CHARLESTON – The West Virginia State Law Library announced it will offer tours to the public and demonstrations of the free legal research databases on April 10 to coincide with the 60th anniversary of National Library Week.
National Library Week will run from April 8 to 14.
Professional librarians will explain unique architectural features such as the compressed book stacks that encompass three levels of shelving within the space of two floors.
Specialized collections for self-represented litigants and books by and for West Virginians will also be showcased.
Librarians also will offer demonstrations of the library’s free legal research electronic databases and oral arguments of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia will be streamed live at 10 a.m. on the library’s 52-inch television.
The first National Library Week was in 1958, which research showed that Americans were spending less on books and more on radios, televisions and musical instruments.
Concerned that Americans were reading less, the American Library Association and the American Book Publishers formed a nonprofit citizens organization called the National Book Committee in 1954.
In 1957, the committee developed a plan for National Library Week based on the idea that once people were motivated to read, they would support and use libraries.
The West Virginia State Law Library is on the fourth floor of the Capitol’s East Wing. It is open to the public 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. It is closed on Sundays and legal holidays.
The State Law Library has more than 150,000 volumes or volume equivalents, CD-ROMs, audio-visual materials and electronic resources providing access to various online legal information systems, both subscription and free.
The library is a partial Federal Depository Library with government documents in both paper and on microfiche.
The collection also includes general encyclopedias and digests as well as specialized treatises, case reporters, codes, statutes and electronic databases.
The library can provide basic research and reference service to anyone in the state court system, governmental agencies, attorneys, and the general public.
Doing extensive legal research, suggesting legal strategies and giving legal advice are beyond the scope of the Law Library’s services.
Law librarians can show patrons how to find resources related to a particular legal issue and how to use resources in both print and electronic formats.
Reference service is available in person, over the telephone, by email or fax. Librarians attempt to provide information within 48 hours of receipt of any request, however requests from court personnel take precedence over all other requests.
Library staff may provide answers to specific questions over the telephone if the patron has a citation and the answers are read from a specific legal resource verbatim and without interpretation. Librarians are not allowed to answer legal questions or give legal advice as this may constitute unauthorized practice of law in violation of both ethical and legal rules.