We hope you will join us in March for the next offerings of our Orientation to Law Library Collections webinar, which will feature the State Law Library of Montana as part of our 50 State Law Libraries Outreach Project. The 50 State Law Libraries Outreach Project aims to strengthen the ties between the Law Library of Congress and state law libraries by sharing information about our collections, products, and services with one another and with the public. Franklin Runge, state law librarian, will present from the State Law Library of Montana during the webinar. The State Law Library of Montana presenter notes that:
“[t]he mission of the State Law Library of Montana is to provide legal information and resources, to enhance knowledge of the law and court system, and to facilitate equal access to justice statewide. The need for reliable legal information was a priority for early western settlers, and in 1881, the Law Library was established by the Territory of Montana’s Legislative Assembly. Over the past two years (2023-2024), 73% of our reference interactions have been with members of the general public. We also serve the legal research needs of Montana’s bench and bar through reference services, training opportunities, and maintaining relevant collections. In tandem with our access to justice and reference work, the Law Library is responsible for maintaining a comprehensive collection of Montana law. The present Constitution of Montana was drafted, adopted, and ratified in 1972, and it ushered in a period of transparency and accountability in state government. This transparency has resulted in the Law Library compiling and maintaining a fantastic collection of legislative histories, which are frequently requested by judges, lawyers, and historians.”
The Law Library will also offer A Lunch and Learn webinar, which will focus on using secondary sources to conduct legal research, and the Orientation to Legal Research webinar, which will focus on federal legislative history in March. We hope you will join us by registering for these upcoming webinars!
An Orientation to Law Library Collections featuring the State Law Library of Montana
Date: Thursday, March 6, 2025, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. EST
Content: This webinar is designed for patrons who are familiar with legal research, and would instead prefer an introduction to the collections and services specific to the Law Library of Congress. Some of the resources attendees will learn about include the Law Library’s research guides, digital collections, and the Guide to Law Online, among others.
Instructors: Anna Price. Anna is a legal reference librarian at the Law Library. Anna holds a B.S. in communications from Ithaca College, a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law, and an M.L.I.S. from the University of Washington iSchool.
Register here.
A Lunch and Learn Webinar: Using Secondary Sources in Legal Research
Date: Tuesday, March 11, 2025, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. EDT
Content: This webinar will provide an overview of secondary sources such as legal encyclopedias, treatises, and dictionaries. In addition, the webinar will provide practical examples to show how these resources are used in practice. The presentation will demonstrate how secondary sources are an important step in the legal research method and how they can guide researchers to primary sources. Many of the materials and content for this webinar have come from the Law Library’s research guide, Legal Research: A Guide to Secondary Resources.
Instructors: Olivia Kane-Cruz. Olivia Kane-Cruz is a legal reference librarian at the Law Library of Congress. Olivia holds a B.A. in political science from Humboldt State University (Cal Poly Humboldt), a J.D. and a master’s of environmental law and policy from Vermont Law School, and an M.L.I.S. from the University of Washington.
Register here.
An Orientation to Legal Research Webinar: Federal Legislative History
Date: Thursday, March 20, 2025, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. EDT
Content: This entry in the series provides an overview of U.S. federal legislative history resources, including information about the methods of identifying and locating them. In tackling this area of research, the focus will largely be on finding these documents online.
Instructor: Louis Myers. Louis Myers holds a B.A. in history from Kent State University, a J.D. from the University of Idaho College of Law, and an M.L.I.S. from Kent State University.
Register here.
https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2025/02/upcoming-us-law-webinars-march-2025/?loclr=eaiclb
