Public Librarian Resources
LEGAL REFERENCE RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIANS
DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN LEGAL REFERENCE TRAINING SESSIONS
2015:
So You Want to Change the World! How to Be a Great Librarian to Your Activist Patrons (2015 Oregon Library Association Annual Conference)
2008-2014:
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Multnomah County Library Reference Forum: Legal Reference Triage (2014 Reference Staff Training)
- Legal Reference Questions - 2013 Oregon Virtual Reference Summit
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Law Library Workshop 2012 (Washington County and Multnomah County Public Libraries)
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"How to Answer a Legal Reference Question": Tip Sheet
BOOKS ABOUT LAW LIBRARIANSHIP for PUBLIC LIBRARIANS (see also)
- Aycock, Anthony, "The Accidental Law Librarian," Information Today, Inc., 2013.
- Eubanks, Virginia, "Digital Dead End: Fighting for Social Justice in the Information Age," MIT Press, 2011.
- Healey, Paul D., "Legal Reference for Librarians: How and Where to Find the Answers," ALA, 2014.
- Selwyn, Laurie and Virginia Eldridge, "Public Law Librarianship: Objectives, Challenges, and Solutions," IGI Global, 2012.
- Tucker, Virginia and Marc Lampson, "Finding the Answers to Legal Questions," Neal-Schuman Publishers Inc., 2011.
QUICK LEGAL REFERENCE
Caveat emptor: If you refer library patrons to non-official websites that compile legal forms and/or laws, please remind them that these unofficial documents or collections of laws may not be accepted by courts, complete, updated, corrected, or authenticated.
Law school libraries and clinics (and their associated websites)
Oregon Law Help (Legal Aid)
Legal research blogs (e.g. Oregon Legal Research website and blog)
Federal, state, and local government, social service agencies, and nonprofits
Oregon Judicial Department (OJD)
Oregon Legislative Liaisons: 503-986-1000
Oregon State Bar (OSB): 503-684-3763
Public library websites
State of Oregon government offices, administrative and legislative
OCCLL (Oregon Council of County Law Libraries) Directory
OCCLL Database Grid (legal databases in Oregon county law libraries)
Oregon Legal Research website and blog
Legal Abbreviations (Frequently Used in Oregon) (PDF)
More Legal Abbreviations: Search the web for: legal abbreviations
Style Manuals: Oregon Courts (OJD Style Manual)
LEGAL FORMS QUESTIONS
- Legal Forms Pyramid, at the Oregon Legal Research Blog
FAMILY LAW
Other Oregon Family Law Resources:
- Oregon State Bar (OSB) self-help family law resources
- Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) self-help family law resources
- Oregon Law Help (Legal Aid) family law resources
- St. Andrew Legal Clinic
OREGON LAW SCHOOL AND COUNTY LAW LIBRARIES
- Lewis & Clark Law School Library
- State of Oregon Law Library
- Multnomah Law Library
- University of Oregon Law Library
- Willamette Law School Library
- Oregon County Law Libraries
LEGAL RESEARCH GUIDES
1) Search Engine Research Tip: If you’re looking for a legal research guide (aka pathfinder), enter:
- [topic] legal research guide, or [topic] legal research pathfinder
- Add the words law and legal as needed
- E.g. juvenile law research guide legal
2) Collection Analysis and Collection Development
- Contact a public law librarian in your state for advice and assistance.
- Your county law library, state law library, or state law library association may be able to refer you. In Oregon: www.occll.org
3) For more legal research tips, visit:
