Law Libraries Archives - Softlink Information Centres

SCALL Institute 2026: Supporting Law Librarians in Tribal and Federal Indian Law Research

Softlink IC was proud to participate in the 54th SCALL Institute, held February 20–21, 2026 at the Riviera Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, California. This year’s institute theme was, “Tribal and Federal Indian Law: Practice and Policy”.

5 Library System Features You Could Be Using (But You Probably Aren’t)

Today, most special libraries and archives aren’t taking full advantage of their current library management systems. Not because the tools aren’t there, but because it’s time consuming to explore everything between daily tasks like urgent research requests, maintaining compliance, or supporting internal projects.

How Librarians Are More Important Than Ever in the Age of AI

Artificial intelligence is no longer experimental in libraries. It already supports search, discovery, metadata creation, content analysis, and user services.

Softlink IC: Your 2025 Wrapped

This year wasn’t just about software updates or company events; it was about our customers navigating digital change with our products. Across the sectors, we noticed the main benefits our systems provided were – time-saved, manual work reduction, and improvement in both resource discoverability and reporting strength. These helped deliver clearer outcomes to our customers’ organizations for 2025.

How to Build a Business Case for a New Integrated Library System (ILS)

You already know your current system isn’t meeting your needs, but how do you get key decision-makers to see this, and convince them it’s time for a change?

Highlights from Our 2025 User Group Meetings in Brisbane, Melbourne & Wellington

Each year, we bring our community together through our User Group Meetings (UGMs) – one of our favourite ways to connect with customers, share updates, and celebrate the innovation happening in libraries. In October 2025, the Softlink IC team hosted UGMs across Brisbane, Melbourne, and Wellington, bringing together professionals from every sector to learn, collaborate, and discuss what’s next for Liberty Digital and illumin.

Libraries Lead the Way: Inside Softlink IC’s AI Library Challenge

Could AI help solve everyday library challenges? That’s the question Softlink IC posed during this year’s User Group Meetings (UGMs) – and the results were surprising.

How to Make Research Faster with Filters, Search, and Pinned Views In illumin

A Knowledge and Research Management System helps research teams organize their workflows efficiently, reducing time spent searching for information and increasing productivity. Softlink IC’s illumin, provides features such as filters, advanced search, and pinning views so teams can streamline their research workflows, track requests, and surface the insights that matter. Here’s a closer look at how these features help research teams work smarter.

Softlink IC at IALL 2025: Sharing Ideas and Listening to Law Librarians

Softlink Information Centers (Softlink IC) recently attended the 43rd Annual Course of the International Association of Law Libraries (IALL), held in Houston, Texas, from October 19–23, 2025.

Smarter Subscription Tracking: Introducing Liberty Digital’s New Electronic Resource Management Module

Today’s special libraries rely heavily on digital subscriptions – legal databases, research portals, industry journals, and more. But managing these valuable assets often means wrestling with spreadsheets, tracking renewals manually, and responding to questions about costs without clear answers.

The Complete Guide to Choosing a New Integrated Library System (ILS) in 2025

In today’s rapidly evolving world of library and information management, choosing the right Integrated Library System (ILS) can transform your library’s operations and enhance the user experience. This guide will walk you through what an ILS can do for your organization, the key considerations to keep in mind, the must-have features to look for, and the practical steps to make the right choice. And if you pair it with our latest webinar, Time to Switch? How to Know (and Do) an ILS Upgrade Right, you’ll have both the strategy and the confidence to take your next step.

Why You Should Always Encourage Patrons to Explore Digital Archives First

In today’s fast-paced digital world, it’s essential for corporate, legal, government, and special libraries to encourage teams and stakeholders to explore digital archives first for smarter, more secure, and more efficient research. With solutions like Liberty Digital, you can collect, preserve, and provide long-term access to digitized or born-digital materials, making critical information available anytime, anywhere. Whether it’s case files, reports, policy papers, or multimedia records, digital archives offer a searchable, organized alternative to physical files – saving time and supporting better discovery. Promoting these resources early helps staff find what they need faster, reduces wear on physical collections, and meets modern expectations for on-demand access and compliance.

Strengthening Skills and Connections – A Look Back at Our Week in Papua New Guinea

On Friday 18 July, Softlink IC wrapped up a week on the ground in Papua New Guinea, delivering in-person Liberty Digital training for the National and Supreme Courts. Led by Sarah Thompson and Jacob Devine, the sessions brought together court librarians from across the country, all eager to sharpen their skills and build confidence in the system.

