Douglas County law library has evolved into a self‑help center serving thousands of unrepresented litigants
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Summary
Judge Shelley Stratman and law library staff told the County Board the law library now functions mainly as a self‑help desk for people who cannot afford attorneys; the operation runs on a shrinking budget and relies on public computers, printing fees and one full‑time employee.
Judge Shelley Stratman told the Douglas County Board of Commissioners that the county law library now functions primarily as a self‑help desk for people who cannot afford attorneys or who have relatively simple legal matters.
The law library, dedicated as the Honorable Michael W. Amdorf Memorial Law Library, has shifted from a lawyer‑oriented reference collection to an access‑to‑justice resource that helps people navigate filings such as divorces, paternity actions and evictions, Stratman said. County staff who manage the library provide packets, laptop stations, and in‑person help for self‑represented litigants (SRLs).
Board members were shown recent usage and revenue figures to illustrate demand. The library’s current fiscal year budget is about $75,000, down roughly 50 percent from a decade ago; copy and printing fees provide a meaningful portion of earned revenue. Library staff reported $5,526 in revenue from July 1 through September of the current year and nearly $14,000 in revenue last year, mostly from copy fees. In the first quarter of the budget year staff logged roughly 1,500 patrons (in‑person visits or phone contacts). From Aug. 1 to Sept. 16 staff printed more than 1,400 pages of packet material for patrons; the library charges 25¢ per printed page.
Library staff and the judge emphasized service gaps elsewhere on the courthouse campus: public computers and workspace were removed from the clerk’s office after a remodel, and county court computers do not permit printing. The law library provides five public computers (one with Westlaw patron access), printing, word processing and staffed assistance for people who cannot access or use online forms at home.
Board members asked about staffing and tracking. Library presenters said one full‑time employee is funded through the court budget; a new staff member who started in June has improved patron tracking and is expected to allow the library to report more precise counts of in‑person help versus paid transactions. Commissioners suggested a short annual presentation to the full board to raise public awareness of the service.
The presenters said some of the matters most often handled through the library are domestic relations and eviction cases. They also noted that legal aid organizations are frequently too backlogged to help with relatively simple filings; the library fills that gap with packet materials and assisted form completion so self‑represented litigants can proceed to hearings.
Library staff described a desire to reallocate book/periodical spending toward staffing and computer workstations so two people could routinely assist patrons, including those without Internet access or printing capability. The Administrative Office of the Courts has piloted a statewide self‑help desk program and chose Douglas County as a pilot district; presenters said the county’s library already provides many of those services.
The session closed with commissioners thanking the judge and library staff and encouraging further outreach so residents know the resource exists.
