LIT-SIS Strategic Plan 2025–2027 Mission Statement: Innovating with Purpose. Leading with Expertise

Posted on Posted in Posts

By Michael Robak, Chair, LIT-SIS Strategic Planning Committee
(Committee Members: Patricia Barbone, Will Monroe, Susan Azyndar, Teresa Myers, and Victor Chavez)

As part of the LIT-SIS strategic planning process for 2025–2027, the following draft Mission Statements have been developed to reflect the values, aspirations, and evolving role of law librarians in all sectors—academic, government, and private practice. They are grounded in AALL’s strategic priorities and inspired by the bold spirit of innovation that defines our membership.

Our ever-intriguing AI co-pilots have some thoughts on a new Mission Statement.  Some of the suggestions that we think make a compelling start.

  1. ChatGPT Team suggestions:
  2. The Legal Innovation & Technology Special Interest Section (LIT-SIS) of AALL exists to reimagine what is possible for legal information professionals working across academic institutions, government agencies, and private law organizations. We believe the future of our profession demands audacity, creativity, and unity of purpose.

Guided by an unwavering commitment to collaboration and inclusion, we empower law librarians to lead with vision and act with impact—no matter their setting. Through innovation in legal technologies, ethical leadership, and strategic foresight, we aim to shape a profession that anticipates change, embraces experimentation, and elevates the role of law libraries in every sector of legal practice and education.

  1. “We make bold plans.”
    In the face of relentless technological change and evolving information landscapes, the Legal Innovation & Technology Special Interest Section of AALL commits to shaping the future of legal information. We champion transformative innovation—grounded in purpose, driven by curiosity, and scaled with intention.

We believe that big ideas, thoughtfully imagined and collaboratively realized, are essential to empowering law librarians and legal information professionals. Through strategic partnerships, cutting-edge tools, inclusive education, and fearless experimentation, we aim to ignite leadership, foster adaptability, and elevate the role of law libraries as engines of access, equity, and excellence.

We will not merely keep pace—we will set it.

  1. We make bold plans—grounded in purpose, driven by innovation, and unified in our vision for the future of law librarianship.

The Legal Innovation & Technology Special Interest Section (LIT-SIS) of AALL empowers law librarians across academic, government, and private sectors to lead in a rapidly evolving legal landscape. Our mission is to champion innovation, foster cross-sector collaboration, and equip our members with the tools, skills, and vision to anticipate and shape the future of legal information.

We are committed to:

  • Advancing equitable access to justice through technology;
  • Elevating the professional growth of our members through inclusive education and leadership development;
  • Advocating for the transformative role of law librarians in the delivery of legal services and knowledge;
  • Creating a vibrant, forward-thinking community that experiments, adapts, and leads.

We do not settle for incremental change.
We design big, bold strategies—because the future of law demands nothing less.

  1. Boodlebox
    1. Claude Sonnet 3.7

The mission of the Legal Information Technology Special Interest Section (LIT-SIS) of the American Association of Law Libraries is:

To champion bold, transformative visions for the integration of technology in legal information services.

To serve as the premier forum for the exchange of innovative ideas, cutting-edge information, and specialized knowledge about emerging technologies that are fundamentally reshaping the practice of law and legal information management.

To lead the profession in anticipating technological change, fostering digital literacy, and developing forward-thinking competencies that position law librarians as essential partners in navigating the increasingly complex intersection of law, information science, and technology.

To empower law librarians to become catalysts for technological advancement within their organizations, demonstrating the critical role of information professionals in harnessing artificial intelligence, data analytics, and other transformative technologies to enhance legal research, knowledge management, and access to justice.

To cultivate a collaborative community that bridges traditional boundaries between legal education, practice, and technology, preparing our profession to thrive in an era where technological fluency is inseparable from legal information expertise.

  1. Llama 4 Maverick

The Legal Information Technology Special Interest Section (LIT-SIS) of the American Association of Law Libraries is committed to embracing bold, transformative visions that align with Daniel Burnham’s principle of “Make no little plans.” We aim to lead the profession in harnessing the power of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, to revolutionize legal information services and enhance access to justice.

Our mission is multifaceted:

  1. To provide a dynamic forum for the exchange of innovative ideas, cutting-edge information, and specialized knowledge about technologies that are reshaping the legal landscape.
  2. To serve a leadership role in the ongoing professional development of law librarians, equipping them with the skills necessary to evaluate, implement, and leverage new technologies that impact legal education and practice.
  3. To empower law librarians to be at the forefront of technological advancement in their organizations, demonstrating their critical role in advancing the understanding and strategic use of technology in the legal sector.
  4. To foster a collaborative community that bridges traditional boundaries between legal education, practice, and technology, with a particular focus on how AI and other emerging technologies can be harnessed to improve access to justice.

By maintaining continuity with our past mission while embracing the challenges and opportunities of the future, LIT-SIS is poised to make a meaningful impact on the legal information landscape.

  1. Claude 4.0 Opus

LIT-SIS Mission Statement 2025-2027

Inspired by Daniel Burnham’s exhortation to “Make no little plans,” the Legal Information Technology Special Interest Section (LIT-SIS) of the American Association of Law Libraries embraces a bold vision for the transformative role of technology in law librarianship and the practice of law.

Our mission is to:

**Champion Visionary Leadership** in the age of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, positioning law librarians as essential architects of the digital transformation reshaping legal information services, education, and practice.

**Foster Dynamic Exchange** through a vibrant forum where law librarians collaborate, innovate, and share cutting-edge knowledge about technologies that are revolutionizing how legal information is created, accessed, analyzed, and applied.

**Drive Professional Excellence** by leading the ongoing development of law librarians as they master, implement, and strategically deploy AI-powered tools, advanced analytics, and emerging technologies to serve their communities with unprecedented effectiveness.

**Advance Access to Justice** by harnessing technology’s democratizing potential, ensuring that innovations in legal information services bridge gaps in legal representation and empower underserved populations to navigate the legal system.

**Shape the Future of Legal Practice** by demonstrating how law librarians serve as indispensable partners in their organizations, guiding the ethical and effective integration of AI and other transformative technologies while preserving the human expertise essential to justice.

In this era of profound technological change, LIT-SIS commits to thinking boldly, acting strategically, and ensuring that law librarians remain at the forefront of innovation—not merely adapting to change, but actively shaping a more accessible, efficient, and equitable legal ecosystem for all.