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November 19, 2009

Courthouse libraries in Morris and Sussex to be downsized

DailyRecord.com
By PEGGY WRIGHT • STAFF WRITER • November 19, 2009

The Internet and automated technology is claiming another casualty -- the law libraries in the Morris and Sussex County Superior courthouses.

Both libraries, which are open to the public and attorneys alike, will significantly be downsized in the near future for a savings of about $120,000, and their librarians will be reassigned to other court duties, said Michael Arnold, trial court administrator for the Morris-Sussex court vicinage.

The vicinage's ''other expenses'' category was reduced by $120,000 so the library downsizings seemed a prudent way to make up the shortfall, Arnold said. Also, due to the online availability of court forms and legal information packets made available at the courthouses to pro se litigants, the libraries these days see ''very few'' patrons.

''We'll have a public access computer terminal and we're keeping some series of (law) books but we'll have significantly-pared down versions of the libraries. Some of the series of books we have are very expensive and don't get much use,'' Arnold said.

Court staff in Morris County currently is working with the county buildings and grounds department on ways to convert the existing law library on the fourth floor of the courthouse in Morristown into a new courtroom.

The law library in Sussex County currently is situated on the first floor of the judicial complex in Newton.

Posted by tumulty at November 19, 2009 8:04 PM

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