June 2015: Rebecca Martin
Digital & Bibliographic Resources Librarian, Boston University School of Law
1. Why did you join AALLc?
I initially joined AALLc as a new librarian looking to make connections with other Asian American members of the law librarianship community. I’ve maintained my participation since joining as a member of the Communications & Publicity Committee. One of my favorite projects was helping migrate the AALLc newsletter archives onto the new website. It was a long process – not so much because it was difficult work, but because I was constantly distracted reading member profiles and news from years past. It was such an interesting way to learn more about our caucus history, its role within AALL, and its relationship to its members.
2. What do you do as a law librarian?
I manage acquisition, cataloging, access, maintenance and preservation of continuing resources, in all formats, as part of the collection and technical services team. I would say most of my days are spent doing detective work: troubleshooting electronic access and searching for solutions to problems that arise with billing, claiming and processing. I have also been working on making more and more free and open access legal materials and resources discoverable in our library catalog.
3. What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy my work with our library’s Collection Development Committee a great deal. It’s a wonderful opportunity to support and also anticipate faculty, student and alumni scholarly research and practice needs. It’s also a chance for interdepartmental collaboration that I don’t often get with my other responsibilities.
4. What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I try to get away most weekends – even in winter – to go hiking and camping in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I also volunteer a lot of my time at an anti-racism community organization in Boston called Community Change, Inc. There, I help maintain a library of nearly 3,000 books focused on: human and civil rights; slavery and abolitionism; anti-racism trainings and movements; diversity and inclusion; and more – all related to race and racism in the United States. It’s a great opportunity to use my librarianship skills and expertise outside of an academic environment.
5. What is your favorite travel destination in Asia or elsewhere in the world?
I have not had the chance to travel widely within Asia, but I do wish to visit Seoul again soon to see my family there. Elsewhere in the world? I recently returned from a European vacation, and enjoyed my time staying on a houseboat in Amsterdam the most!