Learn more about the role libraries can play in providing access to civil legal justice in this 9-minute presentation by Betha Gutsche, WebJunction Program Manager:

Libraries help close the justice gap

Libraries are trusted, familiar places where many community members turn for information and resources. They can play a crucial role in closing the justice gap by helping people navigate the complexities of civil legal issues.

However, it can be difficult for library staff to recognize civil legal issue problems or know how to share information without offering legal advice. WebJunction's training addresses these challenges by teaching:

• How to conduct effective reference interviews in civil legal contexts.
• How to distinguish between providing legal information and giving legal advice.
• How to build relationships with law libraries and legal aid organizations. 

Building knowledge and confidence 

The project evaluation from 2021 revealed significant impacts:

• 91% of participants felt more confident.
• 84% felt more knowledgeable about recognizing the difference between giving legal advice and providing legal information.
• 85% felt they learned how to identify specific legal issues during patron introductions.
• 77% felt more confident in conducting reference interviews related to civil legal matters. 

Stay up to date

WebJunction posts new content on civil legal topics which you can find:

• on the legal reference topic page,
• through our enewsletter, Crossroads, and 
• on social media: Facebook and LinkedIn

All self-paced courses remain free and accessible through the WebJunction Course Catalog.

This project was made possible in part thanks to financial support from these organizations

About Legal Services Corporation (LSC)

LSC is a publicly funded, 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation established by the United States Congress. It seeks to ensure equal access to justice under the law for all Americans by providing funding for civil legal aid to those who otherwise would be unable to afford it.  

Photos courtesy the Cleveland Public Library and The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, who partner in providing monthly legal clinic hosted at the Cleveland Public Library.