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Editor's Notes

• #2: My name is Kathy Layer. I conducted a collection analysis for the print collection of the Massachusetts Trial Court Law Library in Franklin County, Massachusetts using a collection-mapping technique. I was interested in determining whether the collection had adequate secondary sources that related specifically to Massachusetts. Additionally, I knew that the majority of the non-attorney public do not utilize the library’s services and resources. The collection map highlighted the few legal materials currently in the collection written for non-attorneys.This presentation reflects on my collection mapping analysis of the Franklin Law Library.The Franklin Law Library was established about 100 years ago and in 1978, it became part of the MassachusettsTrial Court department which controls the library’s budget.Text on slide: MASSACHUSETTS TRIAL COURT LAW LIBRARY IN GREENFIELDKathy LayerFall Semester 2011Collection Development-266
• #3: I started my analysis by studying the demographics of the library’s potential patron base. Western Massachusetts is considered rural with a lot of wooded areas and farmland. The county makes up only 1% of Massachusetts’ population and 1% of Massachusetts’ retail sales and industry.Ninety-one percent of are Caucasian and over 90% are high school graduates with 32% having a bachelor’s degree or higher. The medium income is $50,000 compared to a state average of $64,000.[On slide: FRANKLIN COUNTYMASSACHUSETTSPopulation: 71,372 Race: 94.2% white (3.2% Hispanic or Latino) 1.1% black 1.3% AsianAges: 14.6% over 65Gender about evenSocioeconomic status:66.7% homeownership rate with medium value of home $216,500Medium household income (2009): $48,993Education:90.8% high school graduates32% Bachelor’s degree or higherU.S. Census Bureau: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/25/25011.html
• #4: The library’s mission is to provide access to current and historical sources of law and law-related information in an efficient and timely manner. Massachusetts law requires that every citizen have access to the legal system.Access to equal justice requires access to information – and the TCLL takes seriously its responsibility to provide each patron with needed information quickly.Who comes to the library?Judges, their law clerks, and others who work in the courthouseAttorneys from within thecounty and bordering statesThe public sentto get help with questions by other librarians or court clerksThe few non-attorneys who know of the library’s existence and services; andMany others access library services through the website—but like the library, too few of the public know of the website’s existence.[On slide: PATRONS WHO USE THE LIBRARY TODAYWho comes: Judges and their law clerksCourt clerks and others send non-attorneys with questionsAttorneys from county and boarder statesPeople who work in the courthouseThe non-attorney public—but just a fewWhy they come:Legal researchTo draft court documents on one of two computersQuestions about public servicesHelp with legal questionsTo check their email and socialize while in the courthouse
• #5: We have talked about those who use the library. Now lets talk about who does not --- but should!There is a misconception that the law library is for attorneys and filled with materials only attorneys can understand. Additionally, few in the public know where the library is or that it even exists. Most only discover the library when a court clerk sends them there to be helped. However, these folks are few considered to all of us who have legal questions in our daily lives. How can the library reach the underserved public by? A significant amount of outreach needs to be done to let the stakeholders and user groups know about the services the library provides so they understand how many of their everyday legal questions can be answered with a few minutes at the library or by contacting a librarian.Outreach efforts should include:People who represent themselves in lawsuits and other non-attorneysLawyers in the community not fully utilizing the library’s resources and servicesTeaching opportunities in the communityMarketing the library services and websiteSocial networking sitesCollaborate with other public librarians, user groups, and centers that provide community servicesText on slide:How to close the gapOutreach and collaborate with stakeholders and user groups:Public libraries and service centersPro se usersSolo practitioners and other lawyersOther non-attorneysTeaching opportunitiesMarketingSocial networking sitesContinue focus and expand on being a portal to legal resources
• #6: Collection policy standards for county law libraries are defined by the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL). Guidelines for collection size and content are not based on population or per capita expenditures like other public libraries, but rather the AALL requires that libraries provide access to legal information that is comprehensive as well as authoritative for its diverse population groups. In addition, every effort should be made to acquire materials to assist and inform non-attorneys of their legal rights and responsibilities. [AALL’s standards for county public law libraries: http://www.co.berks.pa.us/Dept/Courts/LawLib/Documents/aall_county_law_library_standards.pdf]To create a collection map, I inventoried the stacks and reviewed the few reports the new acting librarian could locate. The reports only indicated the number of Massachusetts, Federal and general law materials and did not break the collection down by the area of law. So, I inventoried the stacks for different areas of law including, probate and estate planning, family law, agriculture, criminal law, etc. so I would have a clear picture of what areas needed to be built up, maintained, or de-emphasized. Overall, the library rates pretty high – I gave it four stars for the core collection. Patrons have access to all the materials required by the AALL. The materials are current– and because law is always changing, this is important. However, it needs to acquire more materials to assist and inform the public and pro-se litigants on their legal rights and responsibilities and gets a rating of two stars in this area. It also gets two stars for materials in alternative formats; There are less than 10 resources in a language other than English and few audio and visual resources.
