ABSTRACT
The size of the organization in which the library exists will often be the primary determinant of the size of the library. Whether the library consists of a single librarian or a staff of 50, many lawyers and administrators will not recognize that the librarian in charge should have the MLS. It is very important for the librarian to educate the institution about the need for the degree or significant years of experience. Particularly in small law firm and county law libraries, the sole librarian may in fact be a paralegal or another individual with no library experience. Although there are exceptions, in most cases the needs of the users and the institution would be better met by hiring a professional librarian. The higher salary required by the librarian would be countered by savings in collection development and analysis, improved access to the collection and the unique information retrieval skills of the librarian.
