Saskatchewan Access to Legal Information Project Conference

By Alan Kilpatrick

I had the opportunity to represent the Saskatchewan Library Association recently at the Saskatchewan Access to Legal Information Project (SALI) Conference.

The SALI conference took place on October 20-21 at the University of Saskatchewan: The Role of Legal Information Providers and Public Libraries in Promoting Access to Justice. The conference brought together representatives from every library region in the province, justice industry stakeholders, and a variety of community organizations to discuss how to increase and improve access to justice and legal information for Saskatchewan’s residents. SALI was first created in 2016 out of the recognition that gaps exist in the public’s access to basic legal information. You can learn more about SALI’s creation here.

The exciting conference featured an action oriented agenda, a variety of diverse panels, and plenty of opportunity for small group discussion:

• Panel 1: Welcome and Opening Remarks
• Panel 2: Reflections on Data Collection in Public Libraries and Legal Information Needs
• Keynote 1: Legal Information, Legal Advice, and Access to Justice
• Panel 3: Accessing Legal Information Resources
• Panel 4: Recognizing Context: Diverse and Overlapping Needs in Rural, Remote, and Urban Centres
• Keynote 2: Accessing Resources and Developing Collections Lists
• Keynote 3: Ongoing Partnerships Model and Moving Forward

Those who missed the conference can still watch the recorded livestream by contacting Katie Riley by email (katie.riley@usask.ca).