Editor's note: The 2013 Law Librarian Survey will be presented at the American Association of Law Libraries Annual Meeting and Conference on Tuesday, July 16, from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. in the Sheraton Seattle Hotel, The Ravenna Room.
By now, it's a phrase that law firm library directors likely hear in their sleep. "Do more with less" was a mantra through the recession; it guided library strategies and triggered cuts to staff, collections, and physical space. But now it's become more than just a motto — it's standard operating procedure in a fledgling, uneven recovery. The American Lawyer's 12th annual Law Librarian Survey finds that, financial uptick not withstanding, the pressure to contain costs continues, clients are even more reluctant to pay for research than they were a year ago, and negotiations with vendors — never exactly a festive occasion — are still often contentious.
