University of Toronto Press
Reviewed by:
  • The Accidental Law Librarian by Anthony Aycock
  • Megan K. Beard, research and instruction librarian
Anthony Aycock. The Accidental Law Librarian. Medford, NJ: Information Today, 2013. ISBN: 978-1-57387-477-9. CDN$43.00.

Like for many librarians, the idea of legal research sends chills up my spine. Give me an obscure contemporary art question or an overly technical business question any day, but until I finished The Accidental Law Librarian, it seemed that legal research and reference assistance was best left to those who had completed a juris doctor and possibly even several years as a lawyer or judge. With The Accidental Law Librarian, the latest in the Accidental series, Anthony Aycock has done an excellent job of making the world of legal resources and research much more accessible to those who do not face these types of questions on a daily basis. [End Page R6]

Each of the 10 chapters in this book covers useful topics such as primary and secondary sources (different from primary and secondary sources in humanities research); Westlaw and LexisNexis, as well as lesser-known databases; looseleafs and supplements; and searches for public information. Aycock does a good job of pointing out search strategies, access points, and insider tricks that will help any beginner. Possibly the most useful feature in this resource is the section of sample questions with answers at the end of the book. In this section, there is a listing of nearly 100 actual questions from three different libraries. Aycock provides short descriptions of how he would handle each question, including resources he would use or suggest to the patron.

Although this book will be a helpful primer for librarians looking to brush up on legal research skills, there are some limitations to this resource. First, the book really is for beginners. There is enough information included to get someone started with legal research, but it is neither comprehensive nor detailed enough to be of use to librarians who already know the basics or to those who will be working primarily with legal resources.

Second, several of the examples focused on the methods for accessing information in North Carolina. The author notes that methods and resources will vary in different states but rarely gives examples or assistance in this area. As part of this narrow focus, the book is exclusively focused on legal research in the United States and does not mention the similarities or differences in providing legal assistance in other countries.

Finally, Aycock seemed to strain to provide relevant experiences from his work to illustrate the text. Several of the examples the author shared demonstrated a real need for refresher courses in customer service and reference interview skills, which distracted from the content and did not inspire a feeling of confidence in the author’s skills as a librarian. There is also an overtly sexist story about a fictional lawyer that was used as an example several times in the book.

However, even with the limitations of the resource, I would recommend the book to librarians who have little experience with legal resources and research. Aycock has done a good job of making the world of court cases, statutes, and legal forms more accessible. [End Page R7]

Megan K. Beard, research and instruction librarian
James G. Gee Library, Texas A&M University – Commerce

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