Lindsey Carpino 1:34 So I think a lot of lawyers don`t know that legal librarians, also a lot of us have our JDs, and also our master`s degree in librarianship, a lot of us have actually practiced, so we really understand the law really well and could do some very complex legal research. And we really have a pulse for new products out there. As a result, legal librarians are constantly reviewing all new technologies and research tools, and often have a better understanding of how to fit into library budgets and practice groups that are best suited. As more and more students use the Internet to find resources, you might think that college law libraries are a thing of the past. In fact, these libraries are more useful than ever. While you can still find materials online using your tablet or computer, there are also great benefits to using your college`s law library. The two floors of the library were connected by an elaborate internal staircase separate from the other staircases in the building. Each internal staircase would have taken up a lot of space on each floor. But it wasn`t just any staircase. This staircase meandered quietly and impressively from floor to floor, consuming what appeared to be acres of otherwise usable floor space. The hierarchical structure of the litigator profession means that research tasks are usually delegated to juniors, so there can be multiple levels between the librarian and the person asking the question and directing the question. In a law firm, a partner will be in charge of a case, a senior manager will be able to act on the issue, there will be lawyers and among them a graduate who does the research and comes to the library for help. These levels present several challenges for law librarians who may have someone who asks the library for help and does not understand the question or problem they have been asked.

Baseline interview techniques are important in trying to clarify the problem. Often, what customers initially demand is not what they actually need. The first part of the interaction with the user can help him formulate the additional information he needs from his superiors. Since libraries do most of their work for juniors, there is also a risk that the library`s work will go unnoticed by the organization`s governing bodies or those who control the “portfolios.” The time available to complete research is another challenge for legal librarians. There are often court- or client-imposed deadlines, and one of the most important questions in the reference interview process (discussed in Chapter 6) is: “When do you need this information?” It is unlikely that the answer will be by the end of the week. It is more likely to be within the hour, now or yesterday! Because of these delays, the library is often faced with anxious and rather stressed customers. Frequent communication is required to inform library patrons of progress and delays. Law libraries are among the few areas where the user is often willing to pay what it costs to get the information as quickly as possible. Whether you live in an apartment, dorm, or with your parents, you`ll probably struggle to find a quiet place to work. College law libraries often have study spaces available for students. You can sit in a comfortable chair while studying for a test, feeling confident that any additional learning material you need is somewhere in the library. Most libraries also have larger rooms that are perfect for group collaboration.

Your group can find a time that fits your schedule to work on upcoming tasks. It is also not uncommon for law library directors to oversee computer operations and technology. Legal librarians instruct and train professors, lawyers and other users in the appropriate use of up-to-date tools. They also take the initiative to prepare students for this new reality, the American Bar Association has required lawyers to have an ethical duty to master technology. The University of Oklahoma launched the law school`s first digital initiative program in 2014 by educating students in a technologically immersive collaborative learning environment hosted in the law library. The training program was designed and implemented by Darin Fox, Director of the Law Library, and Kenton Brice, Director of Technology Innovation. In addition, credit experiential courses in legal practice technology taught by legal librarians are multiplying in law schools. These courses are often delivered in collaboration with law firm librarians who can provide expertise in areas such as eDiscovery, knowledge management, and competitive intelligence. When I became a lawyer more than half a century ago, the law library was the heart of my firm in every way.

It was the place where lawyers conducted legal research – all research. This meant that all the young lawyers were in the library almost every day at some point. Sometimes all the employees of the company were in the library at the same time. Many partners were also regular visitors. The emphasis on information literacy is another similarity between libraries in the legal sector. In law firms, courts and universities, it is generally accepted that it takes more than an overview of the library catalogue, an introduction to electronic resources and a tour of the library. The teaching function in law libraries has evolved to the point where many libraries have a structured information literacy program that employs staff whose job is to coordinate the training program and develop training plans and guides. Training has shifted from product-oriented research methods to legal research methods. In the academic field, there is often a subject or component of legal research in legal studies, and gradually legal research skills are integrated into the curriculum. As described above, research is an important part of legal practice, and students who do not understand basic research methods during their studies will find it difficult to enter the professional arena. The challenge for academic libraries is to make students aware of the importance of developing legal research skills when they are under pressure to complete recommended essays and reading lists, which they often see as the quickest and easiest way to get the resources they need.

Some legal libraries offer their services to the public, particularly publicly funded institutions. Self-represented litigants often appreciate the availability and access to resources and services of university law libraries. However, since many library resources are only available in electronic form, this category of users may have limited access and rely on free legal websites. In this case, they may not need to come physically, but can ask the reference librarian for help by phone or email. In addition, library rooms are often insufficient to accommodate additional users in addition to primary users, making it increasingly difficult to provide services to this group of users. When I worked at the Jenkins Law Library (www.jenkinslaw.org) in Philadelphia, I developed a lot to scratch the itch of the library staff. I used an open source language, PHP, and an open source database, MySQL, but I didn`t think anyone else wanted to use the products I had developed, so I didn`t think about how to share them with the world. Years later, I`m an active member of open source library communities and wish I could go back and reflect on that moment and the benefits my tools would have had for other libraries. We leaned on that library, and we loved it – for a while. Why only for a while? Because the library has become an anachronism.

Its usefulness dropped dramatically as lawyers shifted from their reliance on books and flip-floppy notes to the internet, first with desktops, then laptops, and eventually relied on pocket smartphones. Law libraries, more than any other type of specialized library, are in the midst of a transition from print to online resources. Legal publishers have made great strides in making their documents available in electronic format, but in many cases it is the printed version of the material that is approved for use in court, so that, for the time being, law libraries are required to maintain the print versions, but also feel obliged to provide electronic versions. Because the online version offers advantages in terms of access. This situation places a heavy burden on the acquisition budgets of legal libraries. While many can browse online resources, legal librarians go one step further by simply being the professionals who can sift through complex legal documents such as treaties or other difficult information that lawyers can`t immediately retrieve on their own. These librarians are familiar with all things law and the law library.