A Message From the Editor I’ve spent the past couple of days at the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) conference, and one word has come up more than expected: transparency. It’s always something that everybody in the legal world pays lip service to, but how many actually go above and beyond with it? Transparency isn’t only what law librarians here have shown that they want; it’s what they expect, and one of the criteria they’re actively using as a differentiator. It’s not just with pricing or with privacy policies, though those are important. It’s about explaining what a tool itself can do. During the Q&A portion of the “Future of Analytics” panel Monday, one librarian noted that what’s most important for him isn’t that a tool’s fully baked; it’s that he knows what it can or can’t do, because that’s the only way he and his firm can make accurate decisions. As Fastcase CEO Ed Walters noted, “It doesn’t need to be adversarial. If you find an error, tell us. We love to get that cleaned up.” I personally love that collaborative spirit, but also think it’s sometimes easier said than done when everyone is fighting for market share. Transparency takes effort, and I hope it’s an effort that the industry believes in. This week's Editor's Picks highlight these AALL insights and more. – Zach Warren, editor-in-chief, Legaltech News |