Spencer L. Simons
Law Library
Houston, TX 77204-6054
713-743-5896 ssimons@central.uh.edu
Director of the Law Library
And Associate Professor of Law
O’Quinn Law Library
University of Houston Law Center
Director of the Law Library and Assistant Professor of Law
O’Quinn Law Library,
University of Houston Law Center
Director of Public Services
Chicago-Kent College of Law Library,
Illinois Institute of Technology Downtown Campus Library
Head of Reference
Chicago-Kent College of Law Library,
Illinois Institute of Technology Downtown Campus Library
Reference Librarian
Chicago-Kent College of Law Library,
Illinois Institute of Technology Downtown Campus Library
Adjunct Professor
Chicago-Kent College of Law
Intern, King County Law Library. Seattle, Washington
Fly Fishing Instructor; Other. Seattle, Washington
Banker; Oil & Gas lending, Special Assets.
September 2010–Present
January 2004–August 2010
October 2001–December 2003
April 2000–October 2001
September 1995–April 2000
August, 1996–December 2003
October 1994–June 1995
1988–1994
August 1979–July 1987

Spencer L. Simons
EDUCATION
Master of Librarianship, with Law Librarianship Certificate.
Final Exam Thesis (“Future of the Internet”) with Honors.
University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 1995.
J.D./M.B.A., University of Washington, 1979.
B.A., Anthropology, and B.A., Psychology (Honors), University of Washington, 1972.
PUBLICATIONS
Co-author and Editor, AALS Committee on Libraries and Technology 2015 Workshop for Newer
Law Library Directors, “Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide,” The Reality of Being a Law
Library Director in Times of Great Opportunity and Significant Challenge, 107 L.
L IBR .
J.
79
(2015). The article comprises the edited remarks of participants in the all-day workshop organized, moderated, and participated in by Professor Simons at the 2015 AALS Annual
Meeting in Washington, DC.
Book Chapter (solicited): Financial Basics, in A CADEMIC L AW L IBRARY D IRECTOR
P ERSPECTIVES : C ASE S TUDIES , F UTURE D IRECTIONS , AND G ENERAL A DVICE (Hein, Michelle
Wu, ed. 2015).
Co-author: F EDERAL L EGAL R ESEARCH , Algero, Simons, Rowe, Childs, and Ricks (Carolina
Academic Press 2012; 2d ed. 2015).
T EXAS L EGAL R ESEARCH (Carolina Academic Press 2009, revised printing 2012, 2d. ed.
(forthcoming) 2015).
What Interests Are Served when Academic Law Library Directors Are Tenured Law Faculty? An
Analysis and Proposal , 58 J.
L EGAL E DUC .
245 (2008).
Book Chapter (solicited): Accounting and Budgeting for Librarians , in B EYOND THE B OOKS :
P EOPLE , P OLITICS , AND L IBRARIANSHIP (Leslie A. Lee and Michelle M. Wu, eds., 2007).
Navigating through the Fog: Teaching Legal Research and Writing Students to Master
Indeterminacy through Structure and Process , 56 J.
L
EGAL
E
DUC
. 356 (2006).
Co-author: ARL SPEC K IT : I NSTITUTIONAL R EPOSITORIES , (University of Houston Institutional
Repository Task Force, 2006).
Lawsuits and Legal Challenges: Librarians on the Frontline , 81 T EX .
L IBR .
J. 18,
March, 2005.
Illinois Administrative Code: New Codification Effort Cancelled , in Chicago Association of Law
Libraries Public Affairs Committee Report on Significant Developments, November 19, 2003, at
5 (Spencer L. Simons ed.). http://www.aallnet.org/chapter/call/publications/pubaffr1103.html
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Spencer L. Simons
Illinois Administrative Code: Dispute over Production and Re-codification , Chicago Association of Law Libraries Public Affairs Committee Report, June 2, 2003. http://www.aallnet.org/chapter/call/publications/admincode.html
Book Review : Roznovschi, Mirela, Toward a Cyberlegal Future ,
94 L AW L IBR .
J. 656 (2002).
Book Review : Carrol, Richard J., Congressional Quarterly’s Desk Reference on the Economy,
93 L
AW
L
IBR
.
J.
613 (2001).
CLASSES TAUGHT
Accounting & Finance for Lawyers. University of Houston Law Center. Fall, 2004 - 2015.
Advanced Legal Research. University of Houston Law Center. Spring, 2005 - 2016.
Legal Drafting. Chicago-Kent College of Law. Fall, 2003.
Introduction to the American Legal System – LLM. Chicago-Kent College of Law. Fall, 2002
(co-taught).
Legal Drafting/Advanced Legal Research & Writing - Business Law. Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Spring, Fall, 2000.
Advanced Legal Research & Writing - Bankruptcy. Chicago-Kent College of Law. 1996–1999.
FACULTY COMMITTEES, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LAW CENTER
Curriculum Committee: 2015 – Present.
Ad Hoc Strategic Planning Curriculum Committee: 2014 –2015.
Executive Committee: 2006/2007/2008 appointment
Magellan Committee (Strategic directions): January, 2004 to March, 2006 (mission completion date)
Library Committee (ex officio): January, 2004 to Present
Acropolis Project Committee: August 2004 to December 2004 (project completion date)
Curriculum Committee: 2004/2005, 2005/2006 appointments
Facilities Committee: 2005/2006, 2010/2011, 2012/2013 appointments
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Spencer L. Simons
PRESENTATIONS
Organized, Moderated, and Presented : "Legal Research on the Internet" CLE
2 sessions, Feb/Mar 1999, for Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys
2 sessions, Jul/Aug 1998, for Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys
Organized, Moderated and Presented : "Labor Law Internet Research" CLE
October 1998 for Chicago law firm.
