FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 11, 2018 CONTACT Farrell Howe Marketing and Communication Manager Kalamazoo Public Library 269-553-7879 Kalamazoo Public Library's Raymond J. Fox Law Library Wins The Liberty Bell Award Kalamazoo, MI – Friday, May 11, 2018. The Kalamazoo Public Library's Raymond J. Fox Law Library<http://www.kpl.gov/law-library/> was awarded the Kalamazoo Bar Association's (KCBA) Liberty Bell Award <https://kanecountybar.org/liberty-bell-award> at the association's annual Law Day gathering on May 3, 2018. The Liberty Bell Award is bestowed upon a KCBA member who has made a significant contribution to the community outside the legal profession, without financial gain. KPL's housing of the County Law Library is a model for great intergovernmental and private cooperation. In the late 1990's, during the renovation of the Kalamazoo Public Library's Central location, Kalamazoo County funded the conversion of former storage space within the lower level of the public library to house the County Law Library. This move<http://www.kpl.gov/local-history/library/history.aspx> provided lawyers, law students and the general public convenient access to legal materials outside of normal business hours. Kalamazoo County continues to assist KPL with legal resource costs while a strong partnership with the Kalamazoo County Bar Association to schedule and host free legal clinics allows the Law Library to continue its mission of directing patrons seeking legal information to reputable and relevant resources. The need for legal assistance in our community is great. According to a 2017 report from the Legal Services Corporation, nearly 17% of Kalamazoo County residents are living poverty, 33% in the City of Kalamazoo. Over the course of a year, 71% of low-income households experience at least one civil legal problem. The Raymond J. Fox Law Library at KPL is there to provide critical access to unrepresented individuals seeking legal help in our community. The success of KPL's Raymond J. Fox Law Library would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of the staff. Congratulations to Caitlin Hoag, Amy Alcenius-Hoisington, Matt Smith, Zack Hunkins, Christine Hann, and Ryan Gage for a job well done.