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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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:

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.

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.

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