Cleveland Law Library Weblog

Happy National Library Week!

Happy National Library Week to libraries of all types, including all law libraries! Please celebrate NLW with the Cleveland Law Library this week by joining our virtual book discussion this Friday with local athor, attorney and cyclist, Ken Knabe, who will discuss his book entitled Cycling Rights: Bicycles, E-Bikes &
Micro-Mobility Devices. The event is free, totally online, and all are welcome to attend. Please register for this Zoom event at this link.

Tasty Martians have landed at the Cleveland Law Library!

Tasty Martians have landed at the Cleveland Law Library, and they want our sourdough starter!

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2021!

Happy St. Patrick's Day from the Cleveland Law Library. Did you know that the four leaves of the four-leaf clover stand for faith, love, hope and luck? Let's hope all 4 get us all through the pandemic soon.

Happy International Women's Day 3-8-2021!

The Cleveland Law Library would like to recognize International Women's Day by paying tribute to all of the Law Library's female officers and directors over the years. A full list is located within the Law Library's historical book linked here, but Mabel McWherter, Esq. served as the Law Library's first Secretary of the Board from 1935-1941. She also served as Treasurer from 1935-1937 and held the brief title of Librarian during 1941. Current Board member and officer Carla Triciarchi, Esq. was the first woman Vice-President of the Board from 2002-2003. She was later elected President from 2003-2006, a role which she assumed again in 2020. In honor of the Law Library's recent 150th anniversary, Carla Tricarichi recorded a video-taped oral history of her memories of researching at the Law Library and her service on the Board. Thanks to all of our current and historical Board members!

Happy Birthday Ohio!

Happy Birthday Ohio! On March 1, 1803, Ohio became the 17th State to join the Union, making Ohio 218 years old today. The Library of Congress has created a great page on Ohio resources at this link.

Cleveland Law Library Reopening to Patrons Monday, February 1, 2021

Dear Members,         

Happy New Year! I am hopeful that we can soon put the pandemic behind us and return to a sense of normalcy by the time we can plant our gardens and flowers and watch baseball in Cleveland. Now that the holidays are over, and vaccines are being distributed, we are reopening the Cleveland Law Library to patrons effective on February 1, 2021. Our theme for this year will be ‘One Day at a Time.’

Once we reopen, you are welcome to visit us Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. We are also always available for virtual reference and research service from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. every weekday.

In addition to following all of the safety protocols that we implemented last year, we are enhancing our procedures so that you can resume utilizing all of your full Law Library privileges on-site again. We will continue to practice social distancing, sanitize all computers, desks, chairs, and conference rooms in between uses, and regularly disinfect all common surfaces every day. We also have the County to thank for automating both of our restrooms. In addition to wearing masks at all times, our staff will add protective shields when we provide you with direct assistance and employ a combination of remote desktop applications and laser pointers to help you conduct online research. We also request that you ring our new bell  when you arrive at the Front Desk so that we can sign you in and provide you with entry and assistance.

If you have not been to the Law Library in a while, you will also notice that we installed plexiglass partitions at our front desk, created space between our patron computers, purchased keyboard and mouse covers,, and reduced seating in the Main Reading Room. We are also still quarantining our books for at least 72 hours before they can be returned to the shelves or circulated to a new patron, and we are continuing to offer curbside pick-up and drop-off of books. Just call ahead to arrange a mutually convenient time with our staff.

If you were wondering, the County is also still screening everyone who enters the building with temperature checks, a series of questions, and wristbands, but even some of these functions will become more automated very soon. Face coverings are also still required at all times, and there is a great deal of directional and health care signage throughout the building. Finally, all three of the Courts maintain concierge desks in the Rotunda, and their staff may want to check you in before you take an elevator to visit us on the 4th floor.

Welcome back, and we look forward to providing you with service again in person.

