NDLA Annual 2019

The ability to perform basic legal research is essential to democracy. The public's right to access and to understand the law is fundamental to participatory citizenship. Yet, the reality is, that many legal research resources are out of reach for the ordinary public - either stored in specialized law libraries far away from individuals' homes or accessible only via expensive online databases. However, recently the State Bar Association of North Dakota (SBAND) has taken steps to make legal research more accessible to the general public. SBAND has negotiated with Casemaker, a comprehensive legal research database, to provide free access to the citizens of North Dakota via our public libraries. Additionally, law librarians at the University of North Dakota School of Law Thormodsgard Law Library will make themselves available to public librarians who may need training or assistance in using Casemaker. In this presentation, I will explain what Casemaker is, how it is used, how public libraries can participate in this free access program, and how public librarians can get more help if and when they choose to participate.