Announcements
NEW! August 2025: WNYLRC organized a group of academic and hospital librarians to develop resources for pricing transparency and library-aligned values in E-resource contracts. As a result, the Ask The Lawyer team put together A Librarian’s Guide to Negotiating E-Resource Contracts in New York State.
WNYLRC is requesting your feedback on this resource, so we can continue to improve it with your input!
View the related RAQ, "Pushing Back On Problematic Terms in Subscription Contracts."
Special Announcement - February 2025: The Ask The Lawyer team put together a list titled the Top Ten Risk Management Exercises for Governing Boards of Libraries & Cultural Institutions During the 2025 Federal Shift, addressing concerns about federal changes that could impact access to grants, federal programs, and legal frameworks for libraries and cultural institutions.
- View the RAQ of Top Ten Risk Management Exercises
- Download the PDF of Top Ten Risk Management Exercises
Special Announcement - January 2025: Due to concern about the impact of recent President Executive Orders, the Empire State Library Network asked our Ask the Lawyer team to review the Orders and provide analysis and commentary on the possible impact on librarians and cultural organizations.
About our Attorney
The service is staffed by Buffalo attorney Stephanie ("Cole") Adams, who first developed a deep connection to libraries working as a page, then clerk, at her hometown library in New Hartford, NY. Ms. Adams went on to work at the libraries of her Alma Maters, Hampshire College, and SUNY Buffalo School of Law. She served for over 10 years as the in-house counsel at Niagara University, in Niagara Falls, NY. An attorney admitted to practice in both the state and federal courts of New York, Ms. Adams has extensive experience with the issues confronting information professionals. Ms. Adams works closely with WNYLRC and other library Councils to craft useful replies to member library questions.
About the Service
Through WNYLRC and ESLN, members may receive timely input on human resources, intellectual property, digital rights management, vendor contracts, first amendment, civil rights, employment law, and other legal issues that can impact library operations.
"Ask the Lawyer" was developed and piloted by the Western New Library Resources Council in 2016 and is now a service to members of all nine regional library councils in New York. All "Ask the Lawyer" answers are the copyright of author Stephanie Adams. This service, and its content, are in service of the missions of New York State's libraries. Reproduction of this content, other than for internal use by a council member organization, can only be done with permission. For all other inquiries to reproduce this content, please write to the hosting library council, who will reach out to the author, or write info@losapllc.com.