What kind of classes should I take?

For a career in law librarianship, you will also need some subject specialization in the law.  Subject competencies in law include an understanding of the legal system; knowledge of the legal profession and its terminology, including legal abbreviations and citation systems; knowledge of the literature of the law, including the legal documents issued by the various branches of government; and an understanding of the legal requirements and ethical considerations of the legal profession.

Check the breadth and depth of a school's law librarianship course offerings. A group of law librarians, known as the Conference of Law Library Educators, teaches courses in library schools. Syllabi for many courses offered in law librarianship can be found on their webpage.  Law librarians must have skills in legal research, legal bibliography, the organization of legal materials, law library administration, and knowledge of legal information systems.

Most graduate programs also offer coursework on technology's role in organizing and accessing information, and in the latest online technology and library information systems. A good foundation in technology is essential for law librarianship. Law librarians should also be familiar with online databases, such as Westlaw and LexisNexis. Law librarians must be able to help patrons obtain desired information in any format and to facilitate access to library materials via online cataloging and classification.

In addition, internship and fieldwork opportunities offered by a library school are an important consideration. Check out the school's placement or career services department. How will they help you get a job after you earn your degree? You may also want to look at the course offerings in other academic departments of the university you are considering.