1. Empirical Legal Research Support Services: A National Survey of Law Libraries
Allison C. Reeve, Research Librarian, Littler Mendelson, P.C.
Travis Weller, Research Development Specialist
University of Kansas Institute for Policy & Social Research

2. Acknowledgements
acknowledge the support of Joyce McCray Pearson, Christopher Steadham, and Ja’net Miles
thank all of our survey respondents and law library faculty members who sent notes of encouragement

3. Project Goals
Describe extent and nature of empirical legal research (ELR) services in academic law libraries
Determine if support varies among ranking
Inform peers of trends in ELR support

4. Defining Empirical Legal Research (ELR)
The investigation of legal and justice-system related questions attempting to understand a topic through data-driven, statistically based, controlled experiments, interview responses, case studies, historical analyses or other quantitative or qualitative data collecting mechanisms

5. Defining Empirical Legal Research (ELR)
The investigation of legal and justice-system related questions attempting to understand a topic through data-driven, statistically based, controlled experiments, interview responses, case studies, historical analyses or other quantitative or qualitative data collecting mechanisms

6. Previous Work on ELR Shows:
ELR by law faculty on the rise
Lack of studies on practice of legal research
ELR support marketed on some websites
A few ELR librarian positions do exist

7. The “Next Big Thing”
More law professors have advanced experience in social science disciplines
Law journals exist that focus on empirical legal research
Empirical Legal Studies community and Law and Society, Law and Economics
Experiences of hiring of ELR Librarian at Yale

8. Academic Libraries Empirical research is the norm
Expanding data services
Few librarians consider research data services a primary role

9. Methods Nationwide survey of academic law libraries
Distributed January and February 2015
Questions on each phase of an ELR project; from inception to archiving

10. Responses 62 surveys available for analysis
(30% of ABA accredited law schools)
54 identified institution

11. Limitations Interpretation of questions
Unknown number of participants on directors’ listserv

12. Significant Results

13. Significant Results

14. Significant Results

15. Significant Results

16. Significant Results

17. Significant Results

18. Significant Results

19. Conclusions (1/2)
Empirical legal research is increasing, according to librarians
Only a few faculty members at each school conduct ELR
Law libraries most commonly assist with identifying and using existing datasets
Sizable minority provide more in-depth services including data storage, archiving assistance, analysis, and research design; especially at higher ranking institutions

20. Conclusions (2/2)
Few libraries have solely dedicated staff to support ELR; high ranking schools are more likely to employ one
One-third have staff proficient with quantitative analysis software, fewer have qualitative data proficiency
Schools ranked are more likely to have plans to expand ELR services

21. Opportunities Cross-campus collaboration Future study
The trend of hiring ELR Librarians
Survey of faculty and deans on research habits
Non-academic libraries