Examples of law librarianship course descriptions in the master of library science programs in ALA accredited schools in Canada and the United States
Canada
1. School of Library, Archival and Information Studies, University of British Columbia
http://www.slais.ubc.ca/courses/coursdes/libr/libr533.htm
LIBR 533: Legal information sources and services – course description
Prerequisites
MLIS and Dual MAS/MLIS: LIBR 500, LIBR 501, LIBR 503 MAS: completion of MAS core and permission of the SLAIS Graduate Adviser
Objectives
At the completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Discuss the roles and responsibilities which legal information professionals assume in various Canadian organizations
2. Describe the current trends in legal information services in Canada and elsewhere
3. Recognize the skills required to establish, operate, and responsibly manage a legal information service
4. Apply the principles for identifying, evaluating, selecting, and maintaining Canadian legal research tools, both print and electronic
5. Discuss the basic elements of the Canadian legal system
6. Describe and apply legal research and reference methods, and compare those methods to those used in general reference services
Content
• Basic skills with legislation and cases
• Canadian, English and American legal resources
• Online and other legal sources
• Legal reference services in the legal, academic and public library
2. School of Information Management, Dalhousie University
http://www.dal.ca/content/dam/dalhousie/pdf/schoolofinformationmanagement/Syllabi/INFO%206320_W15_2014_12_09.pdf
INFO 6320 – Legal literature & librarianship
Syllabus winter term 2013
Course description
This course provides both a theoretical and practical overview of legal literature (broadly defined) from a variety of jurisdictional perspectives. It is also designed to enhance participants’ understanding of legal librarianship as a particular stream of library and information management. Class sessions will include an examination of the widest range of legal resources, including print and electronic sources. It will also consider various categories of library and resource collections specializing in legal literature.
3. School of Information Studies, McGill University
GLIS 672 Law Information 3 Credits
Library & Information Studies: The nature and scope of law librarianship and legal information sources; examination of the organization of legal knowledge, the legal research process, law information sources both print and electronic.
4. Faculty of Information, University of Toronto http://www.ischool.utoronto.ca/lis-clusters
INF2133H Legal Literature and Librarianship
Course description not available online
Faculty of Law & Faculty of Information
Juris Doctor/Master of Information (JD/MI)
Juris doctor/master of information http://www.ischool.utoronto.ca/jdmi
The Juris Doctor/Master of Information (JD/MI) combined program:
• Is for students who want to combine graduate studies in information with a law degree
• Is offered jointly by the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto
• Allows a student to complete two graduate degree programs within a reduced timeframe of four years, rather than five years, if they were to be taken separately
At the completion of the four-year integrated program, the successful candidate is awarded both the Juris Doctor and the Master of Information degrees.
5. Faculty of Information and Media Studies, University of Western
LIS 9318 Legal Information
Course Description
Sources of legal information and their use including primary legal materials (bills, statutes, regulations, cases), secondary legal materials (journal articles, monographs), and their finding aids utilizing both paper-based and digital sources. Characteristics and needs of users of legal information in law firm, academic, courthouse and other types of law libraries.
United States
1. School of Library & Information Studies, University of Alabama http://www.slis.ua.edu/Course_Des.html
LS 538. Law libraries and legal resources
Introduces the concepts of law library management and the techniques and materials of legal research.
2. School of Information Resources & Library Science, University of Arizona
http://sirls.arizona.edu/node/868
681E. LAW LIBRARY PRACTICE AND ADMINISTRATION (3)
This course will focus on a wide range of issues dealing with law library practice and administration, including but not limited to digital law libraries, collection development, law library administration, teaching legal research, database management, professional ethics and intellectual property issues. Several classes will be taught by guest lecturers, primarily librarians from the law library. (Identical to LAW 681E)
3. Department of Library and Information Science, The Catholic University of America
http://lis.cua.edu/courses/schedules/#fall
LSC 830 Legal literature
Introduction to major print and online sources of legal information, the bibliographic organization of legal literature, and techniques of legal research; use of primary and secondary sources and finding tools. Emphasis on integrating the use of print and digital resources for legal research.
4. Clarion University http://www.clarion.edu/25497/
Joint MSLS and Juris doctor at Widener School of Law, Harrisburg campus.
Law librarianship specialization
Law Specific Courses
LIS 4204 Legal Issues in Information Organizations (3 credits)
LIS 4374 Legal Reference & Resources (3 credits)
LIS 4750 Legal Research I (3 credits)
LIS 4751 Legal Research II (3 credits)
LIS 4756 Legal Databases Research (3 credits)
Certificate in law librarianship
4374 Legal Reference & Resources (3 credits)
This course provides students with an opportunity to explore the unique challenges that reference services pose in a legal environment. Lecture, readings, and class discussions as well as practical experience allow students to synthesize course content. Prerequisite: LIS 4060.
