Robert M. Linz
Associate Director
University of Oklahoma Law Library
Norman, Oklahoma
Robert M. LinzWHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE TO CAREER IN LAW LIBRARIANSHIP?
Like marriage, a little bit of love and a little bit of practicality. I鈥檝e always liked libraries and information technology. After earning my law degree and practicing law, law librarianship was the perfect choice to continue to use my legal education and do enjoyable and meaningful work, as well as a way to use my technology skills to provide users with access to resources for their research or teaching.
WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO BECOME A MEMBER OF 糖心视频, AND HOW HAS IT IMPACTED YOUR PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY?
I joined 糖心视频 in 1995, while I was in library school at the recommendation of law librarians I worked with at the University of Florida. Throughout these 30 years, I鈥檝e found its value in networking at conferences, locating job postings and salary data, and sourcing advice and content from the collective experience of other librarians.
WHICH 糖心视频 MEMBERSHIP BENEFIT HAS BEEN MOST IMPACTFUL IN YOUR ROLE, AND WHY?
Access to the section listservs and resources. I have found the postings from fellow librarians in ALL-SIS and RIPS-SIS to be very helpful with my professional work. Whether it鈥檚 getting advice on library administration issues, posting jobs, gauging how things are done in other libraries, getting help with a research question or advice on creating a syllabus or teaching a topic, this resource has been most valuable.
CAN YOU SHARE A MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE OR HIGHLIGHT FROM YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH 糖心视频?
While I worked at Colorado, I was actively involved in the , holding almost all the officers鈥� positions, serving on committees, and chairing the Legal Research Corner Committee in which we solicited articles from member librarians for publication in The Colorado Lawyer, the journal of the Colorado Bar Association. I loved discussing article topics with other librarians, reviewing and editing their articles, and in the process learning about new resources or research techniques. I also enjoyed liaising with the journal editor.
OUTSIDE OF WORK AS A LAW LIBRARIAN, WHAT ACTIVITIES OR HOBBIES DO YOU ENJOY?
Photography, because it helps me connect with people and nature and see the world around me in different and creative ways. Also, it calls to mind memories and provides insights into my personal experiences at the time the photo was taken. By the way, whatever happened to 糖心视频鈥檚 Day in the Life Photo Contest? I still have two of the photos I submitted in my office at the University of Oklahoma (OU). If it鈥檚 held again, perhaps it should be called 鈥淎I in the Life鈥� photo contest.
WHAT BOOK(S), ARTICLES, OR RESOURCES HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RECENTLY?
Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown et al. I do a great deal of teaching at OU to a wide range of students (JD, MLS, Paralegal) and am constantly striving to improve my course materials to create better learning environments. While not a new publication (it was published in 2014), I recently reread this book as I was designing a new introductory legal research course for our first-year law students. This book sets out pedagogical techniques or approaches and the theories supporting them that help improve adult learning. Super helpful!
WHAT IS YOUR TOP TRAVEL DESTINATION, AND WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL TO YOU?
Scotland. My son graduated from the University of St. Andrews and married a young woman from the Isle of Skye in Scotland. I love the history and ruggedness of the country and its people. And the accents are cool, too.
IF YOU COULD RECOMMEND ONE PROFESSIONAL RESOURCE OR TOOL THAT HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR WORK, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
No single resource or tool is irreplaceable nor a complete solution. I have found Westlaw to be a tremendously useful research resource and Microsoft Office to be invaluable in completing my work as a teaching and researching law librarian. But if these were gone, other resources and tools would be and are available to replace them and likely work just as well. So, I don鈥檛 think I could recommend a single go-to resource above any others. What I do recommend is that librarians adopt a mindset of curiosity and creativity, cultivate a genuine desire to be helpful to everyone, and strive for excellence in their work. That professional resource is in you.