“The Internet Health Lawyer”, November 11, 2001
Fundamentals of Health Law Program, November 11-13, 2001
Chicago, IL
Sponsored by: American Health Lawyers Association.
“Librarians and Lawsuits: On the Front Line”, October 16, 2004
Legal Issues and Information Professionals Program, Houston TX
Hosted by University of North Texas School of Library and Information Sciences
“Health Law in Cyberspace”, July 20, 2005
American Association of Law Libraries Annual Meeting and Conference, July 16-20, 2005
San Antonio, TX
“Health Law Research Online: Good For You or Hazardous to Your Health?”
Co-presenter with Elizabeth Schneider. Southwestern Association of Law Libraries Annual
Meeting, April 7, 2006. Austin, TX
“Basic Accounting for Law Libarians” , Southwestern Association of Law Libraries Annual
Meeting, March 27, 2009. Albuquerque, NM
“Basic Accounting for Law Librarians”, Houston Association of Law Librarians business meeting, April 8, 2009. Houston, TX
“Accounting: Prepare for Your Future”, July 12, 2010
American Association of Law Libraries Annual Meeting and Conference, July 10-13, 2010
Denver, Colorado
“Business Bankruptcy Law and Research” (1 CLE credit), March 12, 2011
Joint Meeting of Southwestern Association of Law Libaries/Houston Association of Law
Librarians, March 11-12, 2011.
“Texas Legislative History & Administrative Agency Research” (1 CLE credit), April 28, 2012
Essential Legal Information & Technology for Texas Lawyers CLE.
O’Quinn Law Library, University of Houston Law Center.
“Texas Legislative History & Administrative Agency Research” (1 CLE credit), April 27, 2013
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Spencer L. Simons
Essential Legal Information & Technology for Texas Lawyers CLE.
O’Quinn Law Library, University of Houston Law Center.
“Texas Legislative History & Administrative Agency Research” (1 CLE credit), April 26, 2014
Essential Legal Information & Technology for Texas Lawyers CLE.
O’Quinn Law Library, University of Houston Law Center.
“Texas Legislative History & Administrative Agency Research” (1 CLE credit), April 25, 2015
Essential Legal Information & Technology for Texas Lawyers CLE.
O’Quinn Law Library, University of Houston Law Center.
Organized, presided at, and presented at: “The Law Library: Creative and Strategic Innovation in the Midst of Change.”
Association of American Law Schools 2014 Annual Meeting
New York City, NY., January 2-5.
Organized, presided at, and presented at: “Workshop for Newer Library Directors. ‘Nowhere to
Run; Nowhere to Hide’; the Reality of Being a Law Library Director in Times of Great
Opportunity and Significant Challenges.”
Association of American Law Schools 2015 Annual Meeting
Washington D.C., January 2-5.
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Member, Committee on Libraries & Technology, Association of American Law Schools, 2011-
2013.
Chair, Committee on Libraries & Technology, Association of American Law Schools, 2013.
Chair, Subcommittee on AALS Standards and Questionnaire for Law Libraries, 2012.
AALS Membership Site Visit Team, Cooley Law School, Tampa, November, 2013.
ABA Site Visit Team, University of New Hampshire School of Law, April, 2013.
ABA Site Visit Team, St. Thomas University School of Law (Florida). March, 2012.
University of Houston Faculty Senate, .
2011 – 2014, 2015-2016 Member of UH Faculty Senate
Budget and Facilities Committee, .
2011 – 2014, 2015-2016. Member of Community &
Government Relations Committee, 2016 – Present.
University of Houston Faculty Governance Committee, 2014.
Advisory Board, University of Houston Center for Faculty Engagement and Development (FED).
2014-Present.
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Spencer L. Simons
Chair, Search Committee for FED Executive Director, 2014-2015.
Task Force for the Review of ABA Standards for Law Libraries. ALL-SIS (Academic Law
Library) section of the the American Association of Law Libraries, August–September, 2009.
SWALL (Southwestern Association of Law Libraries) Finance Committee, 2007–2012.
Chicago Association of Law Libraries Public Affairs Committee, 2001–12/04
Chair, 2/02–12/04.
Reported to Association on legislative developments and initiatives, organized lobbying effort at chapter level, drafted letters to legislators for Board, negotiated agreements on joint presentation with regional library system.
Chicago Association of Law Libraries Continuing Education Committee, 1997–2001
Co-Chair, 1998–2001.
Organized, coordinated, and assisted with numerous successful professional education
Programs.
Attended five-day training session on United Nations organization and document system at UN Dag Hammarskjold Library. May, 1997.
Judge, Niagara International Law Moot Court Competition. March, 1998
Protocol Officer: Library of International Relations Annual Consular Ball: assisted with protocol, planning, and coordination of annual fundraising ball for the Library of International
Relations: liaison with over 70 consulates in Chicago. 1998–2001.
OTHER QUALIFICATIONS
Admitted to Practice: Washington, 1979.
Beta Phi Mu (international library science honor society), 1995.
Harvard Management Development Program, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Cambridge, Mass., June 20 – July 2, 2004
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Washington State Bar Association
American Association of Law Libraries
Association of American Law Schools
Houston Association of Law Librarians
Society of Academic Law Library Directors
Southwestern Association of Law Libraries
Beta Phi Mu (international library science honor society)
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Spencer L. Simons
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