GPLLA’s annual elections will be held in-person at the upcoming May 7 gathering at Devil's Alley Bar & Grill. Please be sure to register in advance.

GPLLA is seeking two candidates for director-at-large positions and volunteers for various Committee roles. Complete this form to express your interest in working with GPLLA this year. These are great positions for both new and experienced individuals. The only required qualification is a desire to make GPLLA’s coming year a success!  

The director-at-large positions are important to shaping the work of GPLLA and provide excellent opportunities for networking, leadership experience, and professional development. If you would like to learn more about serving as a director-at-large, please contact Paul Riermaier.

GPLLA is also seeking volunteers for Committee roles. In particular, we are seeking volunteers for the Nominations Committee, Grants and Scholarship Committee, and Education and Programming Committee. Committee work is an easy way to stay involved with GPLLA and can serve as a stepping stone to AALL SIS roles. Basic committee information is available on the GPLLA website or contact Paul Riermaier for more information.

Be sure to register for and attend our May 7 meeting to help shape the future of GPLLA and reconnect with friends and colleagues. And complete the interest form if you would like to work with GPLLA in the coming year.

The Greater Philadelphia Law Library Association is pleased to welcome Mark Podvia for a lunchtime Zoom talk on Thursday, June 27, at noon (EST).  Mark will discuss the 1869 murder case Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Paul Schoeppe, which involved a wealthy spinster's death; a will leaving her entire estate to her doctor, Paul Schoeppe; and an autopsy revealing traces of prussic acid, a deadly poison.  The case changed how medical evidence was presented and appeals were conducted in criminal cases.

Mark Podvia, a member of the emeritus faculty of the Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University, has authored over 75 articles and reviews, and in 2022 he published The Strange Case of Dr. Paul Schoeppe, which details the fascinating events surrounding Maria Steinnecke's death.

Please register at https://temple.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUqc-yrrTsiH9Wl-V1v90pb3KNCZ8HtanHP.  If you have any questions, please contact Julie Randolph at julie.randolph@temple.edu.

Join the Social Responsibilities Committee on June 20 at Noon on Zoom for a panel discussion that will explore the moral, ethical, and legal issues at the nexus of artificial intelligence and law libraries.  More information, including how to register, is available on Education page of the GPLLA Website.

Check out the Education tab of the GPLLA website for information about Grant and Scholarship opportunities.

GPLLA is seeking nominations for its Board of Directors! We are looking to fill the following positions for terms beginning in June 2024:

·      President

• Vice President / President-Elect

·      Treasurer

·      Secretary

·      Director-at-Large

As a member of the GPLLA Board, you can help contribute to the law library community by planning educational programming and social events, organizing volunteer projects, administering scholarships, and more. Being on the GPLLA Board is also a wonderful opportunity for professional development and networking. New members are welcome! 

If you are interested in being on the Board or want more information, please contact Charlie Perkins at charles.perkins@temple.edu.

Please plan to join the Greater Philadelphia Law Library Association (GPLLA) for its annual educational institute.  The theme of this year's institute is Keeping it Local.  The institute will be held Wednesday, March 20th, at Kline Institute of Trial Advocacy, 1200 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, with a Happy Hour to follow.  We are excited to see you there.  Registration is now available by clicking on the Events tab of the GPLLA homepage. If you have any questions, please get in touch with charles.perkins@temple.edu.

GPLLA's Nominations Committee is pleased to announce the election of two at-large Executive Board members, Lizzie Yazvac (Temple Law Library) and Scott DeMaris (Reed Smith LLP) based on a vote of GPLLA members in attendance at our spring meeting. Congratulations to Lizzie and Scott! We would also like to thank Brianne Scott (Holland & Knight LLP) for her candidacy. 

GPLLA is still seeking a candidate for Vice-President. Please e-mail gplla.web@gmail.com if you are interested!

GPLLA is proud to announce that our Social Responsibilities Committee (SRC) has won the 2023 Dr. Joel Fishman Professional Publication Award from AALL's Government Law Libraries SIS for Pennsylvania Legal Research 101: About the Law and How to Find It, a guide to help the general public research federal, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia law.

The guide was co-authored by GPLLA SRC Chair Kristen Matteucci (Reference Librarian, Jenkins Law Library) and members Eric Berg (Senior Research Analyst, Holland & Knight LLP), John Cannan (Faculty Scholarship Librarian & Legal Research Instructor, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law), Andrew Lang (Head of Reference & Student Services, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School), Mary Cate Matta (Research Librarian, Duane Morris LLP), and Paul Riermaier (Reference Librarian, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School).

Our 2023 Executive Board elections are coming soon! Please submit names of individuals who would make strong candidates for the following board positions:

• Vice-President/President-Elect: One-year term as Vice-President followed by one-year term as President and one-year term as Immediate Past President (total three-year membership on the Executive Board)
  
• Director-at-Large (two positions): Two-year term

You can find more information about these positions in GPLLA's Bylaws.

Candidates of all backgrounds and experience levels are welcome! Self-nominations are accepted and encouraged!

Please send your suggestions or self-nomination to the Nominations Committee at gplla.web@gmail.com no later than Monday, April 24.

Curious about court libraries? Join us on Tuesday, April 11th at 12 pm for a virtual Lunch & Learn with Michael Hayes, Third Circuit Libraries Manager of Research Services, and Jamie Knizner, Washington County Courts Law Librarian.  We'll discuss the work of Pennsylvania federal and state court librarians and dispel some court library myths along the way.

Click here to view a recording of the event.