Setting the Stage

Too often, especially when we are assigned work by others (whether that be an articling principal, a professor, or a supervisor), the temptation is to jump in feet first, start querying databases, and chasing what often turns out to be dead-ends.

This section is intended to assist you in becoming a “self-interviewing” legal researchers. What I mean by this is that as a law librarian, much of my work with patrons is what is called a “reference interview.” This is the discussion and dialogue between myself, as librarian, and the patron, as researcher, to help us together determine what their research needs actually are, and from there, what a suitable strategy may be. This pause for reflection, while it may seem like unnecessary delay, is actually nearly always a time-saver, as it helps us determine what the question really is, and can help us recognize the answer when we find it