Legal Literacy Initiative

Lack of Access to Legal Resources

Many legal resources available on the web, including videos and self-help exams, are designed to help vulnerable families and those historically subject to discrimination. However, individuals and families who could most benefit from these resources often lack the basic digital literacy skills or digital devices necessary to access legal assistance. In fact, in 2017, 86% of low-income Americans experiencing civil legal problems received inadequate or no legal help.

In response to this lack of access to informative legal resources, LWB US designed the Legal Literacy Initiative to empower communities to advocate for their legal needs.

What is the Legal Literacy Initiative?

The Legal Literacy initiative meets people where they are — in laundromats, churches, housing developments, senior centers, and flea markets — with the digital skills and legal resources they need most. The Legal Literacy Initiative brings together libraries and legal service organizations and uses new tools, like Aprendi.org, to provide relevant, user-friendly databases of legal information and resources. In D.C., with funding from the D.C. Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs, LWB US partnered with the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC) and Multicultural Community Service (MCS) to re-imagine how DC’s low-income, limited-English proficient (LEP) Asian/Pacific Islander (API) immigrants access and receive legal information and counsel.

To date, LWB US has served over 800 individuals in Rhode Island, D.C., and Maryland by connecting families with attorneys, signing individuals up for library cards, and facilitating conversations on legal issues pertinent to these communities.

Testimonials

“Today, you can’t access basic legal information if you don’t have internet, a computer, or basic digital skills. The Legal Literacy Initiative is the link that enables residents to access information, answer questions on their own, and determine if and how they want to access legal support.”
– Adam Echelman, Executive Director of Libraries Without Borders US

“I mean I knew that my boss was awful, but I didn’t realize it was a legal issue, that there are resources out there to help me and lawyers who are out there to help.”
– Anonymous Client, Hyattsville MD

Contact

For questions and more information, please contact LWB US Executive Director Adam Echelman at adam@librarieswithoutborders.us.