2011 California Conference on Self-Represented Litigants Grant Seeking? A Little Goes a Long Way June 10, 2011

Presenters Janine Liebert, Librarian, Programs & Partnerships, LA Law Library Richard Zorza, Coordinator, Self-Represented Litigation Network (SRLN) Glenn Rawdon, Senior Program Counsel, Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Marcia Koslov, Executive Director, LA Law Library

Our Focus Today 2010 Austin Conference on Public Libraries and Access to Justice Technology Initiative Grants (TIG) Program LSC funding awarded to Austin Conference mini- grant recipients LA Law Library public library partnerships

2010 Austin Conference on Public Libraries and Access to Justice – Concept and Products

Concept Get beyond current partners Critical leveraging role of technology Public libraries as ideal access point Public libraries as content testing and needs informational partners Develop and disseminate “train the trainer” materials

Conference 43 Team applications Only 14 funded Most had state library participation High energy and follow up

Highlighted Materials Train the Trainer PPTs and back-up materials Ethics and Role, including video Models of Success Template for FAQs Tools to customize FAQs Technology and security Tools for test teaching Relationship to Access Commissions List in Handout – Accessible on

Final Reporting of Austin Conference Mini-Grants Initial steps for mini-grant projects Replicable training materials Increased awareness of partners’ resources and services Sustainability of mini-grant projects Additional funding opportunities

Technology Initiative Grant (TIG) Program Created in 2000 with special Congressional funding Goal: Expand access to justice through technology. TIG Program has made over 450 grants, from $5,000 to $500,000, totaling over $36 million CA roots - one of the first grants was LASOC I-CAN! Legal project

Small Grants Lead to Bigger Grants TennHelpNow Initiative ($105,644) –Partnership of: Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services Tennessee State Library and Archives Tennessee Access to Justice Commission –Key components: Library-branded version of legal services website Training curriculum for train-the-trainer model Community outreach to promote partnership and usage

Bigger (cont’d) Legal Aid Society, Inc. (KY - $176,100) –Partnership of: LAS ProBono.net Minnesota Legal Services Coalition –Project to: Develop innovative, replicable statewide models in KY and MN to help libraries play an expanded role in access to justice Conduct outreach, training, and content development to equip libraries to respond to the surge of self- represented litigants Implement an integrated national outreach, training and partnership strategy to expand awareness of statewide website resources among library networks and other key national stakeholders, and support the effective national replication and adoption of local legal aid library partnerships

Highlight Your Partnerships!

Lessons to Learn Mini-grants were from $750 - $1,000 Led to grants from $105,000 to $176,000! Look to overlap of your priorities and funders’ priorities Look to overlap with your priorities and other organizations’ priorities (they may have access to funders you do not) Consider if the project you want to do can be a pilot/replicable (funders love to leverage funding)

LA Law Library Collaborations

Courthouse Branch Locations Open 4 hours per day Paraprofessional Staff Lack technology Older collection / Not maintained

Partnership : Pasadena Pasadena Public Library:  New leadership  Mid-size public library  Government document collection  General public legal materials

Partnership: Compton Compton Courthouse:  Supervising Judge Request Los Angeles County Public Library  Compton Library undergoing renovation

Partnership: Van Nuys Van Nuys Courthouse:  Self Help Center Los Angeles Public Library  Van Nuys needed “something new”

LA Law Library Provides: Collection Support Legal practice materials Maintain the collection Provide online services Staff Support Staff training Back-up resource / reference assistance Public Classes Training for public MCLE

Partners Provide: Space Provided shelf space Integrated / Non-Integrated collections Materials Nolo and general legal materials File and shelve materials in timely manner Technology Extended hours Professional staff

Opportunities Scale to Small Grant Funding Replicate Training Curriculum Development On-site training Web based Training Reproduce Resources Online Print Participate in Conferences & Meetings

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