About Us California’s county law libraries serve on the frontline for the public’s access to justice. With the most extensive county law library system in the country today, the law libraries have provided free access to legal information since 1891. As set forth in California Business and Professions Code sections 6300 through 6363, a seven-member Board of Law Library Trustees governs the Tulare County Public Law Library, and its daily operations are overseen by the law library director. The library is funded primarily by a small portion of civil court filing fees. Focusing on California legal resources, the law library’s collection of print material, CD-ROMs, and access to relevant online legal databases and websites can provide the legal resources you need. Material can be found by using our electronic "card" catalog of the law library’s holdings, including Over 18,000 hardbound volumes of cases, opinions, and codes; Legal newspapers and periodicals, reference material, and self-help books; and A wide selection of material in areas of law including civil, criminal, family, probate, landlord & tenant, bankruptcy, insurance, employment, personal injury, workers compensation, real estate, and business transactions. Reference books are in-house use only. Photocopies can be made of pages for your personal use. Self-service photocopy machines are available and 8.5" x 11" or 8.5 x 14” copies cost 20˘ each. Harnessing technology The law library has five public workstations with internet access, a number of legal online databases, and Office software applications to help you prepare your documents while you are in the library. The online catalog and email reference services are also available to assist users outside the library. But it’s all on the Internet, right? The use of the Internet for obtaining legal information has increased dramatically. This trend, however, can lead to the misconception that most legal information is freely available via common search engines. While many states have their current statutes and some appellate decisions on official web sites, a vast amount of reliable legal information is only available in print or within subscription-based commercial databases - available at many public law libraries. In addition, the law library continues to be the best resource for older case law, legal practice materials, and annotated statutes. How law librarians are integral to your research Law library staff plays a vital role in helping users find the information they’re looking for. Public law librarians are expert researchers, information managers, resource evaluators, and teachers and trainers, to name a few. They possess the knowledge and specialized skills necessary to efficiently find legal information in a changing environment, saving you countless research hours. We are happy to help patrons locate statutes, regulations, cases and treatises pertaining to any legal matter. However, staff cannot give legal advice or interpret information found in books and other sources. What else does the Tulare County Public Law Library have? Two conference rooms Public fax service Electric typewriters Library tours by appointment Pleading paper, envelopes, and stamps may be purchased Interlibrary loans