In recent years the number of Americans who have decided to handle their own legal affairs without the help of a lawyer has skyrocketed. Ranging from people writing their own wills or drafting a contract to those trying to represent themselves in court, they’re going to public and academic libraries for answers. As both an attorney and a librarian, Healy’s background makes him uniquely qualified to advise library staff on providing users with the legal information they seek, and in this handbook, he Provides a concise orientation on legal research, including strategies for finding information quickly and a handpicked compendium of the best resources Offers guidance on how to provide advice on legal research while steering clear of liability Covers federal legal reference as well as all 50 states, with a comprehensive list of web-based legal resources Library staff can provide valuable and ethical legal reference guidance with the practical guidance in this book.

This is an in depth guide to legal literature form all over the world. It is arranged in four parts, the law library,the users and a review of legal systems and literature; legal literature from the British Isles, the Commonwealth and the United States; legal literature from other legal systems; and a survey of law library practice.

Essays on evaluation techniques for library reference operations in the USA - includes a guide to measurement and planning of services, communication and interview techniques in user-librarian behaviour, computerization of information retrieval, data base structure (includes a case study of a law information system), choice of collections, etc. References.

Here is an essential introductory guide on all aspects of law librarianship written especially for non-law librarians, library school students, and beginning law librarians. Although there are several excellent practical handbooks and numerous articles on specific topics of law librarianship for practicing law librarians, Basics of Law Librarianship is the only resource that addresses the information needs of the student or new law librarian. Author Deborah Panella, managing librarian of a large, prominent New York law firm, explores the major areas of law librarianship. She covers vital topics such as the legal clientele, collection development, research tools, technical services, impact of technology, and management issues, and describes what makes law libraries different from other special libraries. She has written a clear, readable volume without excessive detail or the use of special terminology. The bibliography of law library literature and the index add enormously to the book’s value as a major reference.

"Co-published simultaneously as Legal reference services quarterly, volume 26, numbers 1/2."

Learn how to assist library patrons, including self-represented litigants, through legal research instruction, programming, and outreach. According to the National Center for State Courts, in 76 percent of civil cases in the United States at least one of the parties represents themself. As more people represent themselves in court, more are coming to the library to seek answers to legal questions. Do you ever feel panicked when someone asks you a legal reference question? Are you are not sure where to look for information or how much information you can provide? What can libraries do to assist self-represented litigants? Deborah Hamilton began her career as a law librarian with no formal legal training. Now, not only does she help people with legal reference questions, but she also provides legal programming and outreach to the community. Learn the difference between legal information and legal advice as well as how to connect with community groups who provide legal services. In this book, Hamilton teaches librarians how to teach themselves about legal research and resources, as well as offering practical ideas for types of legal programs and outreach that they can proactively offer patrons.