Communities in Crisis: Legal Reference Skills to the Rescue

With so many crises and upheavals arising in our world, many of those who are impacted turn to their library as a trusted source for help. Patron issues related to health, housing insecurity, economic well-being or other challenges often include a civil legal aspect. Even if patrons realize this aspect, they confront confusing laws, legalese, procedural rules, and potentially high costs. For example, eviction involves a legal process so complex that it can be difficult for landlords and tenants alike to navigate.
It can be overwhelming for library staff to even know where to begin. Recognizing that their existing reference skills can help them to respond provides a solid place to start from. Library staff can then build the civil legal reference skills to provide relevant information and resources and play a key role in moving patrons toward positive outcomes. This session covers the fundamentals of building civil legal collections (including those on specific issues such as eviction), understanding the boundary between information versus advice, forging supporting partnerships, and knowing when and where to refer patrons to free or affordable legal aid. This is about library staff being empowered to connect patrons to the help they need.

Sponsored by RUSA-RSS