Library Services

Reference Assistance:

Law library staff is available to assist patrons with research locating pertinent legal materials. Library staff is precluded from giving legal advice or preparing legal documents or forms. Staff is not permitted to confer, discuss, comment, or interpret information contained in legal resources. Such activities may be construed as unlicensed practice of law (UPL) as articulated in Florida Statute section §454.23.

Photocopying/Printing Services

The law library will make copies for patrons at a cost of $0.25 per page.

Scanning

The law library has the ability to scan a physical document to an email address.

Internet Service

Computer stations are available to provide patron access to the Internet and to the library’s online resources. There is a charge of $0.25 per page for printed copies. Wi-Fi is available in the law library for patrons who elect to use personal laptops.

Policy for Use of Electronic Resources

Purpose

The Duval County Law Library’s primary mission is to provide legal reference materials in print and electronic format to members of the legal community and the general public. The Law Library offers access to electronic resources, including internet access, to patrons primarily for conducting legal research.

Disclaimer

The Law Library offers specific points for searching the internet as a convenience to patrons, but this does not imply endorsement or constitute legal advice by the Law Library. Not all information available via the internet is accurate, current, or complete. Patrons are encouraged to exercise critical judgment in evaluating the validity of information assessed through the internet. You should consult with an attorney if you need legal advice.

Patrons should exercise caution when using websites that incorporate generative A.I. technology for legal research. Tools such as ChatGPT, Microsoft CoPilot, and Google Gemini are known to generate inaccurate or misleading information about the law. To ensure access to reliable legal resources, patrons are encouraged to consult law library staff for assistance in identifying authoritative sources.

Unacceptable Use

The Law Library reserves the right to suspend or terminate any computer session that constitutes, at the discretion of the library staff, use of resources provided for anything other than legal research. Unacceptable uses shall include:

• Using equipment or software for illegal purposes, including fraud, gambling, or viewing offensive material;
• Accessing the internet for personal entertainment that is inappropriate or disruptive;
• Using the equipment to engage in loud or disorderly behavior that interferes with the use of the library by other patrons;
• Installing, uploading, or transferring any software applications, programs, or unauthorized data;
• Copying, modifying, or deleting system programs or data files;
• Interfering with computer or network access;
• Tampering with computer security settings;
• Modifying computer background picture

Patrons are permitted to download, view, and print legal forms and documents using library computers, provided such activities comply with applicable laws and library guidelines.

Time Limits

At the discretion of the library staff, whenever a patron must wait to use a library computer for legal research, time limits and the use of sign-up sheets may be instituted.

Print Policy

The library’s printers and copiers may be used only for lawful purposes. Patrons will not be permitted to use the library’s equipment for material that is:

• Prohibited by local, state, or federal law.
• Unsafe, harmful, dangerous or poses an immediate threat to the well-being of others. (Such use may violate the terms of use of the manufacturer.)
• Obscene or otherwise inappropriate for the library environment.
• In violation of another’s intellectual property rights. For example, printers will not be used to reproduce material that is subject to copyright, patent, or trademark protection.

Patrons may not modify, repair, or alter library printer settings. Refilling printer ink or paper is strictly reserved for library staff.

Miscellaneous Electronic Devices

Other than library computers, patrons are not permitted to operate any other library electronic devices, including but not limited to:

• Electronic displays
• Staff computers
• Library desk telephones

Violation of Rules

A patron’s use of these computer workstations in a manner that violates any of these rules may result in the patron being asked to leave the library and/or the suspension of the patron’s library privileges.

This Policy is subject to amendment at any time. These guidelines became effective on May 22nd, 2025.

Court Forms

The library has a number of form books to find appropriate legal forms.

Online Resources

The law library provides free access to extensive legal research databases, including Westlaw, Lexis+, and HeinOnline databases.