Lia-Michelle Keane '18
(she/her/hers)
Features Editor
Eleanor Schmalzl
(she/her/hers)
Staff Editor
Originally from Atlanta, Kristin Glover, a research librarian and Harvard University graduate, enrolled at the University of Virginia School of Law after first working in New York City’s affordable housing department and then for a non-profit that specialized in providing services to the city’s homeless population. According to Glover, her time at the non-profit and an interest in housing matters inspired her to ultimately attend law school. At the time, she thought she would return to work in either city government or public service, and in fact, Glover joined New York City’s Corporation Counsel’s Office after graduating.
Research Librarian Kristin Glover. Photo courtesy of University of Virginia School of Law.
Glover described her time at the Corporation Counsel’s Office as providing her with a great opportunity to see how cases develop firsthand and emphasized the practical differences between reading about court decisions compared to drafting documents and being involved in the discovery process. Glover said that working with highly experienced individuals was beneficial in helping her grow as an attorney. Although she enjoyed her time at the Corporation Counsel’s Office, when presented with the option to return to UVa Law, Glover found it impossible to turn down the offer. Glover said that the prospect of working for UVa Law’s library was particularly appealing because she had enjoyed research and writing throughout law school—Legal Research and Writing (LRW) was one of her favorite courses—and while she was in practice.
Returning to UVa Law has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience for Glover, who praises her colleagues and the community at-large for creating a collegial workplace. Glover thinks that the positive environment found at UVa Law may be unique to our school and said that it was one of her favorite parts of being a student and now a faculty member at UVa Law. Specifically, she commended UVa Law professors for their intellect, but emphasized that it is their approachability and kindness that makes them a true pleasure to work with.
As a research librarian, Glover works with a wide range of individuals on any given day and encounters an array of new issues as a result. In addition to helping professors researching complicated paper topics, Glover also assists students who are working on notes of their own and members of the public with an interest in researching the law. Glover teaches Advanced Legal Research, which builds on the skills that students are typically first exposed to during LRW. The class uses practical methods to help students become more familiar with databases such as Westlaw and LexisNexis before they head into practice. Glover asks all her students to select a an issue in the news that they are interested in and to track related developments throughout the semester. Glover said that one of her favorite parts about teaching is discovering the wide range of interests that her students hold and watching them grow increasingly confident in their research abilities over time.
When asked if she has any advice to share with students, Glover suggested that they should begin thinking early on about the importance of work-life balance. Specifically, she recommended that students should try to develop a commitment to things that they can enjoy outside of work—things that will allow them to clear their heads when they start feeling overwhelmed. As we head into finals season, this advice seems particularly prudent, especially for 1Ls who may already be feeling anxious and worn down from late nights spent briefing the cases in their Civil Procedure textbooks.
In her spare time, Glover enjoys hiking, yoga, and describes herself as an avid walker. Glover said that one of her favorite parts of living in Charlottesville is being able to walk from the Downtown Mall to the countryside and watching the scenery change along the way. She loves poetry, though denies having a single favorite author. Still, Glover cited Emily Dickinson and Gwendolyn Brooks as being two of her mainstay favorites. When asked what her favorite restaurant is in Charlottesville, Glover enthusiastically responded that Tavola, an Italian restaurant located in the Belmont neighborhood, is a fabulous option and recommended everything on the menu from the bruschetta to the more complex seafood dishes. Finally, Glover recommends taking the time to check out the Virginia Film Festival, which will be held in town November 9–12. Glover indicated that attending the Film Festival is a highlight for her each year and noted that it presents students with a fun opportunity to see select movies before they enter wide release.
We thoroughly enjoyed meeting with Glover and encourage students to stop and say hello when they see her around the library!
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lk3da@virginia.edu
mes5hf@virginia.edu