Jennifer Locke Web-based Legal Research Guides in Academic Law Libraries

Overview Background Information Suggestions for creating guides Comparison of existing guides Implications of Web-based guides

Background Information Booklists and reading guides Pathfinders Web-based guides

Uses of research guides Research guides… Help patrons access information and make them aware of the library’s resources and how they can be used - Candace Dahl

Legal Research Guides Legal research guides give the researcher a “sense of the whole picture, of all the things that must be considered in a particular area of law.” - Bob Berring

Suggestions… Format Content –Readability –Usability –Currentness –Scope –Miscellaneous

Format Simple color schemes Sufficient blank space Easily understood design Gallagher’s Legislative History GuideGallagher’s Legislative History Guide

Content - Readability Descriptive annotations Free of jargon Scannability Section headings & internal links

Content - Usability Annotations Instructions Intuitive structure Vanderbilt – Environmental Law GuideVanderbilt – Environmental Law Guide Duke – Environmental Law Guide

Content - Currentness Minimum of broken links Updated annually Disclosure of date of last revision

Content - Scope Introductory paragraph Limited & defined scope GW – Patent Law Guide

Content – Misc. Features “Ask a Librarian” feature Links open in a new window Copyright statement Easily accessible

Comparisons General Comparison –Number of guides produced –Name of guides –Location of guide in Web site Specific Comparison –Legislative History

Numbers Number of Research Guides Number of Libraries % 01818% % 11 to % 21 to % More than %

Terminology Guide Name#% Guides that have “Research Guide” in its name 3746% Guides that have “Resources” in its name79% Guides that have “Library Guide” in its name 911% Guides that have “Pathfinder” in its name68% “Research Guide”3139% “Legal Research Guide”79%

Home Page Hyperlink Number of Clicks from Home Page #% 15063% 22937% 311%

Specific Comparisons Federal Legislative History 15 Schools 3 Sets of Criteria –Format –Content & Scope –Currentness & Other Features

Increasing Awareness At the library level –CatalogCatalog National level –LawScoutLawScout Consortium level –NELLCONELLCO

Implications Guide creation –EmoryEmory –GeorgetownGeorgetown Research guide as intermediary between print and electronic resources

The Future? Interactive tutorials –GeorgetownGeorgetown –LexisNexisLexisNexis

Summary Define & limit the scope Include descriptive and evaluative annotations Write for the Web Use a simple and uncomplicated design Use global and local navigation tools Keep the name of the guide simple Review and update each guide annually Prominently disclose the date of last revision Link from Home page Include an “ask a librarian” feature

Conclusion & Questions