Overview
Texas State Archives
Texas. State Law
Library.
State Law Library
records
1961-1962, 1970-2004
bulk
1971-2001
The Texas State Law
Library is a legal reference facility for use by the members and staff of the
Supreme Court of Texas, the Court of Criminal Appeals, the Office of the
Attorney General, other state agencies and commissions, and citizens of the
state. Minutes, administrative correspondence, and annual reports to the board
document the administration of the State Law Library and its board. Materials
date from 1961-1962, 1970-2004, bulk 1971-2001.
These materials are written predominately in
English with a list of book titles in
French.
2.5 cubic
ft.
Restrictions on Access
Because of the possibility that portions of the Administrative correspondence series fall under Public
Information Act exceptions, an archivist must review these records before they
can be accessed for research. The records may be requested for research under
the provisions of the Public Information Act (V.T.C.A., Government Code,
Chapter 552). The researcher may request an interview with an archivist or
submit a request by mail, fax, or email including enough description and detail
about the information requested to enable the archivist to accurately identify
and locate the information requested. If our review reveals information that
may be excepted by the Public Information Act, we are obligated to seek an open
records decision from the Attorney General on whether the records can be
released. The Public Information Act allows the Archives ten working days after
receiving a request to make this determination. The Attorney General has 45
working days to render a decision. Alternately, the Archives can inform you of
the nature of the potentially excepted information and if you agree, that
information can be redacted or removed and you can access the remainder of the
records.
Restrictions on Use
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and
may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received
by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The
researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17
U.S.C.).
Technical Requirements
None.
Agency History
The Texas State Law Library was created in 1971 by Senate Bill 528,
62nd Texas Legislature, Regular Session, consolidating the functions, duties,
and resources of the libraries of the Supreme Court of Texas, Court of Criminal
Appeals, and Attorney General's Office. The law library is a legal reference
facility for use by the members and staff of the Texas Supreme Court, the Court
of Criminal Appeals, the Office of the Attorney General, other state agencies
and commissions, and citizens of the state. The library provides and improves
access to basic sources of legal information by identifying key resources,
increasing distribution, producing finding aids, and assisting library users in
developing effective legal reference skills. The library maintains a legal
reference collection that includes statutes and case reports from the several
states, legal periodicals and journals, and printed and published sources for
research in Texas legal history. On-site information services include access to
computer-assisted legal research. The library is an official selective
depository for U.S. government documents as well as a depository for State
Justice Institute documents.
The library provides an Inmate Copy Service, which provides Texas
state inmates, whose case records are currently being held by the Court of
Criminal Appeals or the 3rd Court of Appeals, with copies of their trial
records at a reasonable cost. The board by unanimous vote may transfer library
books, papers, or publications to the library of the Law School of the
University of Texas at Austin. The State Law Library was removed from sunset
review by the 76th Legislature in 1999 (House Bill 2954, Regular Session).
The policy-making body of the library is a board composed of the
following ex officio members, or their designated replacements: the attorney
general, the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, and the presiding
judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals. These are nonsalaried positions and
members elect the presiding officer.
The library is administered by an executive director, who is appointed
by the board. As of January 1996, other professional librarian staff include a
reference/information manager, a reference/acquisitions manager, a
reference/friends group/volunteers/grants librarian, and a branch librarian.
These positions report directly to the executive director. Other staff consist
of a fiscal officer, an acquisitions assistant, two library assistants, and an
accounting assistant. Directors of the State Law Library have been Frances
DeBogory Horton, 1971-1972 (previously the Supreme Court Librarian); Jane Olm,
1972; Marian Boner, 1972-1981; James E. Hambleton, 1981-1987; Kay Schlueter,
1987-2001; and Tony Estrada, since 2002.
Friends of the State Law Library (FOSLL) is a non-profit 501(c)(3)
organization created in 1992 to assist the Law Library in programs to increase
services and benefits to clients. FOSLL supports the staff and programs of the
Law Library by seeking contributions from beyond the Texas Legislature. Private
law firms, attorneys, judges, legislators, and others of the legal community,
as well as anyone interested in supporting legal information services, may join
the Friends. Activities of the Friends have included sponsorship of Law Day or
National Library Week celebrations, staff professional development, and other
areas of special concern to the Library such as the current need for
preservation of Texas materials in the Library, and a catalog of rare materials
in the Library’s collection.
(Sources include the
appraisal report prepared by Texas
State Archives staff (January 1996); Guide to Texas State
Agencies, 11th edition (2001); and the agency's website at
http://www.sll.state.tx.us/ (accessed on March 31,
2005).)
Scope and Contents of the Records
The Texas State Law Library is a legal reference facility for use by
the members and staff of the Supreme Court of Texas, the Court of Criminal
Appeals, the Office of the Attorney General, other state agencies and
commissions, and citizens of the state. Minutes, administrative correspondence,
and annual reports to the board document the administration of the State Law
Library and its board. Materials date from 1961-1962, 1970-2004, bulk
1971-2001.
