Hon. Lois Wolk, Senator
State Capitol, Room 5114
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator Loni Hancock
State Capitol, Room 2082
Sacramento, CA 95814
Assemblyman Reginald Jones Sawyer
Capitol Office: P.O. Box 942849, Room 4126, Sacramento, CA 94249-0059
Senate President Kevin De Leon
Capitol Office:
State Capitol, Room 205
Sacramento, CA 95814
Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins
Capitol Office: P.O. Box 942849, Room 219, Sacramento, CA 94249-0078
District Office: 1350 Front Street, Suite 6054, San Diego, CA 92101
Dear Legislator:
As a constituent, I am requesting your support for and co-authorship of SB 711 (Wolk) which is currently pending before the Senate Judiciary Committee. SB 711 would provide our vitally important county law libraries with an additional source of desperately needed funding.
According to John Adkins, Director, San Diego Law Library, county law libraries report that between 60% and 80% of their users are non-attorneys. They include, but are not limited to, self-represented litigants, residents who are researching how to start a business, transfer the deed to their parents’ house, etc. Such patrons have been accustomed to receiving experienced and knowledgeable self-help information, reference assistance, legal clinics, workshops, online resources and a variety of other educational services.
Unfortunately, over the past six years these libraries have had to cut back on staff, hours of operation and the purchase of critical legal research materials because of a dramatic 30% decline in revenues from their primary funding source – the civil filing fees they receive under existing statutory authority. The funding problem exists in part because, under Business & Professions Code Section 6360, county law libraries are limited to charging fees to cover the costs of only a few of their special services, such as the making of photocopies of pages of library books and messenger service. SB 711 would eliminate such restrictions by allowing them to charge for their full range of services such as electronic delivery, other delivery services, educational programs, special events, and provision of supplies or food services.
SB 711 will go a long way toward helping to restore the ability of California’s county law libraries’ to fulfill their mission of service to California’s residents. I hope you can see the wisdom of supporting this important measure.
Sincerely,
REASONS TO SUPPORT COUNTY LAW LIBRARIES
ü County Law Libraries provide access to justice by assisting self-represented litigants.
ü County Law Libraries are an essential component of the justice system, reducing stress on the overburdened court system.
ü County Law Libraries ‘level the playing field’ by making expensive legal resources available to all, regardless of income.
ü County Law Libraries make information technology available to all.
ü County Law Libraries assist tens of thousands California residents every year.
ü County Law Libraries promote economic recovery by helping small business, assisting individuals with workforce re-entry and speeding resolution of disputes.
Programs and Services
Reference Assistance: The Law Library provides reference and research assistance at the reference desk, by phone, mail, email and live web-chat. These services are available at no charge to attorneys, legal professionals, students and the general public.
Support Services: The Law Library makes available free public computers and Wi-Fi, as well as copiers, printers, typewriters, office supplies, document delivery and e-delivery for a small fee.
Classes and Programs: The reference staff teaches legal research classes to the public including classes on Lexis, research using print sources, utilizing free legal internet sites, locating forms, and many more. The Law Library, supported by many partners within the legal community, also provides law-related informational and clinical classes and workshops for its diverse patron groups on many subjects, ranging from citizenship issues to clearing criminal records and how to start small business.
Tours: Library staff also gives tours of the Law Library and its resources to outside groups including bar associations, paralegal and law-related student groups and academic institutions. The Law Library also hosted field trips from several local high schools, leading students on explorations of the library’s resources, holding panel discussions on legal issues relevant to teens, and hosting career talks where students got the chance to learn about different career paths available to them in the legal field.
The Law Library is open to all members of the public. During Fiscal Year 2013-14, the Law Library Reference staff fielded more than 43,000 requests for information. The questions came from a diverse group of users that includes self-represented litigants, attorneys, paralegals, judges, students and the general public. Thousands of additional patrons used the Library’s legal resources on their own and still more attended classes, workshops and clinics. Meanwhile, the Law Library’s four branches recorded receiving nearly 100,000 visits last year alone.