B.A. History (Concordia), MLS (McGill), M.A. Legal History (Calgary), J.D. (Calgary), LL.M. (London in progress)
An academic librarian since 1980, Mary worked at Concordia University and McGill University, as Head, Technical Services, Health Sciences Library (1985-1989). At the University of Calgary’s Law Library, she was Head of Technical Services in (1989-1995) with reference responsibilities.
From 1996 to 2011, Mary represented collections and instruction for English and Canadian Literature; French, Italian Spanish language and literature; Interdisciplinary Studies; Latin American Studies; and, Communications and Culture. She served as Interim Law Librarian, University of Calgary, (2004, 2007-2008) and Assistant Director (2008-2011).
Mary’s career includes a three-year role as “librarian-in-residence” at the University of Calgary’s English Department and co-ordinator of the Gibson Collection of Speculative Fiction. She was also responsible for managing the University of Calgary’s Library’s reference collection (2000-2003) during a period of transition from print to digital resources.
Mary is the author of book chapters on visual legal semiotics examining 18th century satirical prints; the role of women in pulp fiction (1925-1945); and the role of libraries in controlling popular culture collections. She has been an active book reviewer for journals and nespapers since 1980.
Professor Hemmings has taught courses in Fundamental Legal Skills at TRU’s Faculty of Law and Advanced Legal Skills at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Law.
Office: HL228
Email: mhemmings@tru.ca
Tel: 250.828.5111
Twitter: @TRULawLibrary
Research Guide
Professor Hemmings taught Fundamental Legal Skills, Fall Term, 2011
Book Chapters:
“Make ‘Em Laugh: Images of Law in Eighteenth Century Popular Culture” in Law, Culture and Visual Studies, Anne Wagner and Richard Sherwin, eds., Springer, forthcoming 2013
“Controlling the Popular: Canadian Memory Institutions and Canadian Culture” with Frits Pannekoek and Helen Clarke in How Canadians Communicate (3rd ed.) Athabasca University Press, 2010
“Weird Tales: the Role of Women in Science Fiction, 1925-1945” in The Influence of Imagination: Essays on Science Fiction and Fantasy as Agents of Social Change, Lee Easton and Randy Schroeder, eds., (McFarland, 2008)
Book Reviews:
Alan Brudner, Punishment and Freedom: A Liberal Theory of Penal Justice (Oxford University Press) 2009) Canadian Law Library Review, Vol. 36, Issue 2 (2011), p. 83-84.
Constance Backhouse, Carnal Crimes: Sexual Assault Law in Canada, 1900-1975, Toronto, (publ for Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History by Irwin Law, 2008) Canadian Law Library Review, Vol. 34, Issue 5 (2009), p. 254.
Justin T. Gleeson, Ruth C.A. Higgins, eds, Rediscovering Rhetoric: Law, Language and the Practice of Persuasion (Sydney, Federation Pr, 2008) Canadian Law Library Review, Vol. 34, Issue 3 (2009), p. 118-119.
Heinneccius: A Methodical System of Universal Law with Supplements and Discourse by George Turnbull, edited and with and introduction by Thomas Ahnert and Peter Schroder, Johan Gottlieb, Newsletter of the Legal History and Rare Books Special Interest Section of the American Association of law Libraries, v. 14, no. 3, Fall, 2008 p. 40-41. www.aallnet.org/sis/lhrb/Lhrb-14-3.pdf
David Dyzenhaus, Sophia Reibetanz Moreau and Arthur Rippstein, eds., Law and Morality: Readings in Legal Philosophy [3rd ed], (Toronto: Univ of Toronto Press, 2007), Canadian Law Library Review, Vol. 32, Issue 5 (2007), p. 237.
Oonagh E. Fitzgerald, ed.,The Globalized Rule of Law: Relationships between International and Domestic Law, (Toronto, Irwin Law, 2006) Canadian Law Library Review, Vol. 33, Issue 5 (2008), p. 459-460; reprinted by permission in Manitoba Bar Association’s, Headnotes and Footnotes, 2009.
Peter Wilson and Allison Taylor, The Corporate Counsel Guide to Employment Law (Toronto, Canada Law Book, 2003) Canadian Law Library Review, Vol. 29, Issue 4 (2004), p. 200-201.
Ruth Sullivan, Statutory Interpretation, (Concord Ont, Irwin Law, 1996) Canadian Law Libraries, Vol. 22, Issue 5 (1997), p. 222-223.
