Ann D. Gordon

A Portrait of Research in Legal History

SUMMARY In 1991, members of the American Society for Legal History were surveyed about their research habits as part of the Historical Documents Study, which explored the large and diverse demand for historical sources in the United States and Canada. The data offer a suggestive portrait for librarians, archivists, and others delivering legal and historical sources and reference services. While answering questions about their current research, the legal historians, like other respondents, described their training, research practices, and needs. Less directly, they revealed the extent to which they avail themselves of services provided to enhance the use of historical sources.