Published irregularly but read consistently, Ex Libris Juris, the blog (or blawg) of the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library, continues to punch well above its weight. In 2025, the Law Library published 36 blog posts, which together drew more than 14,000 views—accounting for a remarkable 20% of all traffic to the Law Library website. For a blog that is neither daily nor news-driven, that percentage tells an important story: readers are not just visiting Ex Libris Juris—they are actively seeking it out.
What Readers Come Back to Again and Again
A clear theme emerges from the year’s highest-engagement posts: practical legal information remains king. Civil procedure content dominates the list—prove-ups, discovery, service of process, and setting hearings—confirming that users are looking for reliable, plain-language explanations of how Texas courts actually work. These evergreen posts, some written several years ago, continue to serve as trusted reference points for self-represented litigants and practicing attorneys alike.
Alongside procedural guidance, posts about jury duty, small estate affidavits, and criminal procedure basics show sustained interest in topics that intersect directly with real-life obligations and transitions. Readers aren’t browsing casually—they’re researching moments that matter.
The Power of Access (and Free)
The most consistently popular post remains “FREE CLE for Texas Lawyers,” underscoring another defining theme: access. Whether it’s access to continuing legal education, court records, probate shortcuts, or digital collections, readers repeatedly gravitate toward content that lowers barriers to legal information. This aligns squarely with the Law Library’s mission—and suggests that when access is the focus, engagement follows.
Culture, History, and the Law
While procedural content drives engagement, search data tells a complementary story. Many of the most-searched posts explore the intersection of law with culture, history, and social justice. Topics like banned books, Pauli Murray’s fight against “Jane Crow,” Seminole Freedmen citizenship, and even poetry, emojis, and Kerouac’s estate reflect curiosity that goes beyond immediate legal need.
hese posts suggest that Ex Libris Juris functions not only as a research aid, but also as a space for contextualizing law within broader human stories. Readers come looking for answers—but they also stay to learn why those answers matter.
A Multilingual and Multidimensional Audience
The continued popularity of Spanish-language content, such as “Cómo Obtener Comprobante de Divorcio,” highlights the importance of linguistic accessibility and signals a readership that is both diverse and underserved elsewhere. This reinforces the value of meeting patrons where they are—both legally and linguistically.
From the Books of Law—and the Library Itself
The enduring relevance of posts about library resources, including public access to LexisNexis and Harris County Clerk records, reflects the blog’s namesake. Ex Libris Juris truly lives up to its meaning: from the books of law and from the library of law. Readers clearly recognize the blog as an extension of the Law Library’s shelves—physical and digital alike.
Looking Ahead
Taken together, 2025’s data shows that Ex Libris Juris succeeds when it blends utility with curiosity, procedure with perspective, and legal mechanics with lived experience. Whether readers arrive via a targeted search or a serendipitous click, they are finding content that remains relevant long after publication.
That may be the blog’s greatest hit of all.
HIGHEST ENGAGEMENT: Top Dozen
FREE CLE for Texas Lawyers (August 31, 2021)
Civ Pro: Prove-ups (June 2, 2022)
Civ Pro: How to Set a Hearing for Your Case (October 11, 2022)
Jury Duty in Harris County (May 5, 2023)
Banned Books Week (October 16, 2023)
It’s Día de Muertos! Remember That Time When Disney Tried to Trademark It? (November 1, 2024)
Civ Pro: Discovery in Texas (March 23, 2022)
Crim Pro: Criminal Procedure Basics (January 25, 2023)
World Emoji Day (July 16, 2020)
Small Estate Affidavits (January 27, 2023)
Como Obtener Comprobante de Divorcio (March 20, 2023)
Civ Pro: How Do I Serve Someone (April 21, 2024)
MOST SEARCHED: Top Dozen
FREE CLE for Texas Lawyers (August 31, 2021)
Small Estate Affidavits (January 27, 2023)
Banned Books Week (October 16, 2023)
Talking With the Taxman About Poetry (April 11, 2018)
The Beat Goes On: Kerouac at 100 and the Battle Over His Estate (March 12, 2022)
Seminole Freedmen and Black Native Citizenship (February 25, 2022)
Please Hold: The Origins of a Hated but Entirely Necessary Invention (September 10, 2019)
An Overview of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act (May 27, 2021)
Records Available on the Harris County Clerk’s Office Website (October 12, 2021)
Legal Visionary Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray and the Fight Against "Jane Crow" (February 16, 2022)
Get Free Public Access to the LexisNexis Digital Library EBook Collection Today! (July 27, 2020)
Civ Pro: Prove-ups (June 2, 2022)