Linda C. Smith and Ruth Carter, eds, Technical Services Management, 1965-1990, (NY Howarth Press, 1995) Canadian Law Libraries, Vol. 22, Issue 3 (1997), p. 105.
Rosann Bazirjian, New Automation Technologies for Acquisitions and Collection Development (New York: Howarth Press, 1995) Canadian Law Libraries, Vol. 22, Issue 2 (1997), p. 73.
Maureen Fitzgerald, Legal Problem Solving: Reasoning, Research and Writing (Toronto: Butterworth’s, 1996) Canadian Law Libraries, Vol. 22, Issue 4 (1997), p. 178-179
Book Reviewer:
Canadian Law Libraries Journal, 1994-1999, 2004, 2007- present
American Reference Books Annual, 1993-1998
Automatome (American Association of Law Libraries), 1990-1995
Calgary Herald, 1989-1998
Cataloguing and Classification Quarterly, 1988-1995
Information Technology and Libraries, 1988-1993
Library Journal, 1980-1997
Newsletter of the Legal History and Rare Books Special Interest Section of the American Association of Law Libraries, 2008-
Papers and Panel Discussions
Legal Visual Semiotics: Eighteenth Century Satirical Prints as Primary Sources, Canadian Association of Law Libraries, Calgary, 2011
Controlling the Popular: How Canadians Communicate, Banff, 2007 (co-presenter)
Panelist, Science Fiction and Other Archives, Interaction Worldcon Association, Interaction: World Science Fiction Conference, Glasgow, 2005
The Gibson Collection: The Problem of the Gift, Conference of the Book, Oxford, 2005
Women in SF: Weird Tales, 1925-1945, SF and Social Change Conference, Mt Royal College, Calgary, 2004
Panelist with Liverpool and Toronto chief librarians, Science Fiction Research Association Convention (SFRA), Guelph, 2003
Conference Activities
Chair, Copyright Committee, Canadian Association of Law Libraries
Convened Members’ Meetings; Windsor, 2010; Calgary, 2011
Copyright Committee sponsored: Plenary presentation: Since CCH et al.: Digitized Sharing Among Law Libraries, Martin Kratz, speaker
Education:
LL.M candidate (Queen Mary College, University of London, UK, 2007-present)
LL.B./J.D. (University of Calgary, 2003)
M.A. Legal/Military History (University of Calgary, 1997)
M.L.S. (McGill University, 1980)
B.A. History (Concordia University, 1976)
Current Position:
Chief Law Librarian and Professor of Law
Faculty of Law, Thompson Rivers University
University of Calgary (1989-2011)
Law Library:
Assistant Director, Law Library, Sept. 2006-April 2007; July 2008-June 2011
Interim Director, Law Library, 2004; May 2007-July 2008
Head, Technical Services and Reference Librarian, Law Library, 1989-1995
Liaison Librarian, 1996-2006, 2010-present
Interim Communications & Culture, 2010-present
Geography, 1996-1998
English Literature, 1998-2006
French and Italian Literatures, 1996-2006
Spanish Literature, 1997-2006
Canadian Literature, 2006
Latin American Studies, 2006
Librarian-in-Residence, English Department (50% appointment), 2003-2006
(Including promoter of Gibson Collection of Speculative Fiction, 2002-2006)
Librarian-in-Residence, Communications and Culture Dept, (10%), January 2010-present
Co-ordinator, Reference Collection, MacKimmie Library (20% appointment), 2000-2003
Projects Manager, for Director of Information Resources (80% appointment), 1997-1998
Co-ordinator, Database Maintenance and Processing, Technical Services, 1995-1996
Special Projects for the University:
Special assignment to draft content and assist in design of Intellectual Property Web page for Special Assistant to VP Academic (2002)
Project Manager, for Director of Information Resources (1997-1998) - Drafted University Computing and Networks Policy
Member, Library of the Future Task Force, 1997.
McGill University (1985-1989)
Technical Services Librarian, Health Sciences Library (5FTE)
Concordia University (1980-1984)
Cataloguing Librarian
Other experiences include corporate and hospital libraries (1976-1980):
Concordia University: Special Collections Assistant; Reference (Vanier College) & Cataloguing librarian (Concordia) (as MLS student)
Royal Victoria Hospital Library, Montreal: Circulation and Reserve assistant
Currie, Coopers and Lybrand, Montreal: Library and research assistant
Air Canada Library, Montreal: Library and research assistant
Memberships:
Canadian Association of Law Teachers, 2011-
Canadian Association of Law Libraries, 1989-1996; 2004; 2006-present
Chair, Copyright Subcommittee, 2010-
British and Irish Association of Law Librarians, 2007-present
Calgary Law Library Group, 1989-1996; 2006-present
International Association of Law Libraries, 2008-present
Teaching Highlights (University of Calgary):
- Sessional instructor, Fundamental Legal Skills (Law 405) Winter 2008: Introduction to legal research for first year students including factums and oral advocacy. Innovated with use of Facebook in classroom for advocacy critiques.
