What Events, News, and Opportunities Does GPLLA Offer?

GPLLA (the Greater Philadelphia Law Library Association) offers four main things beyond membership itself: educational and networking events, newsletters, a job board, and a members-only forum. It also runs committees and publishes contact points for questions. The association describes itself as a regional chapter of the American Association of Law Libraries, serving law librarians and legal information professionals in law firms, academia, and government across the greater Philadelphia area. Most of these resources are aimed at members, so joining is usually the first step if you want full access.

Events and Education

GPLLA sponsors educational and networking events throughout the year. The site's news feed shows a concrete example: registration opened in February 2026 for a GPLLA Institute on March 20. The association also lists upcoming events and an education section in its main navigation, so the events page is the place to check for current dates and registration status.

If you're deciding whether an event is worth your time, look at two things on the listing: whether registration is open (the Institute announcement is a good model—it names the date and confirms registration is live) and whether the format is educational or purely social. The association frames its events as both, so expect a mix of programming and networking.

News and Publications

GPLLA publishes newsletters that summarize association activity. Recent examples on the site include a Spring Newsletter (May 2026) and a Winter Newsletter (March 2026). These are the quickest way to catch up on member updates and association business without attending an event.

The association also maintains a members forum that replaced its former listserv in 2020. According to the site, the forum is now the primary way members connect and is where GPLLA news, member updates, and job postings are distributed. Signing up requires logging in and clicking "Subscribe to forum" near the top of the forum page.

Job Board and Member Directory

Two practical resources stand out for anyone working in or entering the field:

• Job board — postings for legal information professionals, also pushed to members through the forum.
• Member directory — a searchable list of GPLLA members, useful for finding colleagues by institution or specialty.

Both are listed in the site's main navigation. The directory is a member benefit, so access depends on your membership status.

Scholarships and Grants

GPLLA offers scholarships and grants to students interested in law librarianship. This is the association's main pipeline for people considering the profession rather than already working in it. The site doesn't publish award amounts or deadlines in the material available, so contact the association directly ([email protected]) for current details before applying.

Committees and Contact

GPLLA runs committees, listed under a Committees page in the navigation, which is where volunteer and leadership opportunities sit. For general questions, membership inquiries, or website problems, the site gives two contacts:

How to Decide Where to Start

• If you want to attend programming: check the events page for the next Institute or networking event and confirm registration is open.
• If you want news and job leads: join the association, then subscribe to the members forum, which the site describes as the primary channel for news, updates, and postings.
• If you're a student: ask about scholarships and grants by email before the academic year starts.
• If you want to get involved beyond attending: look at the committees page and raise your interest with the association.

One timing note: GPLLA membership runs June 1 to May 31 each year, and the site states that partial-year dues are not available. If you're joining mainly to access the forum or job board, that calendar matters for when you sign up.