The Caribbean Association of Law Librarians (CARALL) officially opened its three-day conference yesterday at the Melia Nassau Beach Hotel under the theme “Law Librarians at the Crossroad Addressing Trends, Issues and Challenges,” a theme Minister of State for Legal Affairs Elsworth Johnson said is very timely.

Mr. Johnson brought yesterday’s keynote address on behalf of absentee Attorney General Carl Bethell.

“Law librarians in particular are resources that provide definitions of the smallest order or as well as continuing the rules and regulations of how we really treat one another, how we as a nation govern ourselves, the rules and standards for freedom and security and justice both locally and internationally,” he said.

“A law librarian is essential not only for the students, but even for those of us attorneys who have been practicing for 30 plus years.  This is a fundamental resource. We would not be successful practitioners if we are not able to research and refer to case law in every aspect of our profession whether criminal, civil or commercial law.”

Law librarians from throughout the Caribbean are here this week championing their cause of law librarianship.

They are also here to deepen their knowledge base by sharing goals, ideas and resources.

According to the minister of state for legal affairs, it’s a timely one given the pace at which technology is advancing.

“When The Bahamas hosted the conference in 2010, we were already at the crossroads. At that time, we would have been facing technological technical challenges that were forcing you to examine your operation and structural models,” he said.

“As the age of computerization and information technology threatened to make libraries obsolete.”

CARALL was established in 1984 and is the only forum that focuses solely on the Caribbean law libraries and law librarians.

The conference closes on Thursday.