Category Archives for "Modern Law Library"

3 Things every Administrator Needs to be Doing in January

By Michael Feit | Librarians , Resources

Start the year off right with proper planning and strategy development. Success, in large part, is determined by the correct allocation of resources. This includes having enough time to collect needed information, ensuring staff understand the priorities with enough time to execute. Here are three things a Legal Information Administrator or Librarian can do to start the year off right.

1. Calendar out important vendor contract dates. Contract expirations are important. Go a step further. Plan out far in advance of contract expiration when planning for contract negotiations will take place. Allow time for evaluating the value of resources such as number of users and how much these users utilize a certain resource.
2. Revisit your Legal Information Strategy. Reviewing your strategy ensures your goal setting for 2018 is in line with the firm/organization’s anticipated changes and goals.
3. Determine which big initiative the Library will take on this year. Will it be a Collection Audit? Modern Library Audit? New ERM tool? No matter how small or large, allocate a few hours for each staff member to collect data and details that will eventually feed into the business case or announcement to the firm.

Strategy, Planning, and ROI Tracking for 2018

By Michael Feit | Benchmarking , Contract Negotiations , Modern Law Library

The new year brings about the opportunity to do things differently. Technology and the buzz word – modernization, are top of mind as we enter into this new year. There are tactical things you as an Administrator or Librarian can do to stay ahead of the game this coming year, and make technology and modernization optimized within your Library.

Budget – Two key words come to mind with regards to budget: collaboration and reporting. Work with Finance to more efficiently monitor budget and expenses. Establish a new schedule for collecting data, and the date of each month or quarter you will turn around that data. For example, receiving data on the 3rd of the month and providing a report to management on the 10th of each month.

Reporting – What metrics are you using to measure ROI and showcase value? Are you collecting feedback from library users? Are you using an Electronic Resource Management (ERM) tool? If so, are you utilizing its full capacity?

Contract Management Planning – Implement new deadlines for legal information management planning. Most of us mark contract expirations on a calendar or in a tracking program. Go a step further.

Month 1: Determine which tools you have in place that can provide data on usage, costs, and value. Such tools may include: Invoices, ERM, developing a survey for users, and scheduling one-on-one conversations with attorneys and staff to assess value and usage of products.

Month 2: Collect data. Based on the tools determined in month 1, begin collecting data. Work with finance to dive into invoices.

Month 3: Analyze the data. Understand what is your ROI for the expiring product(s). Look at as many metrics as you can: Spend per Attorney, usage, discount, etc.

Month 4-6: Begin the negotiation process by requesting a proposal from vendor. Remember, it is more beneficial for vendors to wait to the last minute for pressure to sign the new contract. It won’t be easy but start early.

For firms and organizations considering eliminating Lexis or Westlaw, start this process 9 months to 12 months in advance of your contract expiration of either vendor. Assessing vendor preference and combating concerns is a lengthier process than one might think. While it has been done in a month, having more time on your side is always an advantage.

Feit Consulting’s Optimizing Legal Information Pricing is an excellent resource. It shares detailed processes and steps for contract negotiation planning, knowing which metrics to use, and how best to strategize the negotiation process.

2018 Changes & Projects for Improving Your Bottom Line

By Michael Feit | Best Practices , Contract Negotiations , Modern Law Library

Return on Investment (ROI). For some firms and organizations, the law library can seem like a large expense without full trackablity of the value it offers. Some firms and organizations use it as a cost center. However, there are ways to enhance return on investment beyond general reporting. Not to negate reporting because we do highly recommend it. Here are other ways to provide ROI for your law library.

Billing Title Change

Changing the billing title of one or all of the Library staff can be a simple fix to passing on their research time to clients.

Modern Library Audit

A Modern Library Audit provides a current assessment of where your law library is today, and based on your unique firm’s or organization’s situation, what opportunities exist for transforming and streamlining workflow. Feit Consulting conducts Modern Library Audits for firms and organizations. This encompasses our team of experts completing an assessment of usage, processes and technology use. We provide a full business case with clear recommendations, specific to your firm and organization. Recommendations provided highlight the impact on your bottom line. No two law libraries are alike, nor are the solutions and services needed for optimizing use and value.

Start the Negotiation Process Early

Time is a huge advantage in the legal information contract negotiation process. Providing an adequate amount of time to begin the process can mean the difference of thousands of dollars for the firm/organization. Assess value early, Get quotes early.

Benchmark Your Contracts

When was the last time you had your contracts benchmarked by an outside firm? Your firm or organization may have the strongest negotiators in the industry but without the knowledge of where your contract stands in the market, you have no foundation to start from.

Revisit your Legal Information Strategy

Reviewing your strategy ensures your goal setting for 2018 is in line with the firm/organization’s anticipated changes and goals. Revising your strategy is a strong way to start the new year.

Collection Audit

Is your portfolio of resources serving your constituents fully? We have clients who sign a new contract year over year without assessing the use and value to users because the price tag is not significant. These small items can add up. Take the time to review your collection. If you don’t’ have the time, hire an outside consulting firm like Feit Consulting. With a little investment of time and money, you could be saving thousands over the years to come.

Interested in learning more about what Feit can do for your firm, contact us today for an initial consultation.

What FEIT is Saying About Membership Libraries

By Michael Feit | Best Practices , Modern Law Library

When we perform Modern Library audits, we are always looking for creative ways to advise firms on how they can supplement shrinking collections and tight staffing. One solution we have found to be of value is to recommend that firms explore joining a membership Library to support their specific needs. Generally speaking, membership libraries can help with additional research and content support, just in time document delivery, and access to specialized collections.

