Legal Research and the Democratic Process

Public and academic reference librarians play a vital role in the informational needs of a democratic society. The importance of law and government to daily life negates the philosophy of legal bibliography solely for special librarians. Traditional views have stifled the intellectual growth of nonlaw librarians. Outlining the significance of legal reference resources to the democratic process attempts to raise the consciousness of nonlaw librarians untutored in their use. The interest and support of public and academic reference librarians is needed to encourage administrators to provide staff development to close this informational gap.