2011 California Conference on Self-

Represented LitigantsGrant Seeking? A Little

Goes a Long Way

June 10, 2011

Presenters

• Janine Liebert, Librarian, Programs & Partnerships, LA Law Library

• Richard Zorza, Coordinator, Self-Represented Litigation Network (SRLN)

• Glenn Rawdon, Senior Program Counsel, Legal Services Corporation (LSC)

• Marcia Koslov, Executive Director, LA Law Library

Our Focus Today

• 2010 Austin Conference on Public Libraries and Access to Justice

• Technology Initiative Grants (TIG) Program

• LSC funding awarded to Austin Conference mini-grant recipients

• LA Law Library public library partnerships

2010 Austin Conference on Public Libraries and Access

to Justice – Concept and Products

Concept

• Get beyond current partners• Critical leveraging role of technology• Public libraries as ideal access point• Public libraries as content testing and

needs informational partners• Develop and disseminate “train the

trainer” materials

Conference

• 43 Team applications• Only 14 funded• Most had state library participation• High energy and follow up

Highlighted Materials

• Train the Trainer PPTs and back-up materials

• Ethics and Role, including video• Models of Success• Template for FAQs• Tools to customize FAQs• Technology and security• Tools for test teaching• Relationship to Access Commissions• List in Handout – Accessible on

www.selfhelpsupport.org

Final Reporting of Austin Conference Mini-Grants

• Initial steps for mini-grant projects • Replicable training materials • Increased awareness of partners’ resources

and services • Sustainability of mini-grant projects • Additional funding opportunities

Technology Initiative Grant (TIG) Program

• Created in 2000 with special Congressional funding

• Goal: Expand access to justice through technology.

• TIG Program has made over 450 grants, from $5,000 to $500,000, totaling over $36 million

• CA roots - one of the first grants was LASOC I-CAN! Legal project

Small Grants Lead to Bigger Grants

• TennHelpNow Initiative ($105,644)– Partnership of:

• Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services• Tennessee State Library and Archives• Tennessee Access to Justice Commission

– Key components:• Library-branded version of legal services

website• Training curriculum for train-the-trainer

model• Community outreach to promote

partnership and usage

Bigger (cont’d)• Legal Aid Society, Inc. (KY - $176,100)– Partnership of:

• LAS• ProBono.net• Minnesota Legal Services Coalition

– Project to:• Develop innovative, replicable statewide

models in KY and MN to help libraries play an expanded role in access to justice

• Conduct outreach, training, and content development to equip libraries to respond to the surge of self-represented litigants

• Implement an integrated national outreach, training and partnership strategy to expand awareness of statewide website resources among library networks and other key national stakeholders, and support the effective national replication and adoption of local legal aid library partnerships

Highlight Your Partnerships!

Lessons to Learn

• Mini-grants were from $750 - $1,000• Led to grants from $105,000 to

$176,000!• Look to overlap of your priorities and

funders’ priorities• Look to overlap with your priorities and

other organizations’ priorities (they may have access to funders you do not)

• Consider if the project you want to do can be a pilot/replicable (funders love to leverage funding)

LA Law LibraryCollaborations

Courthouse Branch Locations

• Open 4 hours per day • Paraprofessional Staff • Lack technology• Older collection / Not maintained

Partnership: Pasadena

Pasadena Public Library:

New leadership

Mid-size public library

Government document collection

General public legal materials

Partnership: Compton

Compton Courthouse:Supervising Judge Request

Los Angeles County Public LibraryCompton Library undergoing

renovation

Partnership: Van NuysVan Nuys Courthouse:

Self Help Center

Los Angeles Public LibraryVan Nuys needed “something new”

LA Law Library Provides:

Collection Support• Legal practice materials• Maintain the collection• Provide online services

Staff Support• Staff training• Back-up resource / reference assistance

Public Classes• Training for public• MCLE

Partners Provide: Space

• Provided shelf space• Integrated / Non-Integrated collections

Materials• Nolo and general legal materials• File and shelve materials in timely manner

Technology

Extended hours

Professional staff

Opportunities

Scale to Small Grant Funding

• Replicate Training• Curriculum Development• On-site training • Web based Training

• Reproduce Resources• Online• Print

• Participate in Conferences & Meetings

Your Partner in Legal Research Since 1891