IS Associate Professor and Alumna co-author publication, receive AALL Legal Literature award

IS Associate Professor, Dr. Yvonne Chandler, and IS alumna and former lecturer, Dr. Michele Villagran are co-authors of a publication that has been awarded the 2019 Joseph L. Andrews Legal Literature Award by the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL).

Yvonne Chandler
     Dr. Yvonne Chandler

The book, titled "Celebrating Diversity: A Legacy of Minority Leadership in the American Association of Law Libraries" (2nd edition) is written and edited by Shamika D. Dalton and co-authored by Dr. Yvonne J. Chandler, Vicente E. Garces, Dennis C. Kim-Prieto, Carol Avery Nicholson, and Dr. Michele A. L. Villagran. The book was published in September 2018.

Presented annually, the Joseph L. Andrews Legal Literature Award is a prestigious honor that recognizes a significant textual contribution to legal literature. Nominations are measured by their creative, evaluative elements, originality and judgment factored into the work's formation.

“I was so honored to be a part of the great team that wrote the second edition of the book - Celebrating Diversity," said Chandler. “I was selected to be included in the first edition as a leader in law librarianship. To be asked by Carol Avery Nicholson, the first Black President of AALL to work on this project was more than an honor, but a pleasure. She has been a mentor and role model for me and my students. I had a fantastic experience working with this group of law librarians to research the up and coming generation of librarians, and to conduct the survey of minority of librarians, that resulted in a snapshot of where we are and future thinking.”

The book is an expansion of the first edition and provides new insights that include comparative survey data and profiles highlighting the accomplishments of participating law librarians. It explores the history of ethnic diversity within AALL and the critical role of minority law librarians in organizations and democratic society. New and future leaders in AALL are profiled, including Dr. Chandler who is featured in the “Enduring Legacy: Leaders and Mentors” chapter, and Dr. Villagran who is featured in the section on “Leaders of Today”.

Michele Villagran
     Dr. Michele Villagran

“I am deeply honored to receive the Joseph L. Andrews Legal Literature Award along with our esteemed editor and co-authors," said Michele. "To be recognized by my peers for work on something as important as the celebration of diversity of law librarianship is very special. This second edition is so important as it demonstrates the growth of diversity within our profession, and the many accomplishments of those who contributed to this edition. Thank you to AALL for their continued support and appreciation of minority law librarians within our profession,” continued Villagran.

The award recipients will be honored at the upcoming AALL Annual Meeting & Conference, to be held in Washington, D.C. from July 13-16, 2019.

“The Joseph L. Andrews Legal Literature Award is one of the most prestigious awards given by AALL. I have been working in law librarianship since 1980 and have been an active member of AALL. Each year I attend the Awards Celebration and watch as others have been honored. It will be a true gift to stand before my Association, along with my colleagues, to accept this award before my friends and fellow law librarians," added Chandler.  

The book is available for purchase on the publisher’s website or through Amazon.