Since most of us are in the midst of budget season for 2018, consider how a membership Library might supplement your shrinking Library collection or cancelled online provider – what better way to address content gaps at a significant savings. For those Librarians supporting practice areas like intellectual property or specialized litigation, the cost of non-legal highly expensive technical journals can quickly eat up a Library budget. Once again we advise our clients to do a deep dive into the content offerings of the membership Library they are considering to make sure they are choosing wisely. One size does not fit all when it comes to choosing a membership Library or a level of membership.

It is not just research and documents, membership libraries have embraced new models to support their members. We like to tell our clients that membership libraries can fill needs you may not even know you have. Consider that some offer plug in apps that interface with SharePoint pushing curated information that the Library can use to enhance their online catalogs and practice group pages. Others provide remote office and meeting space and even advertising opportunities.

We advise that the Librarian should look at potential membership libraries to make sure the choice supports the needs of the firm beyond the basics of research services and document delivery. Evaluate their general, special and archival collections and ancillary services. Outline the benefits. What is the Return on Investment (ROI) to your firm? Prepare a Business Case so that management or finance understands. Membership means something entirely different in this context and you need to explain it in terms they can understand.

What We Learned at AALL: Transforming Knowledge Into Power

By Michael Feit | Librarians , Modern Law Library

The American Association of Law Libraries’ (AALL) conference this past year reminded us of our abilities, and more so the importance of transitioning from guardian of books to ‘linchpin librarians’.

Instead of guardians of books, it is time for librarians to become information brokers. Whether embedded in a practice group to support an attorney team or partnering with client development to support business development and increase revenue streams, take on the the linchpin mindset. High-level collaboration and interdepartmental support will break down librarian stereotypes as we work on building relationships within our organizations. Step outside your comfort zone.

In short, librarians need to showcase the true value they possess and can offer their organizations. The question now is, “How will you transform the knowledge and empowerment gained at AALL into action steps at your firm or organization?”

We revisited our checklist post AALL. Here are ways you can begin transforming knowledge into action:

• Brainstorm what new step(s) you can take to build high-level collaboration and interdepartmental support at your firm or organization.
• Determine the best avenues to grow your visibility within your organization.
• Ask yourself, “How can I change my habits? What can I do differently that offers value to my organization?”
• Plan a lunch or phone call with colleagues inside and outside your organization to brainstorm what cutting-edge solutions you can bring to your organization or firm.
• Reach out to your new networking contacts. Choose one each week with whom to connect.
• Develop a Conference Recap to show management the value of attending; highlight program sessions and vendor products that support current and potential organization/firm initiatives.
• Include conference benefits in the library’s annual report to Management.

At the core, librarians utilize knowledge and resources to answer questions and solve problems; and have a multitude of skills to offer value to their organizations – beyond performing legal research.

What does it mean to be a Modern Law Library?

By Michael Feit | Modern Law Library

What does it mean to be a Modern Law Library??

The first thing that comes to mind for many is the focus on virtual versus print. Examining the need of both is an essential component. However, the Modern Law Library is more than providing content, it encompasses a proactive approach and mindset, new processes, and utilizing metrics and technology.

Open-mindedness is necessary for transitioning to a Modern Law Library, by both Administrators and the Library team. This includes a flexible approach, meeting change head-on. Consider, “How can I change my habits to actually facilitate change? How can I move out of my mindset of but we have always done it that way? What can I do differently to offer value to my organization and make them see me and my library in a new way?”.

In the Modern Law Library, both Administrators and Librarians recognize and open their minds to allowing librarians and their team to apply their skills differently in the past. While law firms have always depended on library and information professionals to support the research needs of their lawyers, the Modern Law Library is undergoing a paradigm shift. Success now depends on the library taking a more active role in the organization, to help support the day-to-day business of law. One such way is providing interdepartmental support. A few examples of this include:

• Embracing new roles in Conflicts Support for new business intake
• Partnering with Marketing to provide competitive intelligence to support the RFP process
• Partnering with IT to identify and beta-test software
• Driving Knowledge Management

Reviewing how the Library functions, it’s processes and what can be changed to increase collaboration and efficiencies to support the business of law is another necessary component to transitioning to a Modern Law Library. What changes can be made to improve access to content, increase usage?

The Modern Library, a business within a business, is not passive in its approach but rather utilizes metrics and analytics to forecast, predict and analyze data as changes occur. Examine what tools are being utilized to collect data on content needs and usage, how often this data is reported, and how this informs the budget development process. Preparing and monitoring annual budgets and working with Finance on cost and recovery of client-related research are important fiscal initiatives. With the cost of resources continuing to rise, data-analysis tools such as Electronic Resource Management (ERM) are invaluable in analyzing usage, preparing for contract renewals and general collection development. No longer a nice-to-have tool, ERMs are essential as the Modern Library moves away from print towards virtualization.

It is no secret that the legal sector is in flux and change, which is the only constant in our organizations. There are changes we can forecast, and there are those we must be able to react to in order to function as a fiscally responsible unit in our organizations. Rather than be a target of downsizing or outsourcing, the Modern Library is innovative and forward-thinking. It strives to carve out new roles within the organization while showcasing the value of resources and staff. Becoming a Modern Law Library is not done overnight, or in a week or month. It is complex and includes many little steps in order for a Law Library to modernize. In sum, the Modern Law Library is a trendsetter, evaluating and embracing new techniques, ideas and technology to help support business processes.

Feit Consulting offers Modern Library Audits, examining and recommending changes to save the firm/organization money, improve efficiencies, and maximize utilization of resources. Contact Feit Consulting today to set up a free consultation on modernizing your Law Library.