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Podcasts for law firms

Submitted by grace.v on Sat, 11/01/2008 - 8:28pm

What types of podcasts would be most useful in your library setting (or the setting you'd like to work in) and why?

I currently work for a law firm library and I think 3-6 minute podcasts regarding the following will work best:

  • Latest books released and a quick book review related to attorney practice area - I think attorneys would be interested in finding out what's new in the library.  Most of the time their colleagues requests these materials for purchase, so I think it would be nice if the requester will do a little review of the book/DVD/etc. for his/her peers.
  • How-to guides on how to find resources on our intranet, like the password database, electronic database listing database, where to pull cases, where to find old law reviews electronically, etc. -  Eververyone is always asking where to find things on our intranet, so these quick how-to podcasts would be a convenient and useful way to provide them with this information.  It could be a whole series throughout the year on how to do or how to find something.
  • Podcast on the daily appellate reports or cases within popular courts-- Attorneys are always looking for information on the latest cases filed so that they can either contact their clients or go after those sued and court them to be clients.  It's also a good current awareness tool.  I'm not suggesting doing a podcast of every single courts out there, but the ones that matters the most to them.  So that for instance, they can listen to it while they're getting situated in the office or on their way home from work, etc.
  • Podcast on the hottest local legal news, legal trends and even firm victories -- it would be a good way to keep everyone in-the-know of what's going on inside and outside the firm.
  • Podcasts on judicial profiles - the library can invite various attorneys throughout the office to give audio reviews of the judges they've worked with so as to give others perspective on the judge.  I think this will be very popular and interesting to other litigators.  SImilarly, profiles of other attorneys in the areas can also be done. 

Many attorneys are multitaskers.  Commuters can listen to these podcasts on their drive to and from work.  Maybe they can even listen to it while working out.  Podcasting is a very flexible way of providing information to library users.

Terrific ideas, Grace! I

meredithfarkas's picture
Submitted by meredithfarkas on Sun, 11/02/2008 - 5:19pm.

Terrific ideas, Grace! I could see a lot of these being useful resources that people could listen to on their commute, at the gym, etc. As far as the how-to guides go, I think you'll find that screencasts are a much better fit for that sort of an instructional tool than podcasts. When they can see what you're clicking on in the Intranet as well as hear what you're saying, the instruction is much more effective.

I think this a great post.

harayda's picture
Submitted by harayda on Tue, 11/04/2008 - 9:03am.

I think this a great post. Lawyers love to make use of time. Moreover, what better way to learn, then while driving. Driving is usually lost time, but with podcasts we can try to get some of that time back.

I knew one student who law school who drove over an hour each way and would listen to recordings of the class. This would just be the next level for students to listen to professors while trying to do other things.

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