This year, CoALL awarded Jason Youngstrom, Head of Technical Services Librarian at DU’s Westminster Law Library, the 2025-2026 Educational Grant. He used the Grant to help fund his attendance at the 2026 SWALL Conference, held in Lubbock, Texas on March 26-28. Per the Grant Committee’s request, he has provided his key takeaways from that conference, below.
This spring, I had the privilege of attending my first SWALL (Southwestern Association of Law Libraries) conference, held in Lubbock, Texas. After many years working in a science library, I am now turning over a new leaf as an academic law librarian. As a result, I feel like I both know a lot and have a lot to learn at the same time. With this mindset (mostly the “a lot to learn” part) I set off for my first law library conference, and the SWALL conference turned out to be a great introduction to an incredible community. The small nature of the conference sets it up as an intimate gathering. At the same time, the attendees are a varied group of professionals representing every corner of the law library world: academic libraries, court libraries, firm libraries, and government institutions alike. I was able to make connections through small group interactions, small workshops, and lots of one on one conversations. The connections I made were genuine and made me feel welcome in the law library community. It was envigorating to be surrounded by so many passionate, knowledgeable colleagues who were eager to share their expertise and learn from others.
The programming this year offered something meaningful for every stage of a law librarian’s career. On the technical side, sessions on AI tool evaluation gave practical frameworks for navigating an increasingly complex landscape of emerging technology. Equally valuable were the discussions around soft skills, particularly how to build stronger collaborative relationships with partner libraries and navigate the realities of cross-institutional coordination. Perhaps most unexpectedly impactful were the sessions devoted to personal development, including the keynote presentation by Dr. Lisa Garner Santa who took us on a deep dive into communication styles that left me with immediately applicable tools for working more effectively with colleagues, supervisors, and patrons alike.
The best news? The SWALL conference is coming to Colorado in 2027. Having just experienced firsthand what this conference has to offer, I can tell you with confidence: you do not want to miss it. Whether you’re a seasoned SWALL veteran or a newbie like me, this converence will energize your practice, expand your network, and remind you of the very best this profession has to offer.
-Jason Youngstrom
Head of Technical Services
Assistant Professor in University Libraries
Westminster Law Library
Jason.Youngstrom@du.edu