C’bean law libraries urged to increase online access to legal resources

As Caribbean countries work to curate legislation to manage Artificial Intelligence (AI) and navigate the intricate nexus of technological advancement and democratic governance, access to law text and cases is equally important.
This point was made by a Senior Legal Advisor at the Attorney General’s Chambers, Chevy Devonish, who contends that law libraries in the region are the catalyst for social change and must step up to use technology to provide timely and exemplary service.
Devonish was at the time addressing the Caribbean Association of Law Libraries (CARALL) 38th Annual Conference, focusing on innovation, capacity building, and research to serve the modern spectrum excellently.
Underscoring the importance of online access to law libraries, the Senior Legal Advisor urged that investments be made in digitising resources, noting that the use of AI technology should not be ignored in 2024.
He explained that doing this would not only enhance the work of lawyers but also lawmakers, business owners, law enforcement officers, and everyone engaged in activities governed by law.
“Legal research produced the Arbitration Acts passed in Trinidad and Tobago last year, and in Guyana this year. It is therefore an unassailable fact that legal research is crucial in informing how we build, maintain, and change the societies in which we live. I also want to make it clear that legal research, and therefore the resources provided by the law libraries across the Commonwealth of the Caribbean, are not just for attorneys at law, because it is not just attorneys at law who engage in legal research,” Devonish explained.

Further, Devonish reminded that access to legal text is still difficult given that resources are expensive, noting that making these materials available will tackle this challenge and encourage individuals in the legal fraternity to strive in the field.
“The University of Guyana, like, students at various legal institutions, across the Commonwealth Caribbean including the law schools, we all have access to online legal resources. So, the way that we conduct research has transformed and as this has transformed, so too must law libraries. It is important that law libraries actually access and leverage technology and digital resources to allow a vast array of legal resources to be more easily accessible to persons seeking to access them.”
Meanwhile, Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards shared similar sentiments, noting that governments in the region must collaborate with law libraries to spearhead the initiative.

“Take advantage of the technology, AI will not replace you, search engines and tools will just help to make the research faster and simpler. Innovation is the driving force behind the advancement of our research capabilities and by leveraging technology we can streamline our processes, enhance our analytical capacity and provide comprehensive and timely information to support all disciplines,” the Chancellor said.
The 38th Caribbean Association of Law Libraries (CARALL) conference is being held in Guyana after 36 years, pulling together various principles in the legal fraternity including the President of the Organisation of Commonwealth Caribbean Bar Associations, Donovan Walker. The forum is hosted under the theme “‘Legal Research, Capacity Building and Innovation for Service Excellence.’