Reference Librarian and the Pro Se Patron

Abstract

For a number of reasons including money, distrust of lawyers, and innovations in the law, it appears that increasing numbers of litigants are choosing to represent themselves in court without the benefit of counsel. In most instances, the first place they turn in preparation for their day in court is the law library. Examined in this article are the problems and challenges presented by the pro se patron and some possible alternatives for coping with them. For librarians who have already encountered such patrons, this article may stir anguished or amusing memories of past encounters; while for the novice, it may provide a glimpse of an experience that will inevitable occur.