- Sessional instructor, Advanced Legal Skills (Law 607) Winter 2008: Print and digital resources for upper years. Innovated by introducing legal reasoning approach to legal research (rather than bibliographic instruction).
- As law librarian, provided sessions in legal research (2004-2007) as well as specialized instruction for graduate students, moot teams, pro bono students and Alberta Law Review editors (2004-2007). Provided interdisciplinary sessions for legal approaches: Law and Society (Equality Rights); graduate Engineering (Project Management); Business (MBA)
- As liaison librarian (1996-2006) provided and average of fifteen research instruction sessions annually in French, Italian, Spanish and English Literature; Geography; History and Political Science
- As interim Communications and Culture librarian (January 2010-present) provide instruction an average 20 sessions per term in topics such as Law and Society; Canadian Studies; Sociology of Law; Science and Society and others
- Completed university workshops (2006-2008) in Course Design; Research Focus; and Faculty Teaching Skills
- Together with Political Science librarian, developed Breeze digital instruction for Blackboard portions of Political Science courses
Teaching Certificates:
- Faculty Teaching Certificate, University of Calgary, Teaching and Learning Centre, 2010 (coursework completed in 2005)
- Course Design Workshop, UofC, TLC, 2-day workshop, November 2009
- Research Outreach Programme Workshop, UofC, TLC, 12-hour workshop, November-December, 2008
Law Highlights:
- Appointed (founding) Chief Law Librarian and professor, Thompson Rivers University, Faculty of Law, August 2011
- Teaching Fundamental Legal Skills, TRU, LAWF 3060, 75 students, 2011-2012
- Taught Fundamental Legal Skills (Law 405) and Advanced Legal Research (Law 607) for the Faculty of Law, University of Calgary (January-May, 2008)
- Volunteer orals practice judge for Law Faculty’s Jessup Moot teams (invited annually)
- Invited judge at Jessup International Moot National Rounds, Saskatoon, March 2008; Calgary, March 2011; University of Calgary Blackstone Debates, February, 2011
- Awarded James D. Lang Memorial Scholarship, Canadian Association of Law Libraries, May 2007 towards LLM studies; Awarded research grant (CALL) towards primary research at the British Museum, 2010
- Accepted as LLM candidate to Queen Mary College, University of London (Extention Programme) to specialize in Legal Theory (examinations completed); currently preparing Legal History examinations, October 2011
- Successful self-representation in civil suit against City of Calgary (2001-2002)
- Contract research position to write report on a Royal Commission and banking law (2002)
- Member of Student Legal Assistance (1999-2002)
Two criminal law court appearances, as agent; Wrote special report on police powers of “search and seizure”
- Attended Labour Arbitration and Policy Conference, Calgary, 2002
- Participated in a joint Law Faculty-MBA course (HROD 729), 2002
- Alberta Law Review; Assistant Editor (1999-2000); Associate Editor (2000-2001)
- Jessup International Law Moot Team (1999-2000); Team researcher
Team placed third in Nationals; third in Factums
Community Interests:
Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 264, 2008-present
Attend regular branch meetings; participate in annual poppy drive
Aero Space Museum Association of Calgary, Board of Directors, elected, 2005-2008
Executive Secretary, 2007
Monthly Board & Executive Meetings and special projects (4hrs/wk)
Calgary Humane Society, 2003-present
Volunteered 2 hours weekly at the shelter (2003-2005); foster animals at home (2005-present)
Union Cemetery Interpretive Tours (City of Calgary, Parks and Recreation)
Researched and led historical tours, 2003
Parent Support Association, Calgary, 2003
Member and support parent
United Way Campaign, 1995 & 1997
Library Coordinator, University of Calgary
Northwest Little League, Calgary
Canadian Division Commissioner, 1996-1998
Umpire Coordinator, Canadian Division All Stars, 1997
Languages:
Good understanding of French, Polish and Russian (oral & written).
Library collection-level understanding of Spanish, Italian and some Slavic languages