6. Dominican University, Library & Information Science http://gslis.dom.edu/law-librarianship
LIS 788 Law Librarianship
Credits: 3
Introduction to law librarianship and the environment in which it operates, including law libraries in law schools, firms and government. Includes an orientation to the legal field, a review of law library operations and administration, and discussion of library service models. Topics include organization of services and space, financial management and technology applications.
7. School of Library & Information Studies, Florida's iSchool, The Florida State University
LIS 5416 Introduction to legal informatics (3)
This course is an introduction to the role of information technology in the creation, management, and retrieval of legal information in the legal work environment, such as the law office and the law library. It examines the use of information technology in judicial administration and other legal contexts; it introduces the student to various definitions of legal informatics while also exploring the detailed structure of legal-information database retrieval systems such as LEXIS and Westlaw, as well as other methods of storage and automatic retrieval of law sources.
LIS 5417 Introduction to legal resources (3)
Provides an introduction to legal literature and to the tools of legal research to create an understanding of how legal information is organized, structured, and accessed in various settings.
8. Indiana University, Bloomington Department of Information and Library Science
http://www.soic.indiana.edu/graduate/courses/index.html?number=z654&department=ILS
Z654: Law librarianship (3 cr.)
An introduction to basic legal materials and law librarianship. Primary and secondary resources, indexes, digests and citators, specialized research methods, current developments in automated legal research. History of law libraries in the U.S., their organization and administration. The role of law librarians in law schools and law firms.
9. Kent State University School of Library and Information Science
http://www.kent.edu/slis/courses/index.cfm
Legal resources for non-law librarians
In this workshop, students will become aware of the structure of legal literature and learn to use legal indexes and sources for both case and statutory law. In addition, students will become familiar with the major success of American legal literature, furthering their awareness of the principles, issues, and practices in law librarianship. Finally, the rules of proper legal citation will be introduced.
10. University of Kentucky Library and Information Science https://ci.uky.edu/lis/courses
LIS 641 Law Librarianship
A study of the materials of legal research and reference work. Emphasis is placed on the methods of effective research and the actual use of legal materials in the solution of practical reference problems. The selection, cataloging, classification, and storage of materials in a law collection are considered. The specialized requirements of law librarianship and law library administration are treated.
11. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Information and Library Science
http://sils.unc.edu/courses
INLS 708: Law libraries and legal information (3 credits)
Prerequisite: INLS 501. An introduction to the legal system and the development of law libraries, their unique objectives, characteristics, and functions. The literature of Anglo-American jurisprudence and computerized legal research are emphasized as well as research techniques. Offered biennially.
12. North Carolina Central University, School of Library and Information Sciences
http://www.nccuslis.org/courses/coursesd.htm
LSIS 5210. Administration of Law Libraries (3)
The development of law libraries and their unique objectives, characteristics, and functions.
Law librarianship and legal informatics
Prepares graduates for careers in law libraries, information organizations using legal information resources and information publishers. Enables law librarians to play key roles in the management of legal information in diverse settings.
See more at: http://lis.unt.edu/programs-study#sthash.8IbaiGdS.dpuf.
14. Pratt Institute MSLIS/JD and MSLIS/LL.M. with Brooklyn Law School
http://www.pratt.edu/academics/information_and_library_sciences/dual_degree_programs/
The University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Library and Information Studies
LSC538 Law Librarianship (3) Introduction to legal bibliography and research and to a broad range of problems involved in the administration and operation of various kinds of law libraries. Pre: 502 and 504 or permission of instructor. Elective.
15. Syracuse University Library and Information Science
http://coursecatalog.syr.edu/2012/courses/IST_606
IST 606 Legal Information Resources and Services
3 Credits - Offered upon sufficient student interest
Legal research methods/materials and management of legal information resources. Includes federal, state, private, and international legal resources.
16. University of Texas at Austin School of Information https://www.ischool.utexas.edu/programs/dual_degrees
Master of science in information studies / juris doctor degree
The University of Texas Schools of Information (iSchool) and Law offer a dual degree program leading to two graduate degrees: the Master of Science in Information Studies degree (MSIS) and the Juris Doctor degree (JD). The dual degree program responds to an increased need for specialists trained in both of these fields who are thus positioned to help address issues arising from the increasingly complex and changing world of legal information use, retrieval and storage. The program enables students to earn both degrees simultaneously in three academic years, including one summer. While the length of the degree program is streamlined, students will still satisfy all of the existing requirements of both programs.
Law librarianship
Recommended Electives:
LIS 7670 Practicum: Special
LIS 8110 Government Information Policies and Resources
LIS 8120 Legal Information Resources and Services