Cornell Winston, the president of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL), shared his thoughts in a recent interview about why law librarians should “Be Bold.” This conversation comes at a crucial time as the profession experiences a significant shift from traditional roles to becoming pivotal evaluators of emerging legal technology and information.
Winston, a veteran with 45 years of experience in diverse library settings, brings a comprehensive perspective to law librarianship. His career spans work at a hospital library and notable positions at the former Whittier Law School, as well as prestigious law firms such as Munger, Tolles & Olson and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. Currently, Winston has been serving as a law librarian at the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles for the past 24 years.
Communicating ahead of the AALL’s upcoming annual meeting in Portland, Oregon, Winston underscored the importance of law librarians having “a seat at the table” in their organizations. The meeting, with its theme “Be Bold,” is scheduled for July 19-22, reflecting the urgency for the profession to embrace change and courage.
Winston highlighted the evolving challenges faced by law librarians, which include safeguarding disappearing government information and navigating AI-driven legal research tools. Moreover, he accentuated the critical role law librarians play as strategic partners, moving beyond the perception of mere support staff.
Winston remains optimistic about the profession’s future, even amidst predictions of its decline. He firmly believes in the importance and relevance of qualified librarians, noting, “while Google may find you a million answers, a librarian will find you the best one.”
For further insights into Cornell Winston’s discussion on law librarianship and the journey ahead for the profession, you can read more on LawNext.