In recent years the number of Americnas who have decided to handle their own legal affairs without the help of a lawyer has skyrocketed. Ranging from people writing their own wills or drafting a contract to those trying to represent themselves in court, they're going to public and academic libraries for answers. As both an attorney and a librarian, Healy's background makes him uniquely qualified to advise library staff on providing users with the legal information they seek, and in this handbook, he * Provides a concise orientation on legal research, including strategies for finding information quickly and a handpicked compendium of the best resources * Offers guidance on how to provide advice on legal research while steering clear of liability * Covers federal legal reference as well as all 50 states, with a comprehensive list of web-based legal resources Library staff can provide valuable and ethical legal reference guidelines with the practical guidance in this book.

In this clearly written and easy-to-understand guide, Healey explains the threat of potential liabilities, and most importantly, recommends how to avoid them. This vital guide clarifies how liability issues differ not only between institutions - public libraries, academic libraries, museums - but also between varying information related jobs like reference librarianship and cataloguing. The book's introduction covers basic issues - enforcement mechanisms, defenses to claims and more - and follows with specific theories - negligence, malpractice, defamation and material torts, and more. Also covered are potential sources of claims, and suggestions for actions to take should you be faced with one. Audits, checklists, and sample policies are included for those wishing to further enhance their knowledge concerning a top legal issue among today's information professionals.