Theme – How to Find It? International Legal Institutions Informing the Public

Aim and scope

Libraries collect documents of International Legal Institutions in paper and electronic format for their patrons. However, in the days of Facebook and Twitter these institutions are rethinking their ways of producing and disseminating information, including opening new channels of communication. Some institutions are using social media, others are optimizing their databases for mobile devices. How does this trend affect the traditional role of libraries as information brokers?

The aim and scope of this session is to bring together librarians and information experts from institutions such as, but not limited to, the European Court of Human Rights, the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the European Union,  European Union Information Centres, and other libraries that collect information from Public International Legal Institutions, to share ideas on how libraries and information centres can best provide efficient and expert information service and intermediation.

Topics could include

  • Communication and cooperation between Libraries of International Legal Institutions and depository libraries for those institutions
  • Explaining the role and responsibilities of European Information Centers to the general public and/or university students
  • The effect of new channels of communication, such as social media platforms, on the traditional means of disseminating information
  • The future of libraries as intermediaries for disseminating legal information
  • Improving communication with legal professionals, librarians and the general public through better services (for example multi-lingual websites and databases)

Please send your proposals to:

Jim Church, Email: jchurch@library.berkeley.edu  and  

Cornelie Butz, Email: cornelie.butz@bverwg.bund.de

More information and detailed instructions for submission can be found on the Calls for Papers for the Open Sessions web site.