Law Librarianship in the Age of AI

"Law Librarianship in the Age of AI" by Ellyssa Kroski is a comprehensive guide to the evolving role of law librarians in an era dominated by artificial intelligence (AI). Here is a detailed overview of the book, including its key themes, plot summary, and critical reception:

Key Themes

1. AI in Law Librarianship:

   • The book explores how AI is transforming various aspects of law librarianship, including legal research, contract review, compliance, and administration.

2. Benefits and Risks of AI:

   • It discusses the benefits of AI in law librarianship, such as improved efficiency in legal research and document review, while also highlighting the associated risks, including bias and privacy concerns.

3. Ethical Considerations:

   • The book delves into four professional ethics rules that apply to the use or non-use of AI, emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations in AI implementation.

4. Future Trends and Skills Development:

   • It examines the potential for chatbots and new natural language processing products to improve access to justice and discusses ways to develop sought-after skills through new technology departments, practice management groups, and legal innovation labs.

Plot Summary

The book is structured around several chapters that cover various aspects of AI in law librarianship. Here is a brief summary of the chapters:

1. Introduction:

   • The preface and introduction set the stage for the book, highlighting the impact of AI on the legal profession and the evolving roles for law librarians.

2. Core Concepts of AI:

   • Chapter 1 provides an overview of the core concepts necessary for savvy law librarians, including definitions and foundational principles of AI.

3. Machine Learning Insights:

   • Chapter 2 explores surprising machine-learning insights from tokenizing, stemming, and lemmatizing the text of Shakespeare’s plays, demonstrating the application of AI in unexpected domains.

4. Types of AI Tools in Law:

   • Chapter 3 discusses the various types of AI tools available in the legal field, including their applications and limitations.

5. AI Tools and Applications:

   • Chapter 4 delves into specific AI tools and their applications in law, such as RAVN ACE and FastCase, which are used to streamline due diligence and document review.

6. Law Libraries Embracing AI:

   • Chapter 5 examines how law libraries are integrating AI into their operations, including the development of innovation centers to explore AI and the law.

7. Opportunities for Law Librarians:

   • Chapter 6 identifies opportunities for law librarians in the age of AI, including new roles and career paths that emerge from the integration of AI.

8. AI and Legal Research:

   • Chapter 7 discusses how AI is changing legal research, including the use of machine learning to refine legal searches and case analysis.

9. AI in Legal Education:

   • Chapter 8 explores how AI is impacting legal education, including the integration of AI technology into law school curricula.

10. Access to Justice in the Age of AI:

    • Chapter 9 examines the potential for chatbots and natural language processing products to improve access to justice.

11. Benefits, Drawbacks, and Risks of AI:

    • Chapter 10 provides a comprehensive analysis of the benefits, drawbacks, and risks associated with the use of AI in law librarianship.

12. Ethics in the Use of AI: A Lawyer’s Perspective:

    • Chapter 11 discusses the ethical implications of using AI in legal practice, including the application of professional ethics rules to AI use.

13. The Future of AI in Law Libraries:

    • Chapter 12 offers a vision for the future of AI in law libraries, highlighting the potential for AI to enhance legal research and library services.

14. AI Resources:

    • Chapter 13 provides a list of resources for further learning and implementation of AI in law libraries.

Critical Reception

The book has received positive reviews from various sources:

• Winner of the 2020 Joseph L. Andrews Legal Literature Award:

  • The book was recognized for its outstanding contribution to legal literature by the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL).

• Booklist Review:

  • The reviewer noted that the book provides sage advice on incorporating AI into daily practice and creating new opportunities, roles, and careers, making it applicable to librarians in other disciplines.

• AALL Spectrum Review:

  • The reviewer highly recommended the book for its efficiency in getting up to speed on current and future roles of AI in the profession.

• Technical Services Quarterly Review:

  • The reviewer praised the book as a