Politics, Government and Law

Introduction

People of all ages, from kindergartners to older adults contact the library for answers to their political, government and legal questions. Some examples are:

1. Who are the elected officials in Maryland?
   
   
2. What is the name and address of the United States Attorney General?
   The Maryland State?
   
   
3. Where can I locate a copy of the United States Constitution? Maryland’s?
   
   
4. How does a bill become law? On the federal, state and local levels?
   
   
5. When did Maryland become a state?
   
   
6. Can I sue…?

Answering legal questions may be the most problematic. There are several factors to consider when answering a legal question:

1. Giving legal advice and interpreting the law
   
   Giving legal advice and interpreting the law can be considered "unauthorized practice of law." It is against the law to practice law without a license. As librarians, we are not lawyers. We are not licensed or qualified to give legal advice. In answering legal questions, librarians must be especially careful to know and not exceed the fine line between giving and interpreting legal information.
   
   
2. Currency of the material and what material is available and amount of time available to research the question
   
   The law changes daily: New court rulings, new legislation, mean major changes in law. It is important that customers are given the most current information. Fortunately, the Internet is making it easier to keep up with the daily changes as well as providing faster access to the great volumes of legal information.
   
   
3. Be sure you know the question
   
   Before you get to the answer, you must be sure you know the question. So, the first rule of thumb is to probe to draw out the questions. Use lots of open questions to obtain information from the customer. The second rule of thumb is to verify to make sure you have understood the customer’s specific question. This is the time when you want to ask a closed question. KNOWING and UNDERSTANDING the real question is essential to the legal reference interview – and probing and verifying are two skills that allow you to arrive at the real question quickly and accurately. As one librarian said, "You really have to drag it out of them."
   
   
4. Know your system’s policies
   
   Many libraries have policies and disclaimers about answering legal questions. Does yours? What are they?
   
   
5. Assist with sources and make referrals
   
   You can help the customer use the material by explaining the scope, arrangement, how to use the table of contents/index, etc. You may also want to refer the customer to other sources: law libraries, attorney, elected officials, etc.

Learning Goals

This module will acquaint you with the vast array of resources in your branch that you can use to answer questions about governments, politics and legal concerns. Upon the completion of this module, you will be able to:

1. Utilize the reference interview to provide appropriate responses in answering legal questions
   
   
2. Describe the organization, features and usefulness of both print and electronic resources
   
   
3. Identify and suggest the kinds of questions the resource/s can answer
   
   
4. Utilize the appropriate resource/s to find information.

Task

Examine the resources (books, databases, web sites, etc.) for this module. The resources may include print, electronic, audio, video and expert human resources. Also, consider and include resources for a variety of ages - adult, young adult, children - and needs. Enter a minimum of 3 resources for this subject using the Subject Resource form.

Process

1. Review the strategies (those you identified in the Finding Information module) for examining a resource/reference tool. Add to the list any additional strategies you’ve identified.
2. Choose resources that are "at your fingertips" - accessible to you.
3. Examine the resources using the strategies for examining a resource. Conduct an "on-the-fly" exam of the resources and then complete a second, more in-depth review. As you look the resource, consider its candidacy for your core collection.
4. Complete an electronic Subject Resource Form for each resource you identify and examine. Include a practice question /answer and be sure to cite the page number or specify the exact URL (copy/paste the URL on the form).
5. Reflect on your learning. Share/discuss with your supervisor and post your thoughts and insights in your electronic journal. Consider:

• How have these modules assisted you in answering customers' questions;
• New strategies for finding information/examining materials you have developed;
• Your thoughts about your knowledge base of materials?
• Your ability to find the answers.

Questions

Contact me if you have any questions and need anything clarified. The purpose of these modules is to start you on the path of developing your knowledge base of your library’s collection and other resources you can use to answer customer’s questions. Enjoy the journey!

Email: coordinator@latimd.org

Print Resources

Electronic Resources