About us
Library Rules
The Law Courts Library acts as a legal resource and information centre to the following courts and tribunals located in the Law Courts Building: High Court of Australia, Federal Court of Australia, Supreme Court of New South Wales, Federal Police Disciplinary Tribunal, Defence Force Appeals Tribunal, Australian Competition Tribunal and the Copyright Tribunal.
The NSW Attorney General’s Department and the Federal Court of Australia jointly fund the Law Courts Library.
Law Courts Library Management Committees
The Law Courts Library Management Committees comprise the Library Advisory Committee and the Library Operations Committee.
The Advisory Committee comprises three Judges from the Federal Court of Australia and three Judges from the Supreme Court of NSW occupying chambers in the Law Courts Building. The Committee’s role is to advise on matters of collection development.
The Operations Committee comprises an equal number of representatives from the NSW Attorney General’s Department and the Federal Court of Australia. The Committee’s role is to determine and endorse matters of budget and policy.
This Committee has promulgated a set of rules that govern the use of the Law Courts Library.
Library Rules
Library Users
Access to the Library is restricted to current cardholders.
1 Persons entitled to use the Library
(a) Primary users
(i) High Court, Federal Court (including visiting Judges) and Supreme Court Judges and acting Judges, Federal Magistrates, Associate Judges, Presidential Members, Registrars and other holders of office in any Court, Commission or Tribunal in the Law Courts Building. This category of user has 7 day, 24 hour access to the Library.
(ii) Retired High Court, Federal Court and Supreme Court Judges. This category of user has access during normal Library hours for browsing purposes only.
(iii) Members of staff of the Courts, Commissions or Tribunals in the Law Courts Building. This category of user has 7 day, 24 hour access to the Library.
(iv) Any Judge or Magistrate from another NSW jurisdiction. This category of user can only access the Library during normal library hours.
2 Person entitled to apply to use the Library’s collections and services.
(b) Secondary Users
Access to persons in categories 2(b)(i) – 2(b)(iv) is on a self-help basis and a fee will apply. Library staff cannot provide research assistance. Access is during normal library hours only.
(i) Legal practitioners entitled to appear before any of the Courts, Commissions or Tribunals within the Law Courts Building. When applying for access, legal practitioners must prove they are the holders of current practising certificates and provide a form of photo identification.
(ii) Members of law faculties of universities in NSW, and post graduate law students studying for a higher degree in law at a NSW university. When applying for access, faculty members must provide proof of their academic status, and students must prove they are undertaking such postgraduate studies and provide a form of photo identification.
(iii) Librarians qualified for admission as Associates of the Australian Library and Information Association. Access is granted on the condition the card is to be used only by Library staff. Non-library staff will be denied access.
(iv) Barristers’ clerks and/or secretaries who have completed the Bar Library Course and are in possession of a current barrister’s access card.
(v) Visitor access for casual users in categories 2(b)(i) – 2(b)(iv) is by appointment only.
3 Access Fees
Access fees can be paid on a daily, monthly, three monthly, six monthly and financial year basis. Access fees are non refundable.
The Law Courts Library Operations Committee sets the fee structure.
(i) Library users in categories 1(a)(i) – 1(a)(iv) are exempt from paying an access fee
(ii) Financial year access is valid for the court terms of that year only.
(iii) Monthly access is for 30 days from the day of purchase.
(iv) Individual cards are not transferable.
(v) A fee will be charged for a replacement card.
(vi) Access cards must be shown when entering the library or a daily fee must be paid.
4 Borrowing from the Library
(a) Material may only be removed from the Library under the following conditions
(i) Persons in categories 1(a)(i), 1(a)(iii), 1(a)(iv) may borrow all material with the exception of items designated not for loan.
(ii) The Librarian may lend material to other libraries in accordance with the ILRS Inter-Library Loan Code. The Librarian may restrict the removal of any material from the Library if the service to primary clients is affected.
(iii) All materials borrowed are subject to immediate recall.
(b) A current access card must be presented when material is borrowed from the Library
(c) A loan record must be completed for every item taken from the Library
(d) The borrower is responsible for all material borrowed from the Library. The borrower is responsible for the cost of replacing items that are lost plus an administration fee.
(e) Damaged items should be brought to the attention of Library staff. Users should not attempt to undertake their own repairs.
5 Access to Electronic Services
The Library’s computer terminals are intended to support the work of the Courts. They may be used by persons in categories 2(b)(i) – 2(b)(iv) to access free legal research sites and the Library’s online network. They may not be used to copy documents, to access personal email accounts or to prepare personal correspondence.
6 Restricted Materials
Restricted loan conditions apply to the following collections. Unreported judgments, superseded reprinted legislation, looseleaf services, some overseas texts and the rare book collection. The Librarian may restrict the removal of any material from the Library if service to primary clients is affected.
7 Photocopying
Subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1986 (Cth), material in the Library’s collections may be copied. The Law Courts Library manages an in-house public photocopying service for external users.
8 Printing
There is a charge to print from the Library’s resources. Payment must be made at the time of printing.
9 Material used within the Library
Material used in the Library should be left on the desks or shelving trolleys. Material will be cleared unless a Books in Use form is completed and left with the material. Material will be held for only 48 hours and only if not required by another user.
10 Conduct
All non-court staff are required to leave the Library promptly at 5.00pm.
No smoking, drinking or eating is permitted in the Library.
Mobile telephones must be turned off when the Library facilities are being used.
Bags must not be left unattended. All personal items must be removed from the Library at closing time.
Any person causing a disturbance in the Library or annoyance to other users may be required to leave.
Any user found to have deliberately damaged or disfigured library materials will be liable for the replacement cost of the item and will have his or her access cancelled
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