Originally published by Joseph Lawson.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2020
Today, the Texas State Law Library and Harris County Law Library announced a new partnership to expand digital services for all Texans. Beginning on Law Day, May 1, 2020, law librarians from both institutions will work together to offer expanded chat services in English and Spanish Monday through Friday. Anyone who needs assistance with legal research can contact a law librarian through either libraries’ website to access expansive collections of digital resources.
“We are excited to expand access to legal information with our partners at the State Law Library,” Harris County Law Library Director Mariann Sears said. “Each library has unique resources to support self-represented litigants, attorneys, and the judiciary. Through this partnership, we can make more of those resources available to help ensure continued access to justice as we stay home and work safe.”
Following guidance from the Supreme Court of Texas and public health officials, both law libraries suspended in-person services in March and expanded virtual services to support remote work by attorneys, judges, and self-represented litigants. Expansion of real-time chat services will further assist the legal community to work remotely following the Supreme Court’s extension of its emergency order through June 1, 2020, allowing Texas courts to postpone hearings and encourage remote participation in proceedings.
“This partnership is a great opportunity for the State Law Library to serve more Texans, especially in Harris County,” Texas State Law Library Assistant Director Amy Small said. “With a third of the Texas legal community and the state’s busiest courts, the Houston metro area has the most potential users of the State Law Library’s expansive digital collections. Working with law librarians at the Harris County Law Library and drawing on their expertise will help us connect more Texans with needed legal resources.”
The new partnership will serve as a pilot program with the goal of expanding opportunities for collaboration between Texas’s network of public law libraries. Law libraries that are interested in participating are encouraged to contact the State Law Library.
About Chat References Services
Law librarians at the Texas State Law Library and Harris County Law Library will offer real-time reference services in English, Spanish, and Farsi, Monday through Friday, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., beginning on Friday, May 1, 2020. Visit either library website to access the chat interface and to learn more about digital services.
About the Texas State Law Library
The Texas State Law Library is a public law library that serves the legal research needs of the Texas Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals, the Office of the Attorney General, other state agencies and commissions, and the citizens of the state. Located in Austin, Texas, the State Law Library offers services and digital collections to all Texans through its website at https://www.sll.texas.gov.
About the Harris County Law Library
The Harris County Law Library opened in 1915 and has continued to serve Harris County’s legal information needs for more than a century. After joining the Office of Vince Ryan, Harris County Attorney, in 2011, the Law Library greatly expanded its technology offerings and services to the public. Today, the Law Library receives more than 60,000 visitors each year, 90% of whom are not lawyers. To learn more about services and digital collections, visit the Harris County Law Library Virtual Reference Desk at https://www.harriscountylawlibrary.org.
Curated by Texas Bar Today. Follow us on Twitter @texasbartoday.
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