Support with funds


Your donation supports our library operations: staff and interns, technology, and language support for patrons with limited English proficiency.

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Sponsor an intern

We believe that paying our interns is critical for supporting a diverse and equitable profession. Your sponsorship of an internship position helps us develop a robust internship program for library science and law students. 

What is the benefit to you of sponsoring an intern?  

  1. The internship you sponsor will be named for you (e.g. the “Sponsor’s Name Legal Reference Internship”).
  2. You may specify if the internship is for a library science student or a law student.

Learn why our work is needed


Too many residents are appearing in court without the benefit of an attorney. Often, this is exacerbated by a power imbalance. For example, in DC’s Landlord-Tenant Court, only 12% of tenants have attorneys, while 95% of landlords are represented.

  

Outer ring shows 12% of tenants in green with attorney representation (dark green) and 88% without (yellow). Inner ring shows 95% of landlords with attorney representation (dark green) and only 5% without (yellow).

Bar chart illustrating the disparity in outcomes between individuals with attorneys and those without. Dark green bars representing individuals with attorneys are substantially taller than yellow bars representing individuals without attorneys.

In family court, parties who appear with an attorney have substantially better outcomes than parties without attorneys.

In DC’s Domestic Violence Branch and Family Court, individuals seeking a protection order are more than twice as likely to succeed when they have attorney representation (27% pro se; 62% represented). Parents seeking child support orders are more than four times as likely to succeed when represented (10% pro se; 43% represented).


Traditional law libraries that are open to members of the public are difficult to use. Barriers include:

  • Limited English proficiency
  • Anxiety
  • Limited literacy
  • Transportation and other geographic barriers
  • Childcare needs
  • Schedules
money, reading ability, police, time