Support rule of law – by sharing law books

23 October 2020 · Carmel Rickard

A small charity based in the United Kingdom has been helping judges, lawyers and NGOs by providing them with law books. The books are free and must be requested online.

You may not have heard of it – it is a small UK-based charity after all – but since 2005 the International Law Book Facility has been able to send more than 66 000 law books to over 50 countries in Africa, Asia, South America, the Caribbean, the Pacific and Europe.

The ILBF believes that successful modern economies cannot develop without the rule of law, individual liberty and democratic government. This is, however a tough task. And if judges are to play their role fully in these developments, they need the help of lawyers with access to good libraries.

But where are the books for these libraries to be sourced? ILBF has set up an impressive network. It receives books by way of donations from across the UK legal community. Law firms, lawyers and law students, legal publishers, law libraries, universities, barristers’ chambers and courts.

Among those who have been helped with free books by ILBF are members of the bench, law commissions, bar associations, law societies, law reports, universities, prisons and pro bono organisations.

Anyone needing these free books, which include textbooks, encyclopaedias and law reports, must first complete an online application.

Carmel Rickard

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