It was hot and muggy when we landed on the tarmac in D. C., as hot and muggy here as it was chilly and foggy back in San Francisco. Why do we gumshoes never get the good assignments? How about West Palm Beach next time? (Hint, hint.) Approaching my hotel, I suspected I was being followed. But I wasn’t worried, these were sloppy operatives. They didn’t even try to hide the non - descript gray bags they all carried with the suspicious initials BNA. However, if it came down to a physical fracas, there were plenty of them, over 1600 by my count.

My mission… it was to infiltrate the AALL, an organization so large and powerful that it uses both initials twice. In particular, I am suspicious of the shadowy sub-group known as SCCLL, which is headed by a feared and powerful figure known only as SIS. My mind conjured up images of “Large Marge” the truck driver in Pee-Wee Herman’s Big Adventure. My P.I. name is Claudia Cook and my first assignment was to scout out the SCCLL Trustees breakfast which began at the ungodly hour of 7:00 a.m. These librarians – they get up even earlier than a gumshoe on a prime stakeout.

Well, SIS turned out to be a man named Marcus Hochstetler, Chair of the Special Interest Section. I began to feel as if I were in a remake of the Manchurian Candidate. You know, that part in the movie where Laurence Harvey is hypnotized to think he is in a meeting of The Ladies Garden Club listening to a very lengthy lecture on “Fun with hydrangeas”, when in reality he was amidst an all male Communist Party meeting. I thought I was in my right mind, so I attributed it to the heat. Next, someone named Cossette Sun received an award for exemplary service to the SCCLL. I must keep an eye on her.

This business meeting included Committee reports – important stuff (See “Fun with Hydrangeas” above), and obviously in code, but with my photographic memory I can report back everything in detail to my superiors.

Coming up next was a luncheon honoring the Trustees. You know, these are the meetingest, eatingest folks I ever did see -- and I hadn’t even seen the drinking part yet. Judge Lee, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Alameda County Law Library, appeared to be in cahoots with Ms. Sun. She will bear watching.

The “star” of the show seemed to be HeinOnline whose exhibit booth was always crowded sometimes with SCCLL members. Seems Hein’s effort to “digitize each law review title up to the last issue published -- is making many libraries reconsider format preferences in collection development and retention policies.” They were even featured in a program “presenting scenarios of how electronic periodicals have changed collection development policies, and how libraries are managing and maintaining periodicals collections.” Sounds pretty subversive to me. One of their latest projects is Scholar Check by which when looking at an article one can find other articles that cite it. Check Hein’s website for webinar recaps of the Exhibit video What's New in HeinOnline. (Note to self: While seemingly moribund for years, Hein seems to be reinventing itself. Put back on watch list.)

Later in the Exhibit Hall, Westlaw representatives were rocking their new orange and white polka dot ties and California State Court Dockets, State Trial Court Orders and other valuable databases which are part of a total database called Westlaw Litigator. (Note to self: See if boss will subscribe - could be very valuable.)

Other interesting programs I infiltrated were:

How Federal Laws and Codes Are Made (and I was always told you really didn’t want to see that process – rather grisly, like in a sausage factory). I wasn’t fazed – I’m a really tough agent.

So you think you can teach…almost as entertaining as “So you think you can”… dance, cook, be an interior designer, astronaut, President…you fill in the blanks. The various panelists provided a showcase for different teaching styles from podcasts to audience participation. They offered a lot of great ideas for designing programs that are topical and have a “hook” that captures audience attention even on such dry topics as researching administrative codes and rules.

Other really fascinating programs were about using graphic literature, anime and cartoons in teaching legal research, designing pathfinders, etc.

One night I was intrigued by the “Karaoke SIS.” So I followed them to a karaoke bar. Much singing (mostly bad) and frivolity ensued (see reference to drinking above). I really must do more surveillance on this group.

Well, to recap, I learned that detectives and law librarians have a great deal in common, both are fearless and determined in tracking down information by whatever means available, by networking and social networking; both types are activists in seeking not “just the facts, ma’am” but in seeking justice and, last but not least, our fervent belief in “sensible shoes.” They don’t call us gumshoes for nothing.

I am not sure that I have discovered all the secret ways of this organization so I believe that I should attend the 2010 Annual (and not just because of the weather). (Boss: I have attached my requisition for attendance.)

Author’s Note – My apologies to all the hard-working people who serve on committees and boards without which we would not have the awesome Association we have today. Please take this in the spirit in which it as written – by a dimwitted detective.