Connecting with Law Librarians at CALL 2025 in Canada

Softlink Information Centers (IC) recently attended the Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL) Conference, held from May 25–28, 2025, at the Westin Calgary. The sunshine and good weather held out for a great week of conversations, networking, and sharing ideas with the Canadian legal information community.

The Solo Librarian’s Secret Weapon: How to Boost Library Engagement

Solo librarians juggle multiple roles, balancing marketing, support, research, and library management. While balancing all of this, how can you transform your library into a dynamic, engaging hub? This blog recaps some of the practical strategies we covered in a recent webinar that will make your library irresistible.

How to Host Your Library in the Cloud – A Beginner’s Guide

As we navigate the digital transformation of libraries, understanding the role of cloud hosting in managing library systems is crucial. This guide aims to demystify cloud hosting and explain why it’s a smart choice for your library.

5 Things You Didn’t Know Your Library System Could Do

Integrated Library Systems (ILS) have come a long way and our ILS, Liberty, is at the forefront of this evolution. Over the years, Liberty has introduced many innovative features designed to make managing your library’s resources easier and more efficient.

Softlink Information Centers Shines at BIALL and CALL Conferences

Softlink Information Centers had an exciting and productive June, participating in two major events: the British & Irish Association of Law Librarians (BIALL) Conference in Leeds, United Kingdom, and the Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL) Conference in Montreal, Canada. Both conferences provided fantastic opportunities to connect with our customers and meet new prospects.

Where to Find Softlink IC in 2024: A Year of Learning, Innovation, and Connections

As 2024 unfolds, Softlink Information Centres is delighted to announce our active participation in a diverse array of conferences and events worldwide. This year, we’re seizing more opportunities to showcase our flagship products: Liberty, an integrated library management system, and illumin, our pioneering Knowledge & Research Management platform.

Meet Us in London: Softlink IC at the CILIP Supplier Showcase, May 1st 2024

Softlink Information Centers (Softlink IC) is delighted to share that we will be at the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) Supplier Showcase. Scheduled for 1 May 2024, this one-day event will take place at 113 Chancery Lane, London. On the day, attendees can meet with leading suppliers of library management solutions in a non-sales environment. They will have the opportunity to experience product demonstrations, discuss their specific needs, and build connections with suppliers.

Liberty Link: The Key to a 24/7 Library in Your Pocket

In today’s digital era, libraries are adapting to new technologies to enhance their services and user engagement. Softlink IC’s mobile app Liberty Link is designed to provide easy access to your Liberty catalog directly from your mobile device.

5 Easy Steps to Digitization In Your Library: A Beginners Guide

The digital revolution has transformed the way we access and interact with information. For libraries, knowledge and information centers, this revolution presents a unique opportunity to extend their reach and impact. By digitizing your collection, you can make your resources more accessible and relevant in today’s digital world. Follow these five easy steps to successfully start digitizing your library.

Revolutionizing Law Libraries – Essential Features of Library Management Tools

In the ever-evolving landscape of legal libraries, the integration of advanced library management software is emerging as a crucial element in modernizing these knowledge hubs. With legal professionals grappling with increasingly complex research demands, selecting the right Integrated Library System (ILS) is becoming essential. This blog explores seven key features of an ideal law library management system.

New Year, New Goals – 5 new year’s resolutions for your library to start 2024 with a bang!

As the new year unfolds, it’s a great time for libraries to set resolutions for the new year and maximize opportunities for innovation and growth. The always changing landscape of information management calls for strategic goal setting.

This blog is a short recap of our recent webinar which delivered five possible resolutions for the new year. And as a bonus, we not only provide 5 ways to start 2024 with a bang, but we’ll also share some essential insider tips to ensure their effective implementation, keeping you on course to achieve your goals.

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Law Firms: Exploring Future Trends

Discover how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing law firms and reshaping the legal landscape. From streamlining operations to providing innovative client solutions, AI is becoming an integral part of the legal sector. Dive into our blog post to explore its impact and uncover valuable resources to stay up to date with AI in your law firm.

Exploring Trends in Law Libraries for 2023 – Embracing Innovation and Inclusion

As the legal landscape continues to evolve, law libraries play a vital role in providing essential resources and services to legal professionals and researchers. In 2023, several emerging trends are shaping the field of law libraries, transforming the way they operate. This blog post will delve into five key trends that are driving innovation and inclusivity in law libraries.

What a Week in Wellington! Our User Group Meeting and NZLLA Conference!

Members of the Softlink IC team travelled to Wellington, New Zealand to conduct an in-person User Group Meeting (UGM) for our clients based in New Zealand. Additionally, we had the opportunity to participate in the New Zealand Law Librarians Association (NZLLA) conference. What a week in Wellington!

