Kammer Appointed Assistant Dean and Director of McKusick Law Library at USD Knudson School of Law
The University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law is proud to announce the appointment of Sarah Kammer as the new assistant dean and director of the McKusick Law Library. With a career spanning over a decade at USD, Kammer holds a wealth of experience and a commitment to legal education and library services. Her previous role as head of public, faculty, and student services has prepared her for this new leadership position, where she will continue to advance the library's mission and support the academic community.
“Sarah demonstrated herself as a tremendous candidate to take on this important role. I was struck with how clearly she saw where the Law Library is strong and where it can grow; how passionate she is about this community and our values of excellence, service, and leadership; and how easily and effectively she finds ways to collaborate and facilitate the success of others,” said Neil Fulton, J.D., dean of the school of law.
Sarah Kammer's journey began with a law degree from Duke University and a Master of Arts in information science and learning technologies from the University of Missouri.
Early in her career, she practiced as an attorney at a prominent firm in Cleveland, Ohio. Seeking a more personalized legal practice, she moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, to work at a smaller firm. During this time, Kammer decided to pursue her master’s degree, where she gained practical experience through a practicum at the Schmid Law Library at the University of Nebraska College of Law. This experience confirmed her passion for law librarianship and set the stage for her future roles.
From there, Kammer found her way to the University of South Dakota when she relocated to Vermillion in 2012. She joined the McKusick Law Library team in 2014 as the head of public, faculty, and student services. Over the years, her role evolved as she took on more responsibilities and contributed to the library's growth. Her experience as an attorney and her academic background in law and library science gave her a unique perspective, allowing her to support the needs of students, faculty, alumni and the broader campus community.
Kammer's dedication and leadership have been key in transforming the library into a modern resource center, reflecting her commitment to legal education and library services, and establishing her as a trusted and reliable figure in the legal community.
We sat down with Kammer for an in-depth conversation about her career, her vision for the future, and her contributions to the legal community.
Q: How have you grown personally and professionally over the course of your career?
A: On a personal level, I have been overwhelmed by how much I have grown because of working with our law students. I am always amazed by the work they put in to complete their legal education, even through obstacles and challenges. My notion of what it means to be part of a community has certainly expanded since I’ve been at USD law, as I’ve seen the students support each other. The entire faculty and staff are also invested in the success and wellbeing of each student. I find that inspiring.
Professionally, working at the McKusick Law Library has been a wonderful opportunity. Working in a smaller library means that you will have a wider range of responsibilities and duties to cover, but also that you will learn more to meet those responsibilities. In my time here, I feel I have gained a solid understanding of all the different pieces of the library’s operations.
Q: What are some of your most memorable moments or experiences in the McKusick Law Library?
A: The holidays are always special here at the Law Library. As a team, we decorate the library and provide free coffee to students during finals. It makes it a cozy and comfortable environment to study in and it’s great to see smiles on the students’ faces during a busy and stressful time.
Q: How do you feel about taking on this new role?
A: I am excited to take on this new role. I am invested in the success of the Law Library and the law school, and it is wonderful to see us grow and build upon our strengths. Being a part of that, in any capacity, is very rewarding.
Q: What advice would you give to someone starting in this field?
Law librarianship is very collaborative, so my first piece of advice would be to engage with the profession. Students can join national and regional organizations, which provide the opportunity to get on listservs where issues and topics we are facing are discussed. Any exposure to research and research methods is helpful, so I would recommend taking the class “Advanced Legal Research” as a law student or participating in research work with a faculty member.
Q: How do you see your contributions shaping this future?
A: The core mission of the Law Library is supporting our students, faculty and the campus community. But I think we can expand our public mission and the services we can provide to attorneys, pro se litigants, and the general public. We are a rural law school in a largely rural state, so there are challenges to that, but they are challenges we can overcome. For example, there may be ways that we can partner with existing programs targeted at rural legal services. One of the goals I have as a director is to continue to build connections and find new ways that we can be a source of support in the state.
Q: Do you have any ideas about changes and new programs you plan to bring about as director and assistant dean?
A: I see a growing role for the Law Library in legal research instruction. It is a core skill for our law school graduates and will be increasingly tested by the NextGen bar exam. We also want to make sure our new graduates and alumni have our support and access to as many resources and services as possible. I would also like to see the Law Library increase its outreach efforts in the coming years. One way we can do that is to continue to make resources, such as our research guides, our faculty publications, and the “South Dakota Law Review,” easily accessible online and promote them to our users.
