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Anne Matthewman.

From September 20 to 24, Dal News presents聽a series of聽profiles of new folks on campus. Today, Dal News introduces you to Anne Matthewman, chief law librarian.

The Dalhousie Libraries are pleased to welcome Anne Matthewman as new Chief Law Librarian of the Sir James Dunn Law Library.聽She took up her position at the Dunn on August 3, 2010.

Ms. Matthewman comes to Dal from Toronto, where she was Executive Director and Library Manager of the Toronto Lawyers Association. Being in a university setting and particularly having contact with students appeals to her. 鈥淚鈥檓 coming from an environment where I worked with lawyers so I鈥檓 looking forward to working with students before they become lawyers. I have a good idea of what they are going to need to know when the senior partner asks for research or a judge sends them to the library for information.鈥�

When asked about her vision for the future of the Law Library, Ms. Matthewman has some聽thoughtful answers. 鈥淲e need to look at some new models for how we provide services to our faculty and students, to build on the idea of library as 鈥榯hird space,鈥欌�� she says. 鈥淲e also need to revisit our involvement with legal writing and research courses鈥攎ake them more exciting and useful, more personal, more geared towards answering the question, What鈥檚 in it for me?鈥溌�

She聽points out the importance of addressing print resources in law courses. 鈥漇tudents need to understand how the print edition of the Canadian Abridgement works鈥攊ts layout, its purpose鈥攐r they just won鈥檛 get the online version.鈥� She envisions all Law Library reference staff working together to improve legal courses, whether or not they currently teach. She also hopes to make the physical layout of the library鈥檚 front desk area more inviting.

Although聽her family is in Toronto, Halifax is already familiar to her as she has friends here. 鈥淚鈥檝e been coming to Halifax for five years, and I always knew it was a place I鈥檇 enjoy living in,鈥� she says. She鈥檚 currently staying with some of those friends while she looks for a house in Dartmouth. To her the commute across the bridge is actually a pleasure, compared with being on Toronto鈥檚 Gardiner Expressway every day.

Her聽interests include theatre, opera, and classical, folk and country music, and she鈥檚 eagerly anticipating attending events at the Rebecca Cohn. She鈥檚 also hoping to start a garden and looking for a book club she can join.

鈥淓very morning I cross the bridge and look at the ocean, and I鈥檓 so happy to be here," she says with a smile.