Law students don’t often think of law librarianship as a career choice while they’re in law school.  After all, to become a law librarian, you usually have to earn an additional graduate degree (a master’s in library and information science), and the pay for librarians isn’t anywhere close to a first year associate’s salary at a large Bay Area law firm.  However, law librarianship can be a great career choice for law school graduates who truly enjoy research and want a job with a slightly more manageable pace.  If you’re a soon-to-be law school graduate who isn’t sure if practicing law is for you, you might want to consider law librarianship.  There are some attractive fellowship programs that allow you to work part-time while you earn your Master’s in Library Science, such as this recently announced fellowship for aspiring law librarians at the University of Arizona:

The University of Arizona, School of Information Resources and Library Science (SIRLS) and the Law Library of the James E. Rogers College of Law offer a two-year fellowship in law librarianship for lawyers seeking to become law librarians. Successful applicants will work 20 hours a week in the law library while pursuing an M.L.S.

Requirements: 1) J.D. degree from an ABA accredited school; and 2) Admission to the University of Arizona School of Information Resources and Library Science.

Preference given to students with Spanish language skills.

SIRLS Application Process: Application for Admission to Graduate Study; written statement of Introduction; official Transcript from each college or university attended;
resume of educational and work experience; and two letters of recommendation.

Fellowship Application: Cover letter and resume. Cover letter should describe interest in law librarianship. Deadline April 1, 2006.

Send applications to:

Professor Mike Chiorazzi, Assoc. Dean Information Services
Law Library
University Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law
1201. E. Speedway Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85721

Fellowship Information: The successful applicant will work 20 hours a week in the law library. The first year will focus on technical and access services, the second year will focus on public services. The salary is $11,000 a year, plus benefits and tuition remission. (In the current fiscal year the fellowship recipient would pay a program fee of $79 per semester and have the remaining tuition and other fees waived.)