The Virginia Association of Law Libraries (VALL) initially was organized as the Richmond Area Law Libraries Association (RALLA) in 1981. As the name suggested, the organization was formed to provide opportunities for the exchange of ideas and solutions to common problems for law library professionals and paraprofessionals in the Richmond metropolitan area.
During the next two years, RALLA's membership slowly grew beyond the Richmond area, attracting members from Williamsburg and Northern Virginia. In response to increasing numbers of members, RALLA adopted its first formal constitution and bylaws in October of 1983 and elected the first slate of officers in 1984. Between 1983 and 1986, RALLA's membership grew dramatically, drawing members from all corners of the state.
By 1986, the organization clearly reflected a statewide organization of law libraries (57 members) rather than an organization limited to the Richmond metropolitan area. Recognizing the shift from a local membership to a statewide organization and hoping to avoid confusion with the recently formed Richmond Association of Legal Assistants (RALA), RALLA was renamed the Virginia Association of Law Libraries in 1986.
As more Virginia law library professionals and paraprofessionals learned about the existence of a statewide organization in their field, VALL's membership increased and diversified. By late 1987, membership had grown to over sixty members, and work towards establishing formal ties between VALL and the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) was a means of increasing VALL's contact with law libraries nationwide.
VALL formally requested permission from the AALL to establish itself as a Chapter of the national organization in April 1988. Following AALL Executive Board consideration, the request was presented to the general membership of AALL at the 1988 Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, where VALL was unanimously approved as the 28th Chapter of the American Association of Law Libraries.
Since becoming a chapter of AALL, VALL's membership has continued to grow steadily from ninety-two active members in September 1988 to 147 members as of September 1995. VALL's fiscal and business affairs are managed by an Executive Board consisting of the officers of the organization, the immediate Past President and two elected directors. Members serve on committees of two classes, standing and special, as appointed by the current President.
VALL standing committees number ten: Grants, Legal Information Outreach, Legislative Awareness, Membership, Newsletter and Publications, Placement, Preservation, Program and Recruitment. Business meetings are held quarterly in conjunction with a dinner or lunch and an educational program. Since 1989, members have supported an annual meeting, opening with a reception on a Friday evening, followed by a full Saturday of programming. These annual meetings have covered a variety of topics:
| 1989 "The Law Library in Transition: Planning and Implementing a Library Move" |
| 1990 "Ask a Star - Ask a Librarian: Marketing Law Library Services and Those Who Provide Them" |
| 1991 "When We Get Behind Closed Doors: Technical Services in the Small Library" |
| 1992 "Bridging the Information Gap" |
| 1993 "Access to Government Information: Federal and State" |
| 1994 "Current Issues in Law Libraries: Complying With ADA and Researching International, Trade and European Union Law" |
| 1995 "Connected to the Past, Connections to the Present, Connecting to the Future" (Joint VALL/SEAALL meeting) |
| 1996 "In Our Own Backyard: Accessing Virginia State and Local Information" |
| 1997 "Covering the Riverfront" 1998 "A Visit to the Past - While Looking into the Future" |
| 1999 "CyberCrossroads: Information Policy, Law and Politics" |
| 2000 "Taking the Lead in Legal Information: Law Librarianship in the New Century" |
| 2001 "VALL 2001: An Information Odyssey" |
| 2002 "Exploring Connections" |
VALL previously published the VALL Newsletter, which was a quarterly publication released in the month prior to each quarterly business meeting. Costs of producing and mailing the Newsletter to members, vendors, and AALL Chapter representatives were funded through member dues and vendor advertising. In addition to the Newsletter, an annual membership directory was produced (today it is published an distributed in an electronic format), as well as a membership brochure.
VALL Newsletter Archive, 2003-2008
The VALL Newsletter was discontinued in May 2009, in favor of the VALLTalk Blog.
Past Presidents of the organization (RALLA from 1984-1986, and VALL since 1986) and their dates of service are as follows:
| Ann B. Roberts | 1984-1985 |
| Susan B. English | 1985-1986 |
| Georgiana Gekas | 1986-1987 |
| Christopher A. Meyer | 1987-1988 |
| Steven D. Hinckley | 1988-1989 |
| Gail Warren | 1989-1990 |
| Jean M. Holcomb | 1990-1991 |
| Joyce Manna Janto | 1991-1992 |
| Karen S. Schubart | 1992 |
| Isabel B. Paul | 1992-1994 |
| James S. Heller | 1994-1995 |
| E. Terry Long | 1995-1996 |
| Martha Rush | 1996-1997 |
| Frosty Owen | 1997-1998 |
| Rae Ellen Best | 1998-1999 |
| Gail Zwirner | 1999-2000 |
| Donna Bausch | 2000-2001 |
| Jill Burr | 2001-2002 |
| Charles Oates | 2002-2003 |
| Bobbie Denny | 2003-2004 |
| Cathy Palombi | 2004-2005 |
| Marie S. Hamm | 2005-2006 |
| Evelyn M. Campbell | 2006-2007 |
| Kevin Butterfield | 2007-2008 |
| Leanne Battle | 2008-2009 |
| Fred Dingledy | 2009-2010 |
| Anthony Ikwueme | 2010-2011 |
| Michelle Gernhardt | 2011-2012 |
| Suzanne Corriell | 2012-2013 |
| Amy Wharton | 2013-2014 |
| Ben Almoite | 2014-2015 |
| Stephanie Miller | 2015-2016 |
| Patricia Petroccione | 2016-2017 |
| Laura Dresser | 2017-2018 |
| Andrew Winston | 2018-2019 |
| Chris Vassey | 2019-2020 |
| Jane Harrison | 2020-2021 |
| Roger Skalbeck | 2021-2022 |
| Stella Naulo | 2022-2023 |
| Alison Mallonee | 2023-2024 |
The Virginia Association of Law Libraries (VALL) supports and serves its members’ professional pursuits by fostering a spirit of leadership and cooperation, providing educational and leadership opportunities, and promoting and enhancing the value of law libraries.
