An old problem needs a new solution: Incorporating librarian-led legal research instruction into directed research

Gary Lui

Talley, N. B. (2014). An old problem needs a new solution: Incorporating librarian-led legal research instruction into directed research. Legal Reference Services Quarterly, 33(4), 292-309. doi:10.1080/0270319X.2014.972209

Summary:
The Talley (2014) article believe librarian-led legal research courses are the best way to teach law students legal research. The article specifically mentions a pilot program implemented by Rutgers University School of Law – Camden in order to help improve law students' legal research skills. "The pilot program increased students’ exposure to legal research through librarian-led instruction that incorporated pedagogy to help students learn valuable legal research skills" (Talley, 296). What makes the pilot program successful is that it increases law students' exposure to legal research instruction.

The article also mentions modeling, which is when law students are introduced by law librarians to new resources and research strategies (300).  "The librarians modeled proper research techniques by showing students how to locate materials in the library catalog, searching by keyword, subject heading, or author" (305). Librarians' implementation of legal research pedagogy such as modeling are therefore providing support to law students.

Evaluation:
I decided to post about this article about a pilot program with librarian-led instruction because this pilot program is trying to replace the old bird units way of teaching legal research which is to give little to no instruction to law students who lack basic legal research skills. I think the author of the article designed the most effective legal research course for the law students. Those law school students who come into law school without basic legal research skills will now through the pilot program be better legal researchers by being given the opportunity to model the law librarian and ask questions to the law librarian during the legal research process.