Role of the Legal Information Offer

Covers the ever-changing role of the legal 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. In essence, the book analyses the changing role of the law information officer and serves as a practical survival guide. The author Trevor Harvey is an Information Officer at Clifford Chance. Its contents include: Personnel - qualifications, skills needed; types of personnel working as information staff and their different roles, such as supervisory, purchasing hard copy and online material; the jobs of administration, researching; indexing, cataloguing and classification; building databases, intranets; and providing current awareness services. Management include: - how to manage stock (covering practical management, legal and technical issues): hard copy material and electronic information; how to manage information staff and other personnel; the budget - setting/negotiating prioritising and planning; being a one 'man' band - how to operate as a single operator in charge of a small library. Research and enquiries include: - who asks the questions (partners, lawyers, trainee lawyers and support staff); the psychology of the user; how to deal with and assist the user, including how much help should you give; knowing your sources - if you don't know the answer, where can you look? Marketing and promoting your service include: raising your profile within the department/firm - methods such as current awareness bulletins, team meetings, training sessions, tours, targeting particular user groups. It also includes a discussion of the practicalities of these issues and relative merits. Personal growth and development include:- get out from behind your PC (how to get as high a profile as possible)!; outside the work place - the art of networking! The future of the info.