Minutes of the meetings of the Texas
State Law Library board document the decisions made at board meetings, dating
1971-1994. Activities of the board concerning the operation of the Law Library
are usually advisory with the actual administration left to the executive
director. Attachments include board orders, letters of resignation and
agreement, budget and expense statements, director's progress reports and
memos, job postings, and policy statements. A few documents are not associated
with specific board meetings, including some letters notifying the State Law
Library director of changes in an agency's representative on the board and a
few memos to the board detailing the director's actions. Subjects include staff
changes, staff salaries and benefits, authorization for staff to handle agency
affairs, funding sources and budget issues, adoption of rules, resource and
space needs, collection development (including LEXIS and WESTLAW databases),
and relations with the Attorney General's Office, Court of Criminal Appeals,
Supreme Court of Texas, and University of Texas Law School Library.
The director of the Texas State Law Library provided
annual reports to the State Law Library board from
1983 to 1985 summarizing budget, expenses, resources, staff, activities, needs,
and statistics.
Administrative correspondence maintained
in subject files documents the administration and operation of the Texas State
Law Library and its relationship with other state agencies and universities,
with corporations, and with the public. Documents in this series include
correspondence, memos, lists, inventories, invoices, blueprints, newsletters,
strategic plans, retention schedules, contracts, reports, plans, charts and
tables, printed material, clippings, surveys, statistical profiles, forms,
dating from 1961-1962, 1970-2004, bulk 1973-2001. Subjects are relations with
the Attorney General's Office (including inventories of holdings, requests for
purchases, and development of policies and procedures), the loan and display of
artwork from the collection of Elton M. Hyder, Jr., the transfer of books to
the University of Texas at Austin Law School library, presentations on legal
resources, information resources, Friends of the State Law Library special
events, records management, and interaction with state agencies providing
services to or requiring information from the State Law Library.
To prepare this inventory, the Board meeting
minutes and Annual reports to the board
were placed in acid-free folders while the Administrative
correspondence series was cursorily reviewed to confirm the accuracy of
contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine
record types.
Organization of the Records
The records are organized into three series as maintained by the
agency:
- Board meeting minutes, 1971-1994, 0.2 cubic ft.
- Annual reports to the board, 1983-1985, fractional
- Administrative correspondence, 1961-1962, 1970-2004, bulk
1973-2001, 2.3 cubic ft.
Index Terms
The terms listed here were used to catalog the
records. The terms can be used to find similar or related records.
Corporate Names:
Texas. State Law
Library--Administration.
Subjects:
Law
libraries--Texas.
Document Types:
Correspondence--Texas--Law
libraries--1961-1962, 1970-2004.
Minutes--Texas--Law
libraries--1971-1994.
Reports--Texas--Law
libraries--1983-1985.
Functions:
Providing library
services.
Administering law
libraries.
Related Material
The following materials are offered as possible
sources of further information on the agencies and subjects covered by the
records. The listing is not exhaustive.
Texas State
Archives
None.
Publications
Texas. State Law Library.
<emph render="italic">Legislative appropriations
request</emph>, 1974-2005 [Title has changed over time. Organization
charts are included in the requests dating 1982-2005, on file in the Texas
Documents Collection.]
Preferred Citation
(Identify the item and cite the series), Texas State Law Library
records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and
Archives Commission.
Appraisal Information
Texas State Archives staff completed an appraisal of State Law Library
records in January 1996. Five series on the agency's retention schedule were
determined to be archival: Biennial Budget Requests, Meeting Minutes - Board,
Organization Charts, Correspondence - Administration, and Policies and
Procedures Manual. Annual reports (non-fiscal), a defunct series, were located
by SLL staff after the appraisal was completed.
The archival requirement for the biennial budget requests and
organization charts series is fulfilled by sending copies of the biennial
budget requests (which contain organization charts) to the Publications
Depository Program of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. The
Texas Documents Collection holds requests dated 1974-2005 received via the
Publications Depository Program.
Processing Information
Tonia J. Wood, March 2005, March 2006
Accession Information
Accession numbers: 1997/116, 2004/048, 2005/091, 2006/247,
2006/257
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information
Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the
Texas State Law Library on May 12, 1997; November 5, 2003; January 28, 2005;
and March 1, 2006; and by the Legislative Reference Library on January 26,
2006.
Location of Originals
Originals of State Law Library board meeting minutes are located at the
State Law Library.
Detailed Description of the Records
Board meeting minutes,
1971-1994,
0.2 cubic ft.
Minutes of the meetings of the Texas State Law Library board
document the decisions made at board meetings, dating 1971-1994. Activities of
the board concerning the operation of the Law Library are usually advisory with
the actual administration left to the executive director. There are no agenda.
Attachments include board orders, letters of resignation and agreement, budget
and expense statements, director's progress reports and memos, job postings,
and policy statements. A few documents are not associated with specific board
meetings, including some letters notifying the State Law Library director of
changes in an agency's representative on the board and a few memos to the board
detailing the director's actions. Subjects include staff changes, staff
salaries and benefits, authorization for staff to handle agency affairs,
funding sources and budget issues, adoption of rules, resource and space needs,
collection development (including LEXIS and WESTLAW databases), and relations
with the