Course Information
| Session |
|---|
| Credits | 1.5 CEUs or 15 PDHs |
|---|---|
| Registration dates | We accept registrations through the first week of classes, unless enrollment is full, and unless the class was canceled before it started due to low enrollment. |
Legal Materials for Information Professionals
$250.00
Dates: May 5 - June 1Credits: 1.5 CEUs or 15 PDHs
Librarians in a variety of settings are frequently asked to help library users do legal research. Researching the law can be difficult, and when confronted with these types of questions, you will need to know not only which resources are available, but also how those resources are connected to the complex U.S. legal system. This course is an introduction to the U.S. legal system and the types of law each branch of government produces. Specifically, topics covered will include the basic structure of the United States government and its law-making bodies, the evolution of case law through the concept of stare decisis, an introduction to legal citations and abbreviations that an information professional might encounter, and how to determine the currency of legal resources that are continually changing. Students will engage in legal research using free resources, though reference to commercial products legal research services will be made. Students will also learn how to effectively assist a patron without giving information that rises to the level of legal advice and the unauthorized practice of law. Students will also have the opportunity to learn about current issues relating to free public access to legal information.
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Identify whether a particular legal issue is governed by federal or state law;
- Differentiate between persuasive and binding (mandatory) authority;
- List the type of law each branch of government produces as well as how and where those laws may be found in print and online;
- Recognize and interpret common legal citations and abbreviations;
- Consult resources produced by the American Association of Law Libraries to assist non-law librarians in providing effective legal reference assistance; and
- Articulate what is meant by the unauthorized practice of law, as well as identify ways to effectively assist customers without crossing legal or ethical lines.
Course Description
Librarians in a variety of settings are frequently asked to help library users do legal research. Researching the law can be difficult, and when confronted with these types of questions, you will need to know not only which resources are available, but also how those resources are connected to the complex U.S. legal system. This course is an introduction to the U.S. legal system and the types of law each branch of government produces. Specifically, topics covered will include the basic structure of the United States government and its law-making bodies, the evolution of case law through the concept of stare decisis, an introduction to legal citations and abbreviations that an information professional might encounter, and how to determine the currency of legal resources that are continually changing. Students will engage in legal research using free resources, though reference to commercial products legal research services will be made. Students will also learn how to effectively assist a patron without giving information that rises to the level of legal advice and the unauthorized practice of law. Students will also have the opportunity to learn about current issues relating to free public access to legal information.
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Identify whether a particular legal issue is governed by federal or state law;
- Differentiate between persuasive and binding (mandatory) authority;
- List the type of law each branch of government produces as well as how and where those laws may be found in print and online;
- Recognize and interpret common legal citations and abbreviations;
- Consult resources produced by the American Association of Law Libraries to assist non-law librarians in providing effective legal reference assistance; and
- Articulate what is meant by the unauthorized practice of law, as well as identify ways to effectively assist customers without crossing legal or ethical lines.
Jason Sowards
Jason Sowards is the Library and Research Manager at Locke Lord LLP, based in Houston, Texas. Jason received his BA and MS in economics, and MSLIS from the University of Kentucky, his JD from the University of Louisville, and his M.Ed. from Western Governors University. He has been a member of the Kentucky Bar since 2004. Jason began his career in academic law librarianship in 2006, having taught legal research to law students at Wake Forest University School of Law and Vanderbilt Law School. He also spent four years as the Nevada Supreme Court Librarian in Carson City, Nevada. In his current position, Jason is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the library and research department which serves over 700 attorneys in 20 offices across the United States.
How to Register
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