Friday, July 20, 2007

AALL 2007 Post-Conference Meeting With Légion d'Honneur Winner

I had seen Claire Germain, former president of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL), at the past 2 annual conferences of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries.

So I was surprised to find out that she was not in attendance at this year's AALL conference that took place a few days ago in New Orleans. I was hoping to see her there.

By the most improbable of coincidences, I bumped into her after the conference in the departure zone at the Philadelphia International Airport. She was catching a connection to Ithaca, New York just minutes before I got on a flight home to Ottawa. Her plane's gate was just across the corridor from mine's.

The reason Mme. Germain could not be in New Orleans: the French-born Cornell University Law School librarian was in Paris receiving the Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur medal, the French Republic's most prestigious award.

In the past, France has recognized many others who have distinguished themselves in the field of legal research and legal information.

Back on November 16, 2005, I posted an item entitled Top French National Award Given to Legal Documentation Specialist that described the awarding of the Ordre national du mérite by then French President Jacques Chirac to Mme. Marie-Aleth Trapet, an auditor with France's Cour de cassation. The award was for her contributions to French legal documentation.

The Ordre national du mérite is the second highest award of the French Republic, after the Légion d'Honneur. It was created by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. The Légion d'Honneur was created by Napoléon Bonaparte.

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posted by Michel-Adrien at 10:56 pm

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