Today I am summarizing the process initiatives submitted by readers responding to the Start Stop Poll.

The 2016-17 initiatives focus on: visibility outreach, targeted marketing, lawyer training and collecting attorney feedback and measuring value and satisfaction with resources and services. The more surprising response was a plea for the retention of print resources.

 Could we have reached the end of “the end of print?”
I have been reading a book called “The Revenge of Analog” which offers a fascinating catalog of “dead” analog formats which are being revived and re-positioned in new higher end niche markets: phonographic records, 35 millimeter film and yes… print magazines and books. Today my Sunday Washington Post – yes I read a paper newspaper –included a new “ Weekly TV Guide.”  I thought they eliminated the TV Guide over 10 years ago.
And then… there was in this year’s survey responses  I discovered a plea to slow the relentless elimination of print. “Stop eliminating print treatises that lawyers want to read the
old-fashioned way. Enough of the architects and finance people driving this: Our associates want print copies of the best books, and research shows that full absorption of knowledge is best achieved when reading print media.”
While every firm is at a different stage of migration from print to digital some firms may have reached the bone – there is no more to cut. Other firms will continue to eliminate print – but perhaps print will stabilize. There will be a core set of resources that will be deemed by firms and practices as necessary and worth the cost and the overhead.
Describe any ORGANIZATIONAL (task/process/initiative) that you STOPPED in 2016 or plan to STOP in 2017?

 

  • We stopped buying about 50% more of our print
    collection.
  • We stopped using ref tracker as we found it no
    longer worked for us and are looking at other ways to track reference requests.
  • KF call numbers
  • Posting upcoming training sessions on our SharePoint
    page (No one ever read them.)
  • We stopped creating a separate “classes
    with online materials” page on the law school website
  • Since we have reduced our collection, we no
    longer have a need to outsource our filing.
  • No longer keeping any ABA periodicals in print
  • Retired our legacy news delivery home-grown
    service.
  • Research team to focus on complex research. All Document
    retrieval  to be handled by
    paraprofessional team
  • Stopped daily review of new cases files.
  • Stopped doing new client intake research for new
    business department.

 

Describe any ORGANIZATIONAL (task/process/initiative) that you STARTED in 2016
·
We began analyzing usage of Courthouse News and its effectiveness in acquiring new business.

 

  • Improved data tracking of invoices to better see
    practice group allocation of resources.
  • Started tracking filing time/budget by title to
    target high maintenance print resources.
  • Started to revamp desk book distribution methods
    in effort to turn some titles digital.
  • Expanded the content and number of Lexis Advance
    Resource Centers (eLibraries)
  • More streamlined accounting
  • We added several more custom curated newsletters
    for practice groups
  • Switched
    news aggregation platform.
  • Systematic procedures to “market” the
    library’s services using “triggers” such as a new client, lawyer
    promotion.
  • We started getting in front of attorneys
    more.  Our plan is to do a ton of travel
    in 2017.
  • Replacing Manzama with  EOS
  • We’ve started including the clinic in our
    technology lectures
  • Enhanced data Collection
  • Supporting legal project manager
  • Competitive Intelligence team moved from
    marketing to Research and Knowledge team.
  • Litigation History Checklist Legal Research
    Competencies Self-Assessment Tool (based on AALL competencies)

 

Describe any ORGANIZATIONAL (task/process/initiative) you plan to START in 2017

 

  • Legal Research Platform RFP  eLearning Modules
  • Adding a 4-question survey to responses to requests, encouraging customers to comment on our service.
  • We are looking into KM and the also how to possibly apply AI to our practices.
  • Re-vamp the intranet and increase the library’s offerings of practice-group specific resource links and suggested research starting points.
  • Creating an internal knowledge repository for the library.
  • Writing procedure and policy manuals and cross training staff.
  • We are starting to drive use to specific online resources over print on a practice group basis
  • Improve real-time client pages using Thomson Reuters Intelligence Center
  • Knowledge platform revamp.
  • Focus will be on a number of knowledge management tools that bring efficiency to the practice.
  • Launch a new firm Intranet.
  • Launch SmartTasks
  • Launch LexisNewDesk and BNA Convergence dashboards
  • Relaunch a newly envisioned Knowledge services bulletin
  • Move off of CNS dockets to Bloomberg Enterprise dockets/Westlaw Dockets.
  • Install Research Hub
  • We plan to start including the incubatees in our technology lectures
  • Redesign our library’s Intranet page
  • Space planning
  • Reboot KM
  • Migrate from RefTraker to Quest
  • Making more presentations to practice groups and surveying the attorneys to find out what they use the most and what they would like to learn.
  • GeniePlus [Lucidea product] library management system. Upgrading from Inmagic DBTextWorks.
  • All document retrieval shifted away from research specialists and sent to document retrieval team in low cost center.