7%9%

46%

38%

Paraprofessionals

73%

Average compensation by position

I am satisfied with my compensation

I am satisfied with my job

84% of librarians are not buying e-books

96% of librarians are not supporting e-book readers

71% of libraries have library maintenance agreements with vendors

The average billing

rate for the library

staff was $169.82

Which of the firm’s library functions are centralized?

Contract Negotiations

Acquisitions and Purchasing

Reference and Research Support

Cataloging and Library Automation

Multiple responses were allowed.

Other

91%

87%

55%

4%

Agree

Mostly Agree

Ambivalent

Which department is primarily responsible for marketing research?

Library

Multiple Departments

Business Development

Other

Marketing

52%

28%

10%

7%

2%

Which department is primarily responsible for competitive intelligence?

Library

Business Department

Multiple Developments

Marketing

56%

22%

14%

9%

Do you find that the law librarians are performing more of what has traditionally been considered associate–level research?

YesNo

51%49%

Are researchers being used in place of lawyers for certain work?

YesNo

50%50%

1%

Intranet

3%

Other

What other departments is the library director, or equivalent, responsible for?

Multiple responses were allowed.

Knowledge Management

Conflicts / Intake

Records

CLE11%

Information Systems

11%

Court Services / Docketing

35%

59%

30%

19%

16%

Agree

Mostly Disagree

Ambivalent

Mostly Agree

Mostly Disagree

Totally Disagree

12%

14%

36%36%

Branch Office Librarian

Deputy Librarian

Library Director$159,321

$94,638

$81,543

36% are moving toward using a fixed-rate contract with a sole provider for electronic research.

Of the 36%, 33% are choosing LexisNexis and 67%

are choosing Westlaw

41–60% N/A

40% or <61–80%

81–100%

14%

28%

38%

14%5%

Online charges recoveredfrom clients

How many employees are considered library employees?

Average

Median

12

9

Online cost recovery among Bloomberg, LexisNexis, and Westlaw

LexisNexis is better

Westlaw is better

They are about the same

We don’t recover online charges

1%

53%

14%31%

COMPENSATION

RESOURCES

FINANCES

What is the total 2011 budget for the library’s firmwide operation?

Median

Average

$4,200,000

$6,169,488

What was the 2010 budget?

Median

Average

$3,920,000

$5,308,325

How much did the library spendon staff in 2010 in all offices?

Median

Average

$714,888

$1,031,367

How much revenue did your library generate in 2010 from research librarian billable hours?

Median$145,860

Average$363,800

How many lawyers are in your firm?

How many of the firm’s officeshave libraries and library staff?

Less than half

51%

More than half

27%

Only the main office

16%

All offices

6%4%

48% 48%

50–149 150–499 500+

Head Count: Number of Library Employees (firmwide)

Librarians

Fee Earners43%

76%

44%

29%

13%

24%

13%

3%

15%

7%

4%

6%

8%

5%

11%

OPERATIONS DEMOGRAPHICS

I am satisfied with thefirm’s business direction forthe library

Agree Mostly Agree

Ambivalent Mostly Disagree

42%30%

19% 10%

What integrated library system does your firm use?

Multiple responses were allowed.

3%

EOS Int’l

SirsiDynix

In–house

Softlink

Sima Camelot

Sydney Plus

Innovation Interfaces

InMagic

Other

4%4%

5%

43%

19%

10%

9%

8%

Firm spending on electronic resources in 2010 (excluding LexisNexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg)

Median

Average

$692,000

$1,068,628

1–5 6–10 11–15 16–20 20+

How much did the firm spend on research in 2010?

$1,666,545

$1,412,172

$83,812

$1,300,000

$775,345

$43,577Median

Average

Westlaw

LexisNexis

Bloomberg

On average, a full-time research staff member bills 307 hours annually

57% of firms have librarians playing a more active role in the firm’s knowledge management efforts than three years ago

68% outsource library functions or operations

78% of firms did not hire more people for its knowledge management in 2010

81% of head librarians are not a part of the executive management committee

How would you describe the technological sophistication of your knowledge management?

On the cutting–edge

Moderately sophisticated, not trying to

catch up

Trying to catch up with the leaders

Our KM systemsare old, and we don’t

have the resources to catch up

9%

17%35%

40%

On average, a firm runs 12 offices

© 2011 The American Lawyer

LAw LIbRARIAN SURvEy 2011

To whom does the library director, or equivalent, report?

COO, Director of Administration, Executive Director

51%

CIO, IT Director

22%

CKO, Director of Knowledge Management

7%

Other15%

Managing Partner4%

CFO, Finance Director

1%

From 2009 to 2010, 82% of firms increased spending on e-resources (excluding Westlaw, LexisNexis, and Bloomberg)