The Regional Library System will be offering a workshop on Access to
Justice for librarians from all types of libraries throughout the state.

 

The workshop will be offered from 10 AM to 2 PM on the following dates
at the following locations: 

 

 

 

 July 15 -- Bangor Public Library

 

July 22 -- Portland Public Library

 

August 12 -- Lewiston Public Library

 

August 19 -- Mark & Emi8ly Turner Memorial Library in Presque Isle

 

 

 

Cost -- $8 for lunch

 

 

 

The Justice Action Group put together and received a small grant to
provide training for librarians on providing legal information (not
advice).  Please read below for more information on the project.  Please
feel free to ask me any questions you may have.  Please sign up on the
State Library calendar.

http://evanced.info/maine/evanced/eventcalendar.asp  

 

 

 

More Information:

 

 

The Justice Action Group Collaboration: An innovative approach to an old
by Honorable. Andrew M. Mead, Maine Supreme Judicial Court

 

 

The majority of people who appear in Maine's courts do so without the
assistance of a lawyer. Regardless of whether their self-represented
status is the result of limited financial resources, or confidence
generated by watching "Judge Judy" style television shows, their numbers
are on the rise and show no signs of abating. 

 

These self-represented litigants often turn to their local libraries for
information on laws and court procedures. This places librarians in
extremely difficult situations. While librarians are well versed in
advanced research techniques, and genuinely wish to assist their
patrons, they are not trained in the law and cannot ethically render
strategic legal advice. 

 

 

The Problem

 

 

At the same time, the courts and legal service agencies are attempting
to address the situation by publishing guides (both hardcopy and
internet versions), but these resources often do not reach the desired
audience. A Google search may, or may not, get a user to the appropriate
site. The lawyers of Maine freely give their time to try to assist these
self-represented litigants to the extent they can, but the public is
largely unaware of these free services. 

 

 

Justice Action Group Proposes a Solution

 

 

 In late 2009, the Justice Action Group (an advisory group chartered by
the non-profit Maine Bar Foundation) launched The Collaboration - an
unprecedented gathering of lawyers, librarians, technology experts,
courts, legal services providers and numerous other stakeholders in the
"access to justice" field. The problems noted above were identified and
solutions - based upon collaboration between the members of the group -
were proposed.

In almost every instance, a group member could offer another group
member a valuable resource to address that member's situation! 

 

 

A Win-Win Collaboration

 

 

 A revolutionary approach to access to justice issues has emerged and
the group is currently seeking grant funding to bring the component
parts to fruition. In brief summary, the Collaboration envisions the
future as

follows:

 

1.    Pine Tree Legal Assistance, a national leader in web-based

resources, will significantly enhance its HelpMeLaw.org
<http://www.helpmelaw.org/>  website by including "how to" videos and
text content and offer quick links to other online resources

2.    Local librarians will be trained to use this web portal and to

direct their patrons to it

3.    The Volunteer Lawyers Project will schedule lawyers "live and in

person" at local libraries on specific dates and times to assist with
advice and assistance (thereby relieving some of the burden on
librarians). 

 

The Collaboration members are excited and energized by these prospects.
We are just emerging from the planning stages and welcome suggestions
and input from the Maine library community. Any communications can be
directed to Barbara
<http://www.maine.gov/msl/mrls/enews/may10/%3ca%20href=%22mailto:bmcdade
@bpl

.lib.me.us%22%3eBarbara%20McDade%3c/a%3e>  McDade at Bangor Public
Library.

We look forward to a successful collaboration!