Meeting the needs of a diverse graduate population in a specialized area: Examples from a law library

When most people think of law schools, they think of students working towards a JD. However, many law schools also have non-JD graduate populations which include working professionals, international students, and students working toward something similar a PhD. So how does the library assist with this diverse group of graduate students? This presentation will examine the MacMillan Law Library’s efforts with the graduate student population at the Emory University School of Law. This segment of the student body represents approximately 20% of the total law school population, with much of the growth in graduate students occurring in the past 5 years. Over this short period, the library has played an active role with the graduate students in areas such as law school orientation, helping them become acclimated to a new country, returning to school as non-traditional students, and teaching classes geared specifically for these groups. As the number of graduate students continues to increase, the library is also examining ways to meet this higher demand for services without additions to the library staff. By taking a look at the background, context, and efforts to assist these students, this presentation will provide attendees with best practices for working with a diverse graduate population in a unique academic setting