It discusses the issue of privacy and the privacy legislation that impacts the researcher's ability to access records. It also includes tables showing the location of appeals and regional records services, restrictions on state agency public records, and recent telephone area code changes. The Library's goal is to provide San Diego citizens, the legal and library communities with information about what services are offered. The web site was designed by a committee of dedicated Library staff from various departments, some of whom devoted their own time to creating the content and format. The library staff plans to continue improving the page and add new features and functions over time.
All libraries are aware of the increasing demand by the public for legal information.
The librarian is faced with the challenge of determining which legal questions can be answered by the collection and the staff on hand. It is often difficult in the reference interview to get all the necessary information from the patron so that the librarian can make a wise decision about the actual needs of the user. The patron often does not give all the facts involved and, what appears to be a fairly simple request, may actually involve many more complex issues. The librarian should also be aware of the addresses and phone numbers of the local legal aid offices and lawyers' referral services. Often the most difficult aspect of legal reference is to determine the difference between legal information and legal advice.