2026 MALL Spring Meeting

Thursday May 14, 2026

University of St. Thomas School of Law

Meeting Schedule

8:30 Breakfast & Registration (Sponsored by LexisNexis)

9:00  Welcome and Opening Remarks

Susan Trombley, MALL Vice-President and Chair of the Education Committee

Michael Robak, Director of the Schoenecker Law Library, University of St. Thomas School of Law

Dan Kelly, Dean and Mengler Chair in Law, University of St. Thomas School of Law

9:15 Keynote: "On Attention, Community, & Resistance"

Will McGrath

Will McGrath is an award-winning writer and journalist based in Minneapolis. His debut, Everything Lost Is Found Again, is a joyous investigation into the southern African kingdom of Lesotho, where he lived for several years. That book won the Disquiet Open Borders Book Prize, as well as the Society of Midlands Authors Award for Biography & Memoir. His new book, Farewell Transmission, is an essay collection that tells stories from the margins of society and explores hidden spaces across the globe.  McGrath is also the author of the February 2026 NY Times Guest Essay "They Don't Tell You How Fun the Resistance Can Be".

10:00 Managing Current Political and Legal Issues: A Discussion

11:00 Break

11:15 Responding to an Emergency: A Library Story

The Minnesota Judicial Center has had many water intrusion problems. This year, a drainage pipe spilled directly onto a shelf of books and this is the story of what happened next.

Erica Nutzman, Head of Technical Services, Minnesota State Law Library

11:45 Lunch and MALL Business Meeting (Sponsored by Thomson Reuters)

12:45 Remarks from AALL Past President Cornell Winston

Cornell Winston, AALL Immediate Past President and Law Librarian & Records Center Supervisor for the United States Attorney's Office, Central District of California

1:00  Sponsor Presentations

2:00 Coffee & Cookie Break (Sponsored by LLMC)

2:30  Revitalizing Your Next Presentation 

As information professionals, giving presentations should be right in our wheelhouse. But even with an array of modern tools at our disposal, legal information can be dense and challenging to present effectively. Regardless of whether you are teaching, giving a scholarly presentation, or preparing slides for an attorney, your approach to your materials can make a world of difference. This session will revisit some common practices in legal and academic fields and suggest new approaches for engaging and memorable presentations.

Christy Keele, Senior Research Specialist, Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, PC

3:00  Understanding Medical Research

Merete Christianson, Medical School Liaison Librarian, University of Minnesota Health Sciences Library

3:45  Closing Remarks