Kathy Dugan

Cleveland Law Library Publishes Commemorative 150th Anniversary Video

In honor of the Cleveland Law Library's 150th Anniversary, our staff created a short, commemorative video which provides a brief history of the Law Library and contains excerpts from several of the oral histories we collected from our patrons and board members. This video is available on our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As2wuiksKno&feature=youtu.be

We would to thank all of the individuals whose oral history recordings we excerpted to create our video, and we hope that you will find the video informative and enjoyable.

Cleveland Law Library Reopens Today, June 8, 2020

Dear Members:
Welcome back today. The Cleveland Law Library will be open for business at the Cuyahoga County Courthouse starting today, June 8, 2020. Our temporary hours will be 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Although we will not be open on the 4th floor of the Courthouse on Fridays for a while, our reference librarians will be available to assist you with your reference and research needs by phone at 216-861-5070 and email at lawlib@clelaw.lib.oh.us.
Kathy Dugan, Director

Cleveland Law Library Closed June 1st

Dear Members:
Please accept my apologies, but we will not be able to reopen tomorrow on June 1st. Due to events which occurred downtown over the weekend, we have decided to remain closed on Monday for the safety of our staff and patrons. We will take this new challenge one day at a time, re-evaluate on a daily basis, and decide to reopen when it is safe for everyone involved. Please check our blog at clevelandlawlibrary.org for updates, and stay tuned for another email indicating when we will reopen. In the interim, please continue to utilize our virtual reference and research services and databases as you have done since mid-March.

Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.
Kathy Dugan, Director

 

Welcome Back to the Cleveland Law Library Starting June 1st

WELCOME BACK!

I have some very good news to share. The Cleveland Law Library will be finally reopening on the 4th floor of the Cuyahoga County Courthouse on June 1st. Beginning on that day, members will be able to utilize their full library privileges on-site again, including accessing all of our databases and books, requesting assistance from librarians in person, and checking out books.

You may, however, notice a few changes when you return. Everyone who enters the Cuyahoga County Courthouse will be screened, and face coverings are going to be required at all times. Screenings include having your temperature taken, answering a series of questions, and receiving a wristband. In addition, for those who do not have a face covering, a mask will be provided. The County is also posting safety and directional signage throughout the building and stationing concierges in the Rotunda to direct people to their destinations and check people in for court appointments. In addition, only two people will be allowed to use an elevator at one time.

In addition, we have implemented a number of specific safety measures on the 4th floor. In the spirit of 6' social distancing, we have installed plexiglass partitions at our front desk, segregated our patron computers, removed some of the chairs in our Main Room, reduced the occupancy of our conference rooms, and created directional traffic patterns throughout the Law Library. Our staff will also be wearing masks at all times, and they will observe the 6' rule when providing you with assistance. We will be utilizing disposable keyboard and mouse sleeves at all of our patron computers, sanitizing all workstations and conference rooms between uses, and regularly disinfecting all common surfaces every day. There are also multiple hand sanitizing stations located in the Law Library lobby and bathrooms for your use. We have also implemented safety protocols for our books that involve quarantining them for at least 72 hours before they can be returned to the shelves or circulated to a new patron. For at least the first few months of our reopening, we will also be offering curbside pick-up and drop off of books for those who do not otherwise need to enter the Courthouse. Just call ahead to arrange a mutually convenient time with our staff.

In addition, to help all of us transition to this new business normal and ensure time for cleaning, we will be temporarily reducing our hours. For at least the first month through the end of June, we will only be open to patrons on the 4th floor of the Courthouse from Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. However, our staff will still be available by phone and email on Fridays when our offices are closed to patrons. Only time will tell, but I am hopeful that we can resume full operating hours this Summer.

On behalf of our Board members and staff, I would like to thank you very much for your patience and understanding while our law library was closed in the Courthouse, and we were staying home to stay safe. We welcome you back in person and look forward to providing you with reference and research assistance once again.

Kathy Dugan, Director