Law Library Expert Discusses the Modern Public Law Library

Click on this link to read the Declaration of Law Library Expert Marcia K. Koslov

Law Library Expert

How Did Law Library End Up with Such a Small Space?

May 2013

Last fall on its own the Library located a space at 1200 Van Ness Avenue and proposed to the city that it would be appropriate for new quarters for the Library when the Veterans building closed in May/June 2013. The Library's experts determined that the Library required 30,000-35,000 square feet to accommodate its services, collection, and public access computers, and that amount of space was available for lease at 1200 Van Ness. The city refused to provide that amount of space to the Law Library, and passed a resolution in April authorizing rental of no more than 15,633 net square feet at 1200 Van Ness and no more than 20,000 square feet total in the future. (See article below.)



After the Board of Supervisors passed the April resolution a San Francisco judge rejected our legal argument that the Board of Supervisors had abused its discretion in deciding that a 20,000 square foot space would be suitable for the Library. We continue to assert that State statutes and the City Charter mandate proper funding and adequate space for our facility and we will continue to advance this position in the courts and elsewhere.



Shortly after the court hearing, the city lost the opportunity to rent 1200 Van Ness for the Law Library. Now city officials are planning to move the Library to an even smaller space at 1145 Market Street.

At the Board of Supervisors’ meeting today, the board approved a resolution 10-1, authorizing the City to enter into a lease to house the Law Library in only 15,633 net square feet. Supervisor David Campos voted against the resolution, and noted that there was no need to rush this resolution through today, three days before a hearing and ruling in San Francisco Superior Court and on the Library’s Motion for Writ of Mandate and Preliminary Injunction. Unfortunately, at the meeting, the Supervisors relied solely on representations made by the City, and did not ask, consider or discuss any of the Library’s extensive documentation and evidence which factually and legally contradicted the City’s representations. The Law Library’s three experts determined that the Library requires at least 30,000 square feet at minimum to serve its users. The Law Library has been housed in 14,000 square feet for 18 years, which is grossly inadequate and there has been insufficient room for the Library’s collection and services. Two thirds of its collection was placed in inaccessible storage by the City 18 years ago. The City previously acknowledged that the current location is deficient, although at today’s hearing the Director of the Department of Real Estate represented to the supervisors that the current location has been sufficient and adequate to meet the Law Library’s needs for the past 18 years. A deeply disappointing day at the Board of Supervisors.

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