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The American Library Association’s Fact Sheet 6 contains information from recent studies that document public library use and opinions held by individuals about public libraries. As noted in the American Library Association’s State of America’s Libraries Report 2015, libraries are increasingly being recognized as community anchors – places for people to gather and exchange ideas. 

Through its recent initiative, Libraries Transform Communities, the American Library Association has actively encouraged libraries to focus on the communities they serve, rather than an internal focus on the library itself. As indispensable partners within their communities, libraries are a natural place in building awareness, partnerships and services in support of access to justice. 

The SRLN has identified a number of readily available tools and resources for access to justice partners to use in developing a plan to create partnerships and provide opportunities for public libraries to contribute to a larger mission of providing access to justice.

Open to the Public – 2024 How Law Libraries are Serving Self-Represented Litigants Across the Country
The Law Librarians’ Working Group of the Self-Represented Litigation Network with the American Association of Law Libraries Government Law Libraries Special Interest Section Best A2J Practices Committee surveyed law libraries about their services to the self-represented litigant, including self-help programs. Results are displayed in this Story Map. This research and analysis was developed to expand SRL services among law libraries by demonstrating best practices for assisting SRLs.
Year published: 2024
Document Author: SRLN
Map Gallery Reports, Evaluations, Best Practices, Surveys Surveys Self-Help Centers Best Practices for Self-Help Centers Libraries Academic Libraries Law Libraries Public Libraries
Online Course: Creating Pathways to Civil Legal Justice (WebJunction 2021)
Barriers to civil legal justice disproportionately affect low-income people in the US, creating the justice gap—the divide between the civil legal needs of low-income people and access to the resources to meet those needs. Public libraries are well-positioned to help reduce this gap.
Year published: 2021
Document Author: WebJunction, Legal Services Coporation
Allied Professionals Public Libraries Courses & Trainings
Survey: SRLN Library Working Group National Self-Help in Libraries Survey (SRLN 2019)
SRLN Report (March 2021) Evaluating Library Services to Self-Represented Litigants: A Story of Two Surveys The Law Librarians’ Working Group of the Self-Represented Litigation Network surveyed law libraries in the summer of 2019 about their services, including self-help programs. Learn more about best practices and full survey results in this story map.
Year published: 2019
Document Author: SRLN
Map Gallery Reports, Evaluations, Best Practices, Surveys Surveys Self-Help Centers Best Practices for Self-Help Centers Libraries Academic Libraries Law Libraries Public Libraries
Conference: SRLN Conference on Public Libraries and Access to Justice (Austin 2010)
The following are materials from a Conference held in January 2010 on Public Libraries and Access to Justice by the Self‐Represented Litigation Network of the National Center for State Courts. The full set of conference materials can also be accessed on Webjunction.org (see link at bottom of page). Listing of Materials and Conference Agenda Faculty Biographies
Year published: 2010
Document Author: Richard Zorza, Self-Represented Litigation Network
Public Libraries
Webinar: Public Library Webinar Series (Pro Bono Net 2012)
In the fall of 2012 Pro Bono Net produced the Libraries and Access to Justice Webinar Series to increase awareness among librarians and community stakeholders about free, online resources for people with legal needs, how librarians can access and utilize those resources to better educate and assist their patrons with legal needs, and models for legal aid-library collaborations to connect people with legal information.
Year published: 2012
Public Libraries Webinars
Report: Opportunity for All - How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Libraries (University of Washington Information School 2011)
The Opportunity for All - How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Libraries Report proves the broad use and value of internet access in public libraries.
Public Libraries
Conference: Public Libraries and Access to Justice Conference (SRLN 2010)
Teams from 15 states participated in a train-the-trainer conference for public librarians and their court and legal paid partners in Austin, Texas on how public libraries can improve access to online information at libraries. These teams were selected from 43 applying groups from 30 states. Funding from the Gates Foundation made it possible for NCSC to make mini-grants to participants in ten of the states to help them implement ideas developed at the conference. The conference was organized by SRLN in cooperation with LSC. 
Year published: 2010
Document Author: Self-Represented Litigation Network
Public Libraries
Report: Public Libraries and Access to Justice (Richard Zorza, Future Trends in State Courts 2010)
Courts are working with public libraries to provide court-related information to self-represented litigants. The Internet is a key component of this effort. The article can be accessed here: http://cdm16501.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/accessfair/id/227
Year published: 2010
Document Author: Richard Zorza
Public Libraries
Report: Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Libraries (Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS 2011)
This report proves the broad use and value of internet access in public libraries. This research, conducted by the University of Washington and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, was the first large-scale investigation of the ways U.S. library patrons use computers and the Internet at public libraries, why they use it, and how it impacts their lives.
Year published: 2011
Document Author: Institute of Museum and Library Services
Public Libraries
Report: Public Libraries and Access to Justice (SRLN 2010)
These are the materials from a conference held in January 2010 on Public Libraries and Access to Justice. The full set of conference materials can be accessed here.
Year published: 2010
Document Author: Self-Represented Litigation Network
Public Libraries