We are looking for brief anecdotes about how the Public Law Library of King County has helped you. Your story (or an excerpt of it) may be posted on the Public Law Library's website or used in other materials for marketing, publicity, or fundraising. Tell us why you visit, how you use the Public Law Library, what you've learned, and what the best part of your visit to the Public Law Library of King County was.

Click here to send us your story!

Here is a Story from One Patron:

Why do you visit? Since 2000, I have been a frequent user of King County Law Library. I was handling my lawsuit Pro Se as I could not afford an attorney. Even though my case was settled in the summer of 2005, I still visit the Library to read law journals and case law of interest.

What have you learned? Having no legal training, the librarians introduced me to the Local Rules, Civil Rules, RAP Rules, RCWs, WACs. Washington Practice, American Jurisprudence, Bender's Forms of Discovery, Couch on Insurance, not to mention the Law Reporters with volumes and volumes of case law and whether it was good law or overturned. I learned how to shepherdize and key cite etc. etc.

With the invaluable help of the librarians, I was able to take my case through the Superior Court, the Appeals Court and on to the Washington State Supreme Court. In 2004, the Washington State Supreme Court handed me a unanimous opinion and remanded the case to the Superior Court.

What's the best part of your visit to the Public Law Library? Knowing that I was in the hands of extremely intelligent and helpful librarians. The staff make the library what it is, a friendly and inviting place where everyone is welcome. Their help was invaluable to me in my pursuit of justice. My mind was stretched and in the words of Oliver Wendel Holmes, Jr. “Man's mind stretched with new ideas, never regains its original dimensions”

From Another Library Patron:

In the latter part of the Summer of 2002, I swaggered into the KCLL and discovered an exciting world, complete with adept, caring and pretty people. Immediately I learned about The Law and Justice Training Center. "I'll never qualify," I thought. A smile and a welcome I couldn't resist brought me into an warm and relaxed room where I pursued and created dreams. I'd been on an old raggedy computer maybe 6 times, I'd been to law school, but mostly I'd just suffered the worst of injustices... a wrongful conviction, unlawful imprisonment and I was treated terribly. The people I spent the subsequent months with in this small room that encompasses the entire world; shared my struggle. They patiently taught me computers, now I'm a computer-nerd and proud of it! Some of them cried with me, a couple of times we were all angry and frustrated, as I searched for a way to "spank the system back". Instead, I gained confidence, I felt heard, cared for and I was doing what I do best: Learning. Unfortunately, adversity was not finished with me and I experience another unsettling absence. Yet when I returned hesitantly to the Law Library...There they were!!!! All the same wonderful faces that helped me survive the dark night of my soul, 3 years ago. It's awfully trite, but it really did feel like a "homecoming". I've gained skills, and self-esteem and confidence in the legal stances, documents and procedures I pursue. I have a new dream, I seek to enter the field of Multi-Media Web Design, Art Institute/S.F. and The Art Institute of Atlanta are even interested in me. I never would have known that by just wandering into this library, so full of anger and vindictiveness that these people were in actuality "baby-stepping"  me to a new future. I know they deserve reciprocation, but as my favorite movie says; "If you wanted the moon, I would try to make a start...but I would rather you let me give my heart!" (From To Sir with Love)