• #7: Thisslide identifies the legal materials required by the AALL for a county public law library to be comprehensive. Again, Franklin County Library has access to all the required resources. The only reason I gave four stars instead of five is that there are not alternative formats, particularly audio. However, these formats are not generally available through the publishers. Franklin Law Library gets one star for local, county and municipal codes because it has few. However, the decision was made to de-emphasize this part of the collection because most of this information is online. A librarian will help a patron get the requested information online or by calling the town or county if necesseary, or even public librarian or other source for historical materials.
• #8: Theprevious slide summarized mostly primary legal sources. The use of treatises is important in legal research. This slide shows the different areas of law and how many general law materials are available compared to materials specifically written relating to Massachusetts.I do not see any obvious shortcoming in the Massachusetts holdings – with the exception of agriculture. Another are collection building is Massachusetts sources for credit, consumer protection, and insurance. Other areas that do not have Massachusetts materials are not applicable because it involved federal jurisdiction. Text on slide:TREATISE - LEGAL RESEARCH TOPICMA- 183 Linear feet General/not MA -428 linear feet # Materials# MaterialsAgriculture017Bankruptcy070Business/ Securities068Credit, consumer protection, insurance230591Children/Education2049Criminal250471Employment law90512Family Law120212Immigration034Library Administration060Medical issues/health care112129Probate, estate planning14060Real estate/zoning/environmental law145376Taxes20110
• #9: This slide shows the same information about materials in the collection written specifically for non-attorney, materials in languages other than English, and in audio or visual format.There is an option of getting materials in another language from another of the 17 trial court law libraries, but receipt can take up to a week.The table on the right shows the ratings I gave the collection relating to the specific areas of law the materials covered. Four stars were given for the areas of law well represented in the collection but that needed more materials written for non-attorneys and materials in other formats.Three stars were given for the areas of law that did not include many or any materials written for non-attorneys and materials in other formats.Text on slide:TREATISES - Other Languages (1% pop) - <1 linear footAudio - <1 linear feetDVD/VHS - <1%Written for non-attorneys - <2 linear feetAgriculture0000Bankruptcy0001Buisness/ Securities0000Credit, consumer protection, insurance00048Children/Education0001Criminal0400Employment law00014Family Law00026Immigration0006Library Administration0000Medical issues/health care0001Probate, estate planning00012Real estate/zoning/environmental law00010Taxes0005Text on slide:TREATISE - General: 428 linear feet/MA: 183 linear feet**** American Jurisprudence**** American Law Reports*** Legal periodicals (Few remaining subscriptions but most accessible online and librarian will get for patron through ILL)**** General law; research guides; aids**Agriculture***Bankruptcy***Business/ Securities***Credit, consumer protection, insurance***Children/Education***Criminal***Employment law**** Family Law**** Immigration***Medical issues/health care***Probate, estate planning***Real estate/zoning/environmental law****Taxes
• #10: Based upon my analysis, the following collections goals should be implemented over the next five years, up to and just after the big move I will tell you more about later in this presentation.The goals are: To bettermeet the needs of the underserved public, who are the pro se litigants and general public. This can be done by adding more legal resources that are one does not have to be an attorney to understand To diversify the collection to include more audio and visual legal resourcesTo cancel subscriptions to costly treatises that are available online on WestlawText on slide: Collection goalsMeet the needs of the underserved public – the pro se litigants and general public by adding more legal resources that are one does not have to be an attorney to understand Diversify collection to include more audio and visual legal resourcesCancel subscriptions to costly treatises that are available online on Westlaw
• #11: Here is a table showing the part of the core collection that needs adjustment. Most of the added items will be materials written for non-attorneys.The core collection will be de-emphasized. The library is moving into a space that will have less stacks. Additionally, it is not expected that the economic health of the state will improve to such a degree in the next few years that the library can continue to maintain its subscriptions to many of the very costly treatises that are also available online through Westlaw. Many subscriptions must be cancelled this fiscal year because the 137% collection development budget reduction between this year and last.Text on slide: FRANKLIN COUNTY LAW LIBRARY PROPOSED COLLECTION MAPCollection SegmentCurrent SizeDecision#s to AddEstimated CostThe Core Collection34,081De-emphasize(ALR’s, etc.)50($15,000)Current Emphasis CollectionsAgriculture17Build3$60Bankruptcy70De-emphasize0$0Business, securities68Build10$200Credit, consumer protection, insurance869Maintain10$200Children, education70Build10$200Family law368Build10$200Immigration40Maintain4$80Medical issues, health care242Build10$200Probate, estate planning212Build10$200Real estate, zoning, environmental law530Build5$100Taxes135Maintain2$40Proposed Collection SegmentsGuides and brochures to for non-attorneys re legal procedures and legal information summaries2Build100$0Legal resources written for non-attorneys123Build100$2000Legal treatises in audio form2Build25$500
