This just in from the Linn and Benton County Law Libraries:
County Law Library Revenues Reduced by 26%
HB 5056 (2011 OR Laws Chapter 628 effective July 1, 2011) sets aside a fixed amount of revenue in the State General Fund for the purpose of operating county law libraries or providing law library services. The bill directs the Chief Justice of the Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) to distribute these funds to the counties for the operation of a law library. Each county’s 2011-13 revenue amount will be less than its 2009-11 revenue amount since the legislative appropriation for 2011-13 was approximately $2.6 million (26 percent) below the 2009-11 revenue amounts.
The Benton County Law Library revenue reduction will be $30,422 for the 2011-2013 biennium. For the Linn County Law Library, the revenue reduction will be $66,473 for the 2011-2013 biennium.
The Benton County Law Library has made changes in the collection to compensate for the loss of revenue. Am Jur 2d, Am Jur Pleading and Practice Forms, Am Jur Legal Forms and ALR 6th have been cancelled in print. These publications will now be included in a new Westlaw contract. The Westlaw Patron Access contract includes the OR Core Plan; All Am Jur Library; ALR Library; OR Form Finder; OR Legislative History and KeyCite Citator. The Law Library recently added the Lexis OR Enhanced Patron Access Plan which includes full Shepard’s Citations. Oregon Bar Association online BarBooks are also available. If you plan to download information from the computer, please bring a USB flash drive. For questions or assistance, please contact Law Librarian Martha Jenkins Monday-Wednesday between 8:30 a.m.-noon or email martha.a.jenkins@co.benton.or.us.
The Linn County Law Library’s current Westlaw Patron Access contract consists of the WestlawPRO National Plan and Oregon Pro Plan including All States Cases and Statutes; Federal Cases and Codes; Federal Regulations; All States and Federal Rules; Am Jur Library; ALR Library; Restatements of the Law; Multi-Jurisdictional Forms; Form Finder by Topic; Major Litigation Treatises and Legal Forms; All States Insurance Administrative Materials; Federal Analytical Library; Law Reviews; Major Secondary Publications; Oregon Legislative, Administrative and Executive Materials; Oregon Jury Verdicts; as well as many other databases and KeyCite Citator. Lexis OR Enhanced Patron Access with full Shepard’s Citations was recently added to the law library. BarBooks, the OSB on-line CLE Practice guides, are also available.
Addressing the loss in revenue, the Linn County Law Library Committee and the law librarian will be considering reductions to the library while maintaining the highest affordable standard. At present, the law librarian is no longer purchasing new OSB seminar materials but the titles may be obtained through an Interlibrary Loan Request. For questions or assistance, please contact Peggy Schultz Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM or email pschultz@co.linn.or.us.