Category: The broader context

Promising Practices: LawMatters’ collaboration with public libraries

New on Clicklaw, The broader context

LawMatters At Your Local Public Library  is a unique outreach program of the Courthouse Libraries BC. Begun as a project in April 2007, and becoming an ongoing Client Services program in 2010, LawMatters helps public libraries enhance their legal information collections and provides training for public library staff. Together, LawMatters and BC’s public libraries aim to ensure that all BC residents have local access to basic legal information.

Their latest report, Talking to Librarians about LawMatters: Promising Practices,  is now on Clicklaw. This 2011 paper summarizes the findings of a phone survey of 20 public libraries across BC and identifies practices that enhance library staff’s ability to provide legal information.

One of the outcomes of the report is that, in moving forward, a key role for LawMatters in sustaining legal reference services is providing opportunities for ongoing training.  According to program coordinator Janet Freeman, LawMatters will be sponsoring two webinars this spring for public librarians on the topic of Residential Tenancy Law. The webinars will be offered through the Libraries and Literacy Program of the BC Ministry of Education.

To read more from LawMatters see their 2010 report LawMatters At Your Local Public Library: A Report for Public Librarians.

Representing yourself in the justice system? Would you like to share your experience?

The broader context

If you are representing yourself in a family or civil case, consider sharing your experiences dealing with the legal system.

Julie Macfarlane, of the University of Windsor Faculty of Law, is conducting a research project that is collecting the personal stories of self represented litigants – how they came to represent themselves, what happened as they moved through the legal process, and how far their expectations of justice matched up to the results.

If you are representing yourself, this is a study that can allow you to be part of the collective voice driving this project. This project is the opportunity for you to share your experiences not only dealing with the logistical aspects of the legal system – such as navigating through forms, processes and procedures, translating the language of law, and dealing with justice system personnel – but also to share your personal story and emotional journey. This project sees you as a critical part of the legal system, and encourages you to let your voice be heard by policy makers, judges and justice system officers.

If you participate, your identity and private information will be kept confidential and an interview will be scheduled at your convenience. Personal interviews and focus groups will be held at the Vancouver, Prince George, Surrey or Nanaimo courthouse. Telephone interviews are also available. Interviews are conducted by Julie Macfarlane, and take between 30 minutes and 1 hour, depending on how long you want to talk for.

This project is funded by the Law Foundations of British Columbia and Alberta.

If you would like to participate and/or learn more about this project, you can  check out the project website or go to the Facebook page. 

You can also email Julie Macfarlane at: julie.macfarlane@uwindsor.ca or call toll free and leave a message at 1-888-775-8125.