• #12: These graphics identify what parts of the collection will be built up while others are de-emphasized.Also the areas that need a lot of work are indicated in the proposed collection segments and include:Guides and brochures for non-attorneys regarding legal procedures and legal information summaries. Additional legal resources written for non-attorneys. These are in addition to the books that will be added to the different subject matter collections listed in the Current Emphasis Collections section.Legal treatises in audio formText on slide: HOW IT ALL BALANCES OUT – FOUR YEAR PLANDe-emphasized Collections:Bankruptcy (0 items; $0)Core Collection components (cancel subscription to ALR, etc.; ($15,000))Building Emphasis Collections:Agriculture (3 items; $60)Business, securities (10 items, $200)Children, education (10 items, $200)Family law (10 items, $200)Medical issues, health care (10 items, $200)Probate, estate planning (10 items, $200)Real estate, zoning, environmental law (5 items; $100)Guides/brochures (100 items; $0)Non-attorney legal books (100 items; $200)Legal treaties in audio form (25 items, $500)
• #13: I also analyzed the library’s acquisition procedures and tools. This table repeats the best practices criteria, describes Franklin Law Library’s current practices. Overall, the library gets an excellent rating with the exception of format. The text in the table is included in the speaker notes.Text on slide: FRANKLIN LAW LIBRARY'S  SELECTION CRITERIABEST PRACTICES CRITERIA FRANKLIN LAW LIBRARY’S CURRENT PRACTICES  AUTHORITY AND ACCURACYOnly acquires material that a current and from authorized primary source or reputable author or sourceRELEVANCEEffort to acquire materials relevant to patron’s legal research needs; Follows guidelines set out by AALL; Needs more materials created for non-attorneys and audio and visual contentCONTENTLimits acquisitions to sources with authority with coverage over broad area of legal subject; Must limit number of resources due to costs of legal materials USEFULNESSPrimary concern is that content targets patron needs and is authoritative, accurate, and currentTECHNICAL QUALITIESOn-line resources include Westlaw and other databases; Trial Court Law Library website is excellent and continually updated and expanded PATRON APPEALNot applicable beyond making sure materials available for non-attorney patrons; Librarian will consider acquisition of material recommended by patron and also ensure patron has material ASAP for research through ILL or other sourceAPPEAL OVER TIMENot applicable – Minimal collection content mandated by AALL guidelines, thereafter priority is to insure materials current FORMATCollection has few materials in audio or visual format; Patrons reluctant to ask for alternative formats in law library
• #14: Franklin Library’s Acquisition SystemFranklin Law Library’s overall acquisition score is lowered due to not having a functioning consideration file. Finding sources and processing materials get a rating of five stars because the collection is included in WorldCat and the TCLL has an excellent website that covers many areas of law and provides important links. The library does not have a functioning consideration file and once one is placed, the librarian will be in a position to ensure that acquisitions meet the collection goals. Text on screen: Overall acquisition scoreFinding Sources: Consideration File: Processing Materials: 
• #15: The Franklin Law Library will be undergoing a lot of changes over the next five years. In 2013, most of the collection will be put in storage and the library will be moved to a temporary space until a new courthouse is finished in 2015. Already, based on this study, the librarian is making changes to the collection; she put many of the materials for non-attorneys where they can be seen when patrons walk in the door. Even with the budget cuts, the library will be able to realize its collection development goals because subscriptions to many costly legal treatises will be cancelled. This will free up funds to be spent on much cheaper non-attorney resources and audio and visual materials.Additionally, a law library in another county is working with other trial court departments to develop brochures and other materials that will help guide patrons through the legal system. These materials will come at little or no cost to the library because the resources will be shared and the paper and toner to print them out come out of a different office supply budget.By time the new library space is opened in 2015, the collection will better reflect the needs of its patrons, and particularly the underserved public.