Survey for NYS Public Librarians : Public Need for Legal Information

Introduction

The Permanent Commission for Access to Justice is requesting your help to complete a survey assessing the current level of services being offered by New York public libraries to constituents in need of legal information and assistance.

The Permanent Commission was established by Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman and the New York Administrative Board of the Courts to, among other things, guide the courts’ ongoing efforts to remove barriers to access to justice for low-income New Yorkers (see http://www.nycourts.gov/ip/access-civil-legal-services/). At present, the Commission is exploring available community services and resources that can help in this endeavor.

We seek your input as libraries play a valuable role in direct services to the public. The purpose of this survey is to determine whether libraries in New York State, and the public who venture into them, would benefit from the array of Internet-based and other legal help programs that currently are available.

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey. If you have any specific questions or concerns, please feel free to email us at CivilLegalServices@nycourts.gov. In advance, thank you for your assistance.

This survey is ongoing.

Question Title

* 1. Please provide us with the following information

Your Name/Title

Name of Library

Address:

Hours/Days of Operation

City/Town/Village:

State

ZIP:

County

Email Address:

Phone Number:

Question Title

* 2. Do members of the public come to the library seeking answers to legal questions?

Yes

Do Not Know

Comments

Question Title

* 3. If yes, what are the most common subject areas for which information is sought? Check off as many boxes as apply.

Housing/Landlord/Tenant

Family issues

Domestic Violence

Education

Public Benefits/Subsistence income

Access to healthcare

Consumer issues (including debt)

Immigration

Other

Comments

Question Title

* 4. Does your library provide assistance to the public seeking legal referrals or information?

Yes

Comments

Question Title

* 5. What, if any, of the following reference services does your library provide to users who have legal questions?

Legal research help (traditional legal reference)

Explaining the legal process

Collections of print materials written for non-lawyers

Chat reference

Internet resources

Self-Help guides

Document delivery of resources

Referrals to legal services or aid programs, bar association lawyer referral programs, community dispute resolution centers

Other

Comments

Question Title

* 6. What, if any, programs about the law or legal issues does your library offer within the library?

Library provides legal clinics

Visiting lawyers in library (attorneys who provide one-on-one assistance)

Education programs

Events

Classes

Other

Comments

Question Title

* 7. What general services does your library provide?

Public computers with internet

Books, brochures and other materials available in multiple languages

Interpreters or language line

Bilingual staff

Literacy classes

Other

Comments

Question Title

* 8. Is your library involved in court-related or legal self-help centers? If yes, how?

Yes

Comments

Question Title

* 9. Are you familiar with:

LawHelpNY, http://www.lawhelpny.org/

NY Courts CourtHelp, http://www.nycourts.gov/courthelp/

Other online legal information and referral web sites? (please specify)

Comments

Question Title

* 10. Would the library be interested in having staff trained on the legal services and resources available both in the community and online in order to provide information to constituents with their legal matters?

Yes

Comments

Question Title

* 1. Please provide us with the following information

Question Title

* 2. Do members of the public come to the library seeking answers to legal questions?

Question Title

* 3. If yes, what are the most common subject areas for which information is sought? Check off as many boxes as apply.

Question Title

* 4. Does your library provide assistance to the public seeking legal referrals or information?

Question Title

* 5. What, if any, of the following reference services does your library provide to users who have legal questions?

Question Title

* 6. What, if any, programs about the law or legal issues does your library offer within the library?

Question Title

* 7. What general services does your library provide?

Question Title

* 8. Is your library involved in court-related or legal self-help centers? If yes, how?

Question Title

* 9. Are you familiar with:

Question Title

* 10. Would the library be interested in having staff trained on the legal services and resources available both in the community and online in order to provide information to constituents with their legal matters?

Question Title

* 11. Please provide any additional information that you think would be helpful.