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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Sue Ludington has written the definitive article about
Oregon’s County Law Libraries.<span> </span>To learn
more about these special and unique libraries and the important work they do to
promote civil society in Oregon, please download and read, “Oregon’s County Law
Libraries: Providing Legal Information and Reference Assistance Across the
Miles ,” here: <a href="https://commons.pacificu.edu/olaq/vol23/iss3/6/" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline">https://commons.pacificu.edu/olaq/vol23/iss3/6/</a><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">From Sue’s article, “In Oregon, all 36 counties are statutorily
required to “operate a free law library that is convenient and available at
reasonable hours; or provide free law library services at one or more locations
that are convenient and available at reasonable hours” (Or. Rev. Stat. §
9.815). County law libraries have been around for more than a century in
Oregon; however, what those libraries look like today and the depth of services
or resources they <span>offer vary</span> dramatically
statewide. In rural and small counties, especially, there may be limited (or nonexistent)
resources, physical space, and staffing. Despite the challenges, many counties
outside the Portland metropolitan area are striving to meet—and succeeding!—the
legal information needs of both attorneys and non-attorneys through
non-traditional service models, targeted outreach, staff training, and other
endeavors. As a result, these libraries are helping to further “access to
justice,” a national movement to ensure that everyone, regardless of economic
means, has equitable access to the justice system, which includes legal
protection, legal awareness, and legal counsel (United States Institute of
Peace, 2009).”<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 10pt;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Does that sound like a good cause to you?<span> </span>Maybe you could work in one of Oregon’s
County Law Libraries.<span> </span>Read on to learn
more. <span style="font-family:Wingdings"><span>:)</span></span><span></span></p>
<br></div>Charles Wood<br></div>OLA Communications<br></div>