What do Law Librarians do?  

A law librarian works in libraries that focus on legal materials, including law schools, law firms, courts, or government offices. They help judges, attorneys, students, and the public find legal books, cases, statutes, and other research materials. They answer questions about the law or how to use legal research tools. They also organize the library’s collection, keep up-to-date with legal databases, teach people how to use legal research tools, and sometimes manage budgets or digital resources. 

What does a typical day look like in this job?

On a typical day, a law librarian might answer questions from lawyers or students, showing them how to use legal databases or locate a specific case. They might also help someone learn how to look up past court decisions or laws. They may spend time adding new books or online subscriptions to the collection, planning library services, training others on research tools, or managing the library systems and budget. 

What skills or abilities are important for this job?

It’s important to be good at doing detailed research, being organized, and using computer-based legal databases. Being able to find answers quickly is a big part of the job. Good communication and teaching skills are important too, because law librarians often explain how to use resources and help people learn legal research. Also, being comfortable with change and learning new tools helps. 

What kind of education, certification, or training is required?

Many law librarian roles expect a Master’s degree in Library & Information Science (MLIS or similar). Some roles in academic or law-school libraries also prefer or require a law degree (Juris Doctor). In Arizona specifically, the University of Arizona offers a Graduate Certificate in Legal Information and a Dual Degree (JD/MLIS) for those interested in law librarianship. Some jobs may also ask for experience working in a library or with legal materials before hiring. 

What is the most challenging part about this job?

One challenge is that legal information changes quickly, with new laws, new court decisions, new technology, so a law librarian must keep learning and updating the collection. Another challenge is balancing many different tasks, from helping people one moment to doing research the next, all with attention to detail and accuracy. Even though it’s not a loud or fast-paced job, it requires careful thinking and lots of focus every day. 

What is the average salary in Arizona?

Visit the ZipRecruiter Law Librarian Salaries page to view recent information regarding law librarian salaries in Arizona.