Our journey to embedded

1. © Copyright 2013 by K&L Gates. All rights reserved.
Embedded Librarians in a
Law Firm
10 slide in 10 Minutes

2. WHY?
 We were moving offices
 Mobile technologies
 Mobile workforce
 We wanted to be FIRST to move our practice to
the clients floors
 We wanted to control our destiny
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3. WHAT WAS EMBEDDED!
 Three staff and books embedded on three floors.
 We each “look after” a Practice Group.
 We still have a core “development/management
team.”
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4. HOW
 Approval from COO with basic business plan.
 Essentially we just did it.
 We just told everybody we were embedded.
 Sold as better service and better access.
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5. EVERYBODY IS A CRITIC
 “Since we are breaking up the Library…” –
Librarian
 “I miss the Library” – Senior Associate
 “I like books though”- Partner
 “What about the CLR’s” – Senior Counsel
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6. LIBRARIAN KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
 We have regular meetings.
 We discuss Practice Group (PG) personnel
issues.
 We know which Practice Group is busy/not busy.
 We know which Partner needs assistance.
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7. ISSUES
 Captured by practice groups
 Dislocation
 Overwhelmed
 Friendless
 Different practice groups have different cultures
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8. THINGS THAT HELPED
 WE are on PG email distribution lists.
 WE use LinkedIn as a marketing tool.
 WE have offices = perceived as professional.
 WE were FIRST.
 WE are with the Practice Groups.
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9. 7. MAINTAINING OUR ROLE
 WE brand our name on everything as "Your
Embedded Librarian"
 WE send out client specific newsletters
 WE induct new starters
 WE train at desk
 WE run PG Blogs
 WE speak at group meetings
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10. CHALLENGES
 We need to develop some type of IT/KM role for
all with the PGs.
 Virtual Embedded Librarian. Perth the final
frontier.
 Maintaining the enthusiasm.
 Fighting challenges from other Departments who
want to "embed“.
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11. LOTS OF GOOD NEWS STUFF
 The lawyers who I've all spoken to, think the
embedded model is a great idea.
 In 2013 in the USA, 72% of firms are embedding
librarians in practice groups up from 14% in
2012.
 Being embedded means you feel you’re part of
the practice group, and more in the centre of the
action.
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12. LOTS AND LOTS OF GOOD NEWS
 Becoming part of a practice Group, means new
specialties are needed, which means we
develop new skills.
 Being embedded means easy access to L&IS
Staff for all of our lawyers.
 Research queries from Sydney are up this year
by 10% overall.
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