Each year on September 8, International Literacy Day invites us to consider the importance of literacy in our lives and communities. This year, UNESCO marks the 60th anniversary of this event with a broad theme: Literacy for People, the Planet and Prosperity. This theme presents an opportunity to think expansively about what literacy means, including knowledge of the law: understanding enough about our legal system to recognize a legal issue, make sense of legal information, know where to look for reliable answers, and participate meaningfully in civic life.

This September, we invite you to stop by the Law Library and discover just how many doors a library can open. Get access to information, learning opportunities, and connections to the community around us. Consider making one visit to the Law Library to accomplish several things: Get connected to HCPL. Take legal research beyond the library by accessing our remote legal research resources. Register to vote—well ahead of the October 5 deadline.

The right to your beliefs should never be revoked, they're ubiquitous. Religious freedom is a foundational principal in the United States and is preserved by the First Amendment to the constitution. Unfortunately, religious bias and discrimination maintain a presence in legal and social issues in communities. Being one of the most diverse cities in the United States, Houston implements a unique lens to examine the correlation between religion, discrimination, and the law.

Throughout history, individuals and groups have produced tracts, essays, manifestos, and open letters intended to influence public opinion or explain complex legal and political questions to broader audiences. The format was often simple: inexpensive paper, straightforward printing methods, and distribution by hand or public posting. One could even argue that America’s most famous “zine” was a series of 85 essays published in newspapers between 1787 and 1788 known today as The Federalist Papers.

At the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library, we believe that access to justice begins with access to legal information. That belief has guided our work for more than a century. It inspired the creation of LAWPods: private, technology-enabled spaces located within community libraries where individuals can connect with trusted legal information, virtual reference services, and community resources closer to home.