Thinking, Planning and Urbanism.

    An academic librarian since 1980, Mary Hemmings has worked at Concordia University, McGill University and is currently the Assistant Director of the University of Calgary’s Law Library. Mary’s career includes a three-year role as “librarian-in-residence” at the UofC’s English Department and co-ordinator of the Gibson Collection of Speculative Fiction. She is author of a book chapter on the role of women in pulp fiction, and is a co-author of a chapter on libraries and popular culture. She has taught courses in Fundamental Legal Skills and Advanced Legal Skills at UofC’s Faculty of Law. Mary is currently working towards and LLM specializing in legal theory and history at Queen Mary College, Univesity of London.
Degrees  held: (BA History, Concordia) (MLS, McGill) MA Legal History, Calgary) (LLB, Calgary)

Research Interest: Interdisciplinary approaches to law and society
    University courses in interdisciplinary legal issues are a traditional part of the academic landscape and law is an integral part of society. Understanding its sources and traditions allows us to look critically at how laws are made and cases are decided. Saying “rule of thumb” was politically incorrect in the eighteenth century, and would be today if more people knew it referred to the size of cane allowed to be used to beat a wife. By using primary sources, inquiring students can discover a better understanding of law today. Broad approaches among a variety disciplines and media can engage and fuel life-time inquiry into a fascinating topic.

Book chapters/contributions
Controlling the Popular: Canadian Memory Institutions and Popular Culture, How Canadians Communicate, with Pannekoek, F., Clarke, H., University of Athabasca Press, 3rd ed, 2009, Refereed, In Press

The Changing Role of Women in Science Fiction: Weird Tales, 1925-1940, The Influence of Imagination: Essays in Science Fiction and Fantasy as Agents of Social Change, Easton, L., Schroeder, R, eds., McFarland Press, 2008, Refereed

Make ‘em Laugh: Images of Law in Eighteenth Century Popular Culture, Treatise on Legal Visual Semiotics, Wagner, Anne and Sherwin, Richard, eds., Springer, Accepted for publication, 2011.

Books reviewed (recent)
Law and Morality: Readings in Legal Philosophy, Dyzenhaus, D., Moreau, S.R., Ripstein, A., eds., Canadian Law Library Review, v. 32, no. 5, 2007,  p. 237. Refereed.

Heinneccius: A Methodical System of Universal Law with Supplements and Discourse by George Turnbull, edited and with and introduction by Thomas Ahnert and Peter Schroder, Johan Gottlieb, Newsletter of the Legal History and Rare Books Special Interest Section of the American Association of law Libraries, v. 14, no.  3, Fall, p. 40-41, http://www.aallnet.org/sis/lhrb/lhrb.pdf, Refereed.

Globalized Rule of Law: Relationships between International and Domestic Law, Oonagh E. Fitzgerald, editor, Canadian Law Library Review, v. 33, no. 5, 2008; reprinted by permission, Manitoba Bar Association, Headnotes and Footnotes, v. 41, no. 4 (April 2009),  p. 20.

Rediscovering Rhetoric: Law, Language and the Practice of Persuasion, Gleaeson, Justin T. and Higgins, Ruth C.A., eds., Canadian Law Library Review, v.34, no. 3, 2009,  p. 118-119, Refereed.

Carnal Crimes: Sexual Assault in Canada by Constance Backhouse, Canadian Law Library Review, In Preparation.

Panel discussions (recent)
Science Fiction and Other Archives, Interaction Worldcon Association, Interaction: World Science Fiction Conference, Glasgow, 2005

Papers presented (recent)
The Gibson Collection: The Problem of the Gift, Conference of the Book, Oxford, 2005
Controlling the Popular: How Canadians Communicate, Banff, 2007 (co-presenter)

Grants (recent)
Canadian Association of Law Libraries Research Grant, 2009; $4400:  Project "Legal Visual Semiotics: Eighteenth Century Satirical Prints as Primary Sources." This grant has allowed Mary to travel to the British Museum to review original eighteenth satirical prints for legal themes, in support of her upcoming book chapter in Treatise on Legal Visual Semiotics (Springer).