s): Mandy Lee (Coordinator/Speaker), Brandy Ellis (Speaker)
This program aims to equip both mentors and mentees with tools to develop more productive mentoring relationships. Modeled after the Mentoring Across Differences (MAD) workshop, created by Nora Yusuf Osman and Barbara Gottlieb (MedEdPORTAL 2018), this workshop is designed to foster confidence and self-awareness in navigating differences across a variety of domains. Interested mentors and mentees are encouraged to attend!

Monday, July 22 at 9:30am (Regency Ballroom D)
Hot Topic: SCOTUS: A Year in Review
CALL Member(s):  Tom Gaylord, Barry Sullivan
SCOTUS has tackled a host of hot-button topics over the past calendar year and is poised to deliver even more controversial rulings in the coming months. This interactive panel will highlight key developments from last term and prepare participants for what’s to come on SCOTUS’s current docket. Subjects of key cases include Chevron deference, gun regulation for individuals under domestic violence restraining orders, the Perdue Pharma opioid settlement, FDA regulations regarding mifepristone, and much more.

Monday, July 22 at 10:45am (Regency Ballroom D)
Holding On is Holding Us Back: Positioning Ourselves for the Future Law Library Workplace
CALL Member(s): Diana J. Koppang
In order to retain talent and drive new professionals to our workplaces, there must be a reevaluation of the structural and cultural norms that have endured for too long. In the first part of this program, we will reimagine the law library of the future including work-life balance expectations and organizational structure to meet the demands of our changing field. In the second part, we will discuss how to work toward this future vision in the present. While this transformation may require incremental changes, we must start now to retain and drive talent to ensure our organizations’ future success.

Monday, July 22 at 10:45am (Regency Ballroom C)
 Law Library Managerial Lessons Learned from Experience
CALL Member(s): Mandy Lee
When law librarians find themselves in managerial roles, it is often, but not always, by choice. No matter the circumstances, how do these individuals acquire the knowledge to lead teams? That knowledge may be earned through hard-won experience. This program strives to spare attendees some of the growing pains that come from trial by (leadership) fire. Three speakers, each of whom is an early-stage law library manager, will share insights from the vantage point of their institutional positions.

Monday, July 22 at 10:45am (Regency Ballroom B)
State Court Dockets: Demystifying Online Access and Coverage
CALL Member(s): Shari Berkowitz Duff, Claire Gaynor Willis
Access and coverage for state court dockets and filings have always been a guessing game depending on which state you are talking about, let alone what county, parish, or city—not to mention the case or court type. Knowing and remembering at any given point what is available, at what cost, what it is called, and who has access is no easy feat, even for seasoned librarians and researchers. How do you even begin to remember it all, especially when courts expand access (YES, PLEASE!) or seem to have less access (please, NO!) on an almost daily basis?! Are there different levels of access if you are in a law firm, an academic institution, or a member of the general public? If you reach out to your team’s “expert” on state court dockets with all of these burning questions, then it might be time for your team to create an internal guide. But how do you start, how detailed do you get, and is there even time? Let’s have a conversation to discuss these trends, methods to keep on top of all of these changes, and our collective experiences.

Tuesday, July 23 at 11:15am (Grand Ballroom A)
“No.” Is a Complete Sentence: How Librarians Can Budget their Time and Set Realistic Service Expectations
CALL Member(s): Todd Hillmer, Joe Mitzenmacher
“Doing more with less” has been a catchphrase in the law library world for a long time. But that expectation has its limit and we have long since reached it. Now we have to say “no.”

The user who wants access to a resource that is just not available to them? No. That project from some other department that has nothing to do with the library? No. That unrealistic and unnecessary deadline? No. The expectation that the latest hiring freezes will result in maintaining existing service levels? No.

In this program, hear how librarians have said “no” not only successfully but for the greater good of their organizations. Discover how departmental time budgets help determine library priorities. We will showcase tools and best practices for creating time studies and setting time budgets, and we will outline service policies for the best use of both your time and your staff’s time.

Discover the full power of “No.”

Coming Soon: CALL YouTube channel

The CALL Archives Committee has been working with the CALL Board on making our past video presentations (such as CALL Continuing Education events) available to CALL members without the use of a passcode. We are exploring the possibility of posting our videos on YouTube with a “private” listing and then posting them on a page of the CALL site that’s only accessible to current CALL members. The YouTube channel is not available yet, but keep your eyes on the CALL Bulletin and the listserv to find out when it has been set up and activated.

In the meantime, did you know that links to archived Continuing Education presentation videos are available on the current CALL site? Many of the archived recordings are passcode protected, but the recordings of presentations that were conducted by CALL members don’t require a passcode.