The 48 county courthouse libraries in Ontario function as a network, sharing information, resources, and centralized resources.
LiRN administers funding and sets strategic direction to the network.
Local law associations operate the libraries, allowing them to be
responsive to the needs of their legal communities.
The courthouse libraries and their incredible staff are the main source of legal information and law library services for many lawyers across Ontario.
LiRN is a not-for-profit corporation incorporated under the OBCA for the purpose of carrying on the central management of the Ontario county law library system in accordance with the objectives, policies and principles established and approved by The Law Society of Ontario (LSO) from time to time in consultation with Federation of Ontario Law Associations (FOLA) and Toronto Lawyers Association (TLA). It was created pursuant to the LSO’s By-Law 13.
The LSO is our principal shareholder with 100 common shares. FOLA holds 75 special shares and the TLA holds 25 special shares.
Our general mandate is to evolve the provision of information and library services for the Ontario county law library system in an efficient and cost-effective manner through the management and allocation of grant funding, ongoing assessment of the system, and strategic development of appropriate service offerings.
LiRN’s key objectives of the Corporation include:
- Facilitating the regulatory mandate to ensure that the public is served by legal professionals with high standards of learning and competence;
- Supporting ongoing learning and development with a specific emphasis on the use and application of legal information, legal research and legal training content and activities;
- Establishing a platform that provides effective access to legal information; and
- Considering the development of supportive legal information services targeted to the needs of users.
Our strategic plan homed in on four strategic priorities:
- LiRN is focused on the needs of courthouse library users, both now and in the future
- LiRN supports libraries and librarians
- LiRN collaborates with others working to provide legal information and library service prioritizing trust and respect
- LiRN makes evidence-based decision