Law Libraries Take on Boston at AALL 2023!

The American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) Annual Meeting & Conference, a much-awaited event in the legal information community, took place in Boston, MA from July 15 to July 18 this year. Sarah, Jeo, Chandler, and of course Alex the Alpaca, were there ready to welcome delegates at AALL’s biggest conference yet! The team was thrilled to attend and showcase our innovative solutions for law libraries and legal information professionals.

Does Your Library or Research System Provide Integration Options?

Integrating a library management or request and research system with third-party solutions can have a huge impact on efficiency and user experiences. Liberty Digital and illumin offer a wide range of integrations to help manage resources, requests and research.

Meet Softlink IC at the BIALL 2023 Conference

Softlink IC is proud to be attending the upcoming British & Irish Association of Law Librarians (BIALL) Conference in Belfast, Ireland between 14 and 16 June 2023. We’re sure this conference will be packed with interesting and informative sessions and workshops, and we’re looking forward to connecting with other professionals in the legal industry.

Softlink Information Centres Achieves Cyber Essentials Plus Certification

In our ongoing commitment to cybersecurity and data protection, Softlink Information Centres has now achieved the Cyber Essentials Plus Certification, a testament to our dedication to maintaining the highest standards of data security for our clients.

Exploring the World of Legal Librarians

In our earlier blog, we explored the world of parliamentary librarians and looked at a few of the essential soft skills for your overall success as a librarian. In summary, librarians should have research, communication, organizational and interpersonal skills to effectively assist borrowers or users.

Power Up Your Library with These 6 Tools -The Ultimate AI Toolkit for Librarians

The AI revolution isn’t just knocking on the library door – it’s already browsing the shelves! More and more, librarians are uncovering cutting-edge ways to harness AI’s transformative power. From managing vast information resources to assisting patrons with precision, AI tools are redefining library operations. Ready to level up your library’s game? Let’s explore some of the game-changing AI tools we’ve found that every forward-thinking librarian should have in their toolkit.

4 Ways to Secure and Protect Your ILMS – Part 2

In part 1 of our last blog post we looked at how Softlink IC protects our products. Part 2 of this blog will show you how you can secure and protect sensitive data, documents and resources or modules in Liberty.

Worth the Wait – London User Group Meeting for Liberty & illumin

London, England was the setting for our latest in-person User Group Meeting (UGM), and we were all really looking forward to it. Our UGMs are a great opportunity for us all to catch up. UGMs provide a forum for those attending to meet other Liberty and illumin users and Softlink IC staff.

Make the Age of Information Work for You!

It’s true, we are living in an Age of Information and for some of our Liberty users, perhaps they know nothing other than borrowing books via the Liberty App. While other Liberty users may recall the smell of books, as a young kid they entered that large room with stacks of resources, spacious seating and large group study tables known as the library. A place to get lost, to be inspired, to hang out or to just sit and absorb the quiet while reading the daily news.

Alex visits Hobart for the Australian Law Librarians’ Association (ALLA) Conference

Softlink Information Centers (Softlink IC) was at the 2022 Australian Law Librarians’ Association (ALLA) conference in Hobart, Tasmania between 24 – 26 August 2022. A biennial event hosted by ALLA, the conference is the major professional and business development event in the Association’s calendar.

5 Liberty Features That’ll Grab Your Attention

There’s a lot to love in our latest Liberty v5 Build 8.053 release. As usual, there’s something for everyone! We did a quick office poll with the Softlink IC staff about what features to highlight, and we’ve listed our top 5 Liberty features below.

Alex’s Adventures at the 2022 AALL Conference

Softlink Information Centers (Softlink IC) was at the 2022 American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) conference from 16 – 19 July. The conference was a great opportunity to show off our integrated library management system (ILMS) Liberty and our research management product, illumin.

The Future is Near: Liberty Digital is Coming Soon

For over four decades, Softlink has been at the forefront of digital transformation. Softlink was one of the first to offer a Library Management System when libraries were transitioning from card catalogs to computers and one of the first to pioneer web-based systems for library management.

Meet Softlink IC at the 2022 American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) Conference

Softlink Information Centres (Softlink IC) will be at the 2022 AALL conference! It’s going to be a great opportunity to show off our integrated library management system (ILMS) Liberty and our research management product, illumin. We’ll have members of our team onsite ready to say ‘hello!’. Visit our booth to snap a picture with the very dapper Alex the Alpaca and find out more about Liberty and illumin!

