tag: Law libraries

This summer I attended and presented at two library conferences, the annual American Library Association (ALA) and the annual American Association of Law Librarians meetings. I participated in four panel discussions that focused on how libraries can better serve people inside and outside of prison. If you weren’t able to attend, I have provided some of my insights in this blog. If you are interested in hearing more, please reach out to me at Tammy.Ortiz@ithaka.org. In recent years, ALA…

America’s prisons and jails are information deserts. Restrictions—and in some cases, outright bans—on internet access, combined with limited library services and widespread censorship of both print and digital materials, severely restrict incarcerated individuals’ connection to the outside world. Legal information is no exception. Although access to legal information is a constitutionally mandated right, incarcerated people face significant—and often insurmountable—barriers to exercising that right–from limited access to legal materials and guidance on conducting legal research, to complex administrative procedures required to…

Access to legal information is both a legal right and crucial need for people who are incarcerated, yet little comprehensive data exists regarding how that information is provided or about the quality or accessibility of services available to individuals in prison. While anecdotal evidence suggests that law librarians are playing a key role in bridging this service gap, there is a lack of information about best practices and models, as well as about the state of the profession’s capacity to…