Shawn G. Nevers

Senior Law Librarian, Deputy Director of Howard W. Hunter Library

Shawn Nevers joined the law library faculty in 2006 after completing a Masters of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a J.D. at Brigham Young University. As the Law Library’s Deputy Director, Professor Nevers works with the Library Director to manage the day-to-day operations of the Law Library and to develop its collection. Professor Nevers also assists faculty, students, and other patrons with their research needs, oversees the library’s electronic database collection, and teaches Introduction to Legal Research & Writing, Introduction to Advocacy, and Advanced Legal Research.

Courses Taught

  • Advanced Legal Research
  • Introduction to Advocacy
  • Introduction to Legal Research and Writing

Education

  • M.L.I.S., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • J.D., Brigham Young University
  • B.A., Brigham Young University

Publications

  • Book Chapters and Articles
  • Assessment in Legal Research Education, in The Boulder Statements on Legal Research Education: The Intersection of Intellectual and Practical Skills 81 (Susan Nevelow Mart ed., 2014).
  • The Practitioner’s Council: Connecting Legal Research Instruction and Current Legal Research Practice, 103 Law Libr. J. 575 (2011) (with David L. Armond).
  • Legal Research Readings to Inspire and Inform Students, 17 Perspectives: Teaching Legal Res. & Writing 6 (2008).
  • Candy, Points, and Highlighters: Why Librarians, Not Vendors, Should Teach CALR to First-Year Students, 99 Law Libr. J. 757 (2007).
  • Promote Your Electronic Resources: How to Get More Bang for Your E-Resource Buck, 11 AALL Spectrum 4 (Apr. 2007).
  • Columns
  • Taming Legal Information Overload, 42 Student Law. 18 (Apr. 2014).
  • Local Ordinances: The Often Overlooked Laws, 42 Student Law. 17 (Feb. 2014).
  • Restatements: An Influential Secondary Source, 42 Student Law. 19 (Oct. 2013).
  • The Importance of Legal Research, 41 Student Law. 19 (Apr. 2013).
  • Transactional Law Research, 41 Student Law. 18 (Feb. 2013)..
  • Becoming a Cost-effective Researcher, 41 Student Law. 18 (Dec. 2012).
  • Litigation Practice Materials, 41 Student Law. 15 (Sept. 2012.
  • Getting to Know Lexis Advance, 40 Student Law. 18 (Apr. 2012).
  • Becoming a Better Online Researcher, 40 Student Law. 17 (Feb. 2012).
  • Getting to Know Administrative Decisions, 40 Student Law. 21 (Dec. 2011).
  • Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Statutes, 40 Student Law. 18 (Oct. 2011).
  • Observations for Summer Research Success, 39 Student Law. 22 (Apr. 2011).
  • Legislative History: The Search for Legislative Intent, 39 Student Law. 18 (Feb. 2011).
  • WestlawNext: Westlaw’s Next Generation Research System, 39 Student Law. 12 (Dec. 2010).
  • Legal Encyclopedias: Research “Well Begun,, 39 Student Law. 12 (Oct. 2010).
  • Free and Low-Cost Research Resources for Any Budget, 38 Student Law. 8 (Apr. 2010).
  • Citators: The Power Tools of Legal Research, 38 Student Law. 8 (Feb. 2010).
  • Smart Researchers Save Time by Starting with Legal Treatises, 38 Student Law. 8 (Dec. 2009.
  • Thorough Academic Legal Research Will Improve Your Papers, 38 Student Law. 8 (Oct. 2009).
  • Other
  • Susan Nevelow Mart et. al.A Study of Attorneys’Legal Research Practices and Opinions of New Associates Research Skills (2013).
  • [Link]
  • Utah Legal ResearchCALI lesson (2009).
  • Book Reviews
  • Book Review, 100 Law Libr. J. 755, 770 (2008) Practicing Reference: Thoughts for Librarians and Legal Researchers in Keeping Up with New Legal Titles.
  • Book Review, 99 Law Libr. J. 829, 831 (2007) Reflections on Constitutional Law in Keeping Up with New Legal Titles.
  • Presentations
  • Presenter, Attorney Research Skills: Join the Conversation Between Law Firm and Academic Law Librarians, AALL Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 21, 2015.
  • Presenter, Improving Your Teaching, Legal Research Teaching Academy, AALL Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 18, 2015.
  • Coordinator and Presenter, Legal Research Practices of Attorneys, Westpac Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, October 10, 2014.
  • Presenter, Success in the Classroom: Measuring Student and Teacher Performance, AALL Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, July 16, 2013.
  • Presenter, Meeting the Needs of Students and Their Future Employers: Discussion on Legal Research Instruction and Student Services Inspired by Practitioner Feedback, AALL Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, July 16, 2013.
  • Coordinator, Moderator, and Presenter, Making the Grade: Assessing Legal Research Skills in the Classroom and Firm, AALL Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 26, 2011.
  • Presenter, AALL/LexisNexis Call for Papers Award Recipient, AALL Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 25, 2011.
  • Beyond the Ivory Tower: Reaching Out to Practicing Attorneys and Law Firm Librarians to Improve Legal Research Instruction, ALL-SIS sponsored AALL Program, Washington D.C., July 27, 2009.
  • Getting Past Google: Tips for Teaching Electronic Legal Research,, Rocky Mountain Legal Writing Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2008.
  • Humble Lawyers: Can They Exist? Do They Exist? And How to Become One, Spirit in the Law, Provo, Utah, March 12, 2008.
  • Just Do It: Newer Law Librarians Have Much to Contribute to Professional Scholarship, AALL/LexisNexis Call for Papers Program, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 17, 2007.

Experience

  • Deputy Director, Howard W. Hunter Law Library, BYU (2014-present)
  • Head of Reference and Research Instruction, Howard W. Hunter Law Library, BYU (2013-2014)
  • Head of Reference Services, Howard W. Hunter Law Library, BYU (2010-2013)
  • Research Librarian, Howard W. Hunter Law Library, BYU (2006-2010)
  • Graduate Assistant, Albert E. Jenner, Jr. Memorial Law Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2005-2006)