5 Essential Productivity Hacks for Your Library

Navigating the intricacies of an Integrated Library System (ILS) is second nature to you, mastering tasks like cataloging, circulation, and managing patron records. But what if there’s a way to elevate your library’s efficiency to the next level? Let’s explore five productivity hacks that could redefine the way you manage your library’s operations.

The House of Commons Library Chooses Softlink IC’s illumin

Softlink Information Centres (Softlink IC) is pleased to announce the House of Commons Library recently selected illumin as their customer requests and enquiries management system.

Legal Librarians Love Current Awareness

Legal librarians manage a diverse set of information requirements from a diverse range of staff. It’s why they love an efficient and effective way to automatically inform their firm’s staff of the latest information of interest. A current awareness service (CAS) is necessary tool in their kit of user focused services.

7 Ways Law Libraries Save Law Firms Money

Law libraries accommodate all manner of resources, both digital and physical, to help lawyers in their research. More and more, law firms are relying on the internet, online databases, and web-based services for research, but there is still a need for physical publications. Legal librarians are essential to maintain these libraries, update records, and assist with legal research. Their duties often go far beyond this, and they make an invaluable contribution to law firms. Here are 7 ways that law libraries and librarians help save law firms money.

The Virtual NZLLA and ALLA 2021 Conferences

Following our successful attendance at the July American Association of Law Librarians (AALL) online conference, Softlink IC turned its attention to the Southern hemisphere.

Magisterial Services Library Goes Live With Liberty

In late April, Papua New Guinea’s Magisterial Services Library installed Liberty to meet their need for a fully web-based integrated library management system (ILMS). Last week they completed training and are looking forward to working smarter with Liberty. Softlink IC is delighted to welcome them and we look forward to a long and successful partnership.

It’s All About Accessibility for Library Management Systems

Published May 14, 2021

James Martin, Softlink IC’s Development Manager has a little accessibility challenge for our Liberty library management system (LMS) users.

Close your eyes. Now, try sending an email to your boss (this should be fun). How can you use a computer without being able to see the screen? How do you select a program? What use is a mouse? Once you get into a program, how do you find your way around? This is the problem facing millions of blind users worldwide.

Fortunately, there are tools and standards out there to help. There are also organizations whose sole focus is to define a consistent approach that software can implement to make a program accessible to everyone.

The Increasing Sophistication of Artificial Intelligence and Libraries

To paraphrase Ratty’s conversation to Mole, in A. A. Milne’s wonderful Wind in the Willows, Softlink IC’s developers have been “messing about” in artificial intelligence (AI). That’s not to say our developers aren’t intelligent. Certainly, they are clever enough to recognize the importance of artificial intelligence now and into the future.

4 Reasons Why Dashboards are Critical to Business

Dashboards are an increasingly essential data visualization management tool. They can be customized to visually display data applicable to different departments and segments of a business. Dashboards are an objective way to measure business requirements from tracking of key performance indicators (KPIs) to the status of current tasks to ensure required outcomes are achieved.

Outsmart Serials with the Latest Liberty Release!

Libraries and knowledge center staff have always put their users first. As their partners, Softlink Information Centres continues to deliver functionality our customers request in every new Liberty release.

5 Reasons Businesses Need Librarians

Information on the web may be easy to find quickly. But is it the information your organization needs? Is it from a valid source, up-to-date and accurate? Is it applicable to the organization’s requirements? That is what a librarian, using a functionally rich integrated library system (ILS) or research management system (RMS) will deliver efficiently. Organizations need librarians to gain an advantage in an increasingly competitive business environment.

Liberty’s Smart Serials Coming to a Library Near You!

Cataloging and managing serials can be a complex process. Softlink IC, in consultation with our customers, set about simplifying serials management in Liberty, our library management system. We haven’t thrown the previously significant functionality out with the bathwater! The result is Smart Serials and, if the feedback we’ve received from customers who have seen a preview is anything to go by, we know you’re going to love it.

10 Advantages of Softlink’s Cloud Hosting for Your Liberty & illumin Systems

We at Softlink IC believe hosting your Liberty or illumin system with us is a hassle-free, cost-effective option. To convince you, we list 10 advantages, grouped into three categories that highlight the benefits of hosting your cloud-based library management and research management systems with us.

5 Steps on the Journey to a New Library Management System

Is your current library management system having trouble coping with the exciting challenges your knowledge center staff face? Is a new library management system the answer? If so, Softlink IC believes Liberty is the system for you. It will meet your current and future needs. But we do understand you might want to do a bit of research and evaluation before you take our word for it!

4 Important Email Notifications You Should be Sending Your Library Users

Regular contact with your library and information center users is vital. This means keeping them informed of research services, reminding them about their loaned items, or planned events. It reinforces your value to them. Making sure you keep in contact via email is the ideal way to do that. If you use our Liberty Library Management System, it’s a breeze.

Need Cost Effective Cloud Storage for Your Digital Resources?

Do you already have a large number of digital resources? Do you have more resources that, in an ideal world, you would love to digitize, but storage is an issue? Our hosted Liberty users are finding Softlink IC’s Massive Knowledge Repository (MKR) solution is the answer.

Does Your Law Firm Have the Competitive Research Edge?

Information is power. It can be the difference between winning and losing. That’s why your law firm needs access to the right information and FAST! Leveraging the information sourced by your knowledge researchers, using the most up-to-date library management tools, will give your firm the competitive research edge.

Legal Librarians – Always a Law Firm’s Valued Asset!

Technology has and continues to impact all business sectors. It is presenting challenges within the legal industry. Has technology provided a boon for legal library staff in strengthening their position as a valuable asset within their firms? Softlink believes so.

The Rise of In-House Lawyers – They Need Knowledge Managers Too!

The legal sector has been subject to significant disruption since the GFC. Law firms have found ways to cut operating budgets by outsourcing some paralegal and research services to service providers. More recently, there has been an increasing move by organizations to build their own team of in-house lawyers. Softlink IC is following the in-house legal trend. It has the potential to provide opportunities for library and knowledge centre researchers.

Librarian Spotlight – a Day in the Life of a Legal Librarian

In the first of our Librarian Spotlight series, Helen Gambley, Library Manager at HopgoodGanim Lawyers, gives us an insight into her working day and how illumin helps her to help the firm’s practitioners.

Softlink IC would like to thank Helen for taking the time to answer our spotlight questions. We are sure you will all enjoy reading them!

The Melbourne Liberty Conference – How Quickly Did That Come and Go!

All that anticipation and all that enjoyment have come and gone for 2019. Is it us or is time just flying by? The Melbourne conference, an action-packed day of learning and interaction is over for another year.

3 Major Challenges for Legal Librarians

According to the 2019 report produced by the American Association of Law Libraries, the role of legal librarians is changing.

Tips for Attending a Conference

For many in the library sector, the opportunity to attend a conference, like a Liberty User Group Meeting, will occur at some point. This is especially true for those working in medical, legal, academic, and government libraries. We all love an informative conference where networking opportunities are valuable. If you’re due to attend a conference soon, having a few tips on hand will help.

The Softlink Scoop – Edition 05/2019

A fortnightly round up of library and information centre news and opinions from around the world.

Outsourcing. Is It the Future of Law Libraries and Legal Librarians?

Law libraries and legal librarians and the era of outsourcing. Many law firms have recently outsourced their libraries and library staff. Many more are considering the option.

Does Research Leadership = Competitive Advantage in an Info Bulge Era?

As early as the 1980’s strategists like Porter and Miller were linking information with competitive advantage.

6 Reasons Why Law Firms Need a Powerful Request Management Solution

The amount of accurate information required by legal staff is phenomenal. How do legal staff communicate their needs to research center staff? How do research center staff efficiently manage the volume of daily requests for the research services they receive? How do they ensure requesters are updated promptly?

Market Your Library’s Services and Resources

Being a librarian is a stimulating job. No two days are the same, and no two users have the same needs. The ability to juggle many tasks is paramount. The demands on librarians are significant. They face constant interruption, and shifting between roles and responsibilities, all while keeping a smile on their face or trying to! And then there’s the need to keep abreast of new information technology to meet their users’ changing requirements and expectations, while facing budget cuts and less staff. Need we go on?

7 Ways Law Libraries Save Law Firms Money

The Final Liberty Virtual User Group Meetings for 2018 is a success!

It was a fantastic turnout for Liberty’s Northern and Southern Hemisphere Virtual User Group Meetings (VUGMs).

Tips to succeed as a Solo Librarian

Being a solo librarian can be difficult. Even experienced librarians find it very challenging to run and manage libraries all by themselves. Those who take on the role require not only the willingness but an understanding of the diverse skills that they will need to acquire to successfully manage the role. After all, many career opportunities nowadays require solo librarians.

It’s a Wrap – Another Successful Liberty User Group Conference

Almost 50 librarians from education, legal, university colleges, industry and government libraries took part in our Melbourne National Liberty User Group Conference and Masterclass in late August with some taking the opportunity to visit the MCC library. They all had a great time and we would again like to thank David Studham and library staff.