Laura Ax-Fultz

Associate Dean for Library and Information Services

Laura J. Ax-Fultz is the associate dean for library and information services at the H. Laddie Montague Jr. Law Library at Penn State Dickinson Law. In addition to her library administrator responsibilities, Professor Ax-Fultz teaches legal research in the first-year curriculum, LL.M. Legal Research, and upper-level courses as well as providing guest lectures in other courses. In addition, she provides research assistance on a wide variety of topics from general questions to specific guidance on the navigation of online resources.

Professor Ax-Fultz enjoyed a career in private legal practice in Pennsylvania, focusing on family law, criminal law, and appellate work. While maintaining an active law practice, she pursued a master’s in Library Science from Clarion University.

Professor Ax-Fultz also held law librarian positions at Penn State Law and at the United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Wilmington, Delaware.


Select Publications by Professor Ax-Fultz

Take Five for Customer Service

Igniting the Conversation: Embracing Legal Literacy as the Heart of the Profession

Basic Online Legal Research for Librarians

Laura Ax-Fultz

Email  lja10@psu.edu 

Phone  717-241-3541

CV  Curriculum Vitae

SSRN

Twitter

Prof. Ax-Fultz in the Media

Faculty Impact


Education
J.D., Widener University

M.S.L.S., Clarion University of Pennsylvania

B.A., Indiana University of Pennsylvania


Faculty Blog

Keeping It Brief!

Selected Works


Research Interests
Legal Literacy

Access to Justice


Current Courses
Legal Analysis and Factual Persuasion (Research Component)

Introduction to U.S. Legal Research

Ax-Fultz’s Publications

Book Chapters

Ax-Fultz, L. (50%), & Tarves, T. K. (2022). The Law Libraries of Penn State. In Beth Adelman & Jessica de Perio Wittman (Eds.), Academic Law Library Structures: Past, Present, and Future Hein. Peer-reviewed/refereed. [In press — forthcoming].

Take Five for Customer Service. Pennsylvania Libraries: Research & Practice 4(1), pp. 4-19. (With Barbara Eshbach, Evonne Loomis, and Richard Miller, 2016).

Igniting the Conversation: Embracing Legal Literacy as the Heart of the Profession. Law Library Journal 107(3), pp. 421-439. (2015).

Basic Online Legal Research for Librarians. Pennsylvania Libraries: Research & Practice 2(1), pp. 71-83. (2014).

PORTT: The Legal Research Certification Program at Penn State Law The ALL-SIS Newsletter 33(2). (2014).

Taking Legal Research Instruction to the Next Level with the National Legal Research Teach-In. AALL Spectrum 18(4), 2. (2014).

Trade Publication, Professional

Ax-Fultz, L. J. (2022). "Using Institutional Objectives to Measure Peformance & Show Value." AALL Spectrum. 27(2), (pp. 2).

AALL Spectrum is the flagship magazine of the American Association of Law Libraries, distributed to the membership on a monthly basis. The authors of the "Ask a Director" column are personally invited by the editor to submit an answer for a posed question. See https://aallspectrum.aallnet.org/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=aa3ec334-f932-4200-961d-77cd169ed4bc

Blog

Ax-Fultz, L. (2022). Keeping it Brief!

Ax-Fultz’s Affiliations and Service to the Community

Service to the Disciplines and to the Profession

American Association of Law Libraries, Educating and Diversifying the Next Generation Caucus, Credentials and Compensation Committee, Co-Chairperson, National. (June 2022 - Present).

Study the credentials and salaries of law librarians, including: the degrees needed for librarian positions, barriers to the profession due to required credentials, myths about law librarian credentials, and salary disparities among librarians and between librarians and other academic constituencies. Develop tools, publications, and programs for librarians seeking employment.

US News Working Group — Personnel, Society of Academic Law Library Directors, Committee Member, National. (2021 - Present).

Service to Public and Private Organizations

HSLC: Hosting Solutions and Library Consulting, Board Member, State. (January 2022 - December 2022).

HSLC is a nonprofit organization that contributes to the success of libraries by delivering technical and consulting services. The Board of Directors has oversight responsibilities for the organization and its mission to support libraries across Pennsylvania.

Honors or Awards for Service to the Profession

RIPS-SIS Service Award, American Association of Law Libraries. (July 2022).

The Research Instruction and Patron Services Special Interest Section Service award honors a RIPS-SIS member who has made outstanding contributions to RIPS-SIS in areas of section activity and professional service.