Charles R. Dyer
After thirty-one years of service in academic and public institutions, with
twenty-eight years as a law library director, Charles R. Dyer retired in August 2005
in order to pursue scholarly writing and consulting in the areas of expertise that he
developed during his career. Mr. Dyer combines a unique understanding of law,
information science, philosophy, cognitive science, and cognitive linguistics
with a well-honed understanding of both the best methods and the difficulties
of practical application of the latest theories in these disciplines. Mr. Dyer
consults primarily with law libraries and court systems, but is open to any role
where he can make a contribution.
During his eighteen years as Director of the San Diego County Public Law Library,
Mr. Dyer instituted many new programs that achieved national renown. The library
built an award-winning website, one of the first that was aimed at both self-represented
litigants and the trained legal community. Working with his excellent staff, he fostered
the development of several classes for self-represented litigants in a variety of areas,
including basic legal research, use of forms, using computers in research, civil procedure
before trial, appellate procedure, and working in specific subject areas. The library staff
also trained attorneys and court personnel and eventually began to train librarians at other
libraries, under a federally funded grant. The Library was recognized as the 2004
Distinguished Legal Organization by the San Diego County Bar Association.
Mr. Dyer himself has won several awards during his career, most notably the Marian Gould
Gallagher Distinguished Service Award, the highest award given by the American Association
of Law Libraries. It is a lifetime achievement award that he received on the occasion of his
retirement in 2005. That year, he also won the Bernard E. Witkin, Esq., Award from the Law
Library Justice Foundation of San Diego County and the first Lifetime Achievement Award given
by the Southern California Association of Law Libraries. In all three instances, the awards
noted his strong service both in serving self-represented litigants and in legislative
advocacy for public law libraries.
Areas of Expertise
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Working with self-represented litigants. Self-represented litigants come with a variety
of issues and barriers as they try to interact with the justice system. Modern cognitive
linguistics has much to offer with regard to understanding the differing frames of reference
and logical methods that self-represented litigants bring to the process. Current best
practices still have limitations when dealing with the most difficult cases. A good
theoretical understanding can aid any law library or court system in devising ways to
handle such cases. Mr. Dyer brings both academic theory and research and over twenty years of
practical experience working with self-represented litigants and devising programs to serve them.
For more information, please click on "Consulting Practice: Self-Represented Litigation" on the
navigation bar in the left column.
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Legislative Activities. There are two components to legislative advocacy. First, you
must build support for your cause so that you gain sufficient political respect that
legislators will listen to you. Second, you must learn how to talk to legislators and
their staffs. In addition to employing the best practices used in these two processes,
you should understand the different communication styles that each entails. Mr. Dyer has over
twenty-five years experience developing both local political support and lobbying legislators. He has also
held workshops and training sessions for various groups interested in legislative advocacy for over
fifteen years, mostly for non-profit causes and those advocating for governmental services. For more
information, please click on "Consulting Practice: Legislative Advocacy" on the
navigation bar in the left column.
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Public Law Libraries. Public law library administration requires a wide variety of talents and
expertise, including library organization, board relations, administration, budgeting, staff development
and personnel, goal setting, marketing, fund raising, legislative advocacy, and cooperation and negotiation
with governmental and other agencies. In addition to his eighteen years of heralded service as a public law
library administrator, Mr. Dyer has written extensively and lectured on public law library administration and
its various facets. For more information, please click on "Consulting Practice: Public Law Libraries" on the
navigation bar in the left column.
Current Organizational Responsibilities
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Self Represented Litigation Network Mr. Dyer currently serves as a member of the Management Team, the Research Working Group, the Forms Working Group, the Strategy and Outreach Group, and the Librarians
Sub-Group of the last group. "The Self Represented Litigation
Network is an open and growing grouping of organizations and working groups dedicated to fulfilling the
promise of a justice system that works for all, including those who can not afford lawyers and are
therefore forced to go to court on their own. The Network brings together courts and access to justice
organizations in support of innovations in services for the self represented." The SRLN is hosted by
the National Center for State Courts and is funded by several national organizations and court systems.
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American Association of Law Libraries. In July 2008, Mr. Dyer finished his service as the first AALL Official Representative
to the Self Represented Litigation Network. He still serves on the Joint Pro Bono Committee. "The American Association
of Law Libraries was founded in 1906 to promote and enhance the value of law libraries to the legal and public
communities, to foster the profession of law librarianship, and to provide leadership in the field of legal
information. Today, with over 5,000 members, the Association represents law librarians and related professionals
who are affiliated with a wide range of institutions: law firms; law schools; corporate legal departments; courts;
and local, state and federal government agencies." The AALL is one of the national organizations that funds
the SRLN.
- Washington State Access to Justice Board. Since November 20120, Mr. Dyer has been serving in a consulting capacity to the Washington State Access to Justice Board as the Program Manager for its Pro Se Project. ("Pro Se" is the Legal Latin term for sefl represented litigant.) Currently, the Project is translating Washington State's family law court forms into plain language.
