While there are common misconceptions regarding the definition of a public law library, it can be defined as a government mandated library which provides the public with access to legal resources. Largely, public law libraries are instituted by state or federal law. Public Law Librarianship: Objectives, Challenges, and Solutions aims to introduce firsthand knowledge on the funding, organizational structures, and governance related to the public law library. This book includes comprehensive research for current and future public law librarians to provide administrative guidance and professional sources essential for running a public law library.
Laurie Selwyn , received her M.L.S. from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI. After working in a number of public and academic libraries from 1980-2002, Selwyn accepted the position of County Law Librarian with the Grayson County District Attorneys Office. Here she spear-headed the revival of the badly neglected and outdated library, updated the collection, and established policies and procedures encouraging library use as well as input concerning library needs. A frequent reviewer for "Library Journal", Selwyn has also reviewed for Legal Information Alert and Law Library Journal as well as contributed to such professional resources as A Day in the Life: Career Options in Library and Information Science (Priscilla Shontz and Richard Murray. 2007. Libraries Unlimited), How to Thrive as a Solo Librarian (Carol Smallwood and Melissa Clapp. 2012. Scarecrow Press), and coauthored The Public Law Library: A Place in Todays World? in Legal Information Alert, 29(3), 1,3 with Virginia Eldridge. Virginia L. Eldridge received her M.L.S. from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN in 1985 and is currently Law Librarian for Grayson County, Texas. She began in this solo librarian position in 2007 following co-author Laurie Selwyn. She has presented papers at Computers in Libraries Conferences,Texas Library Association District 5 and the Southwestern Association of Law Libraries. Previously, Eldridge was Head of Library Systems at Vanderbilt University, Automation Assistant at Bryn Mawr College Tri-College Consortium, and before that she taught public school. She recently contributed a chapter in How to Thrive as a Solo Librarian (Carol Smallwood and Melissa Clapp. 2012. Scarecrow Press), and co-authored The Public Law Library: A Place in Todays World? in Legal Information Alert, 29(3), 1,3 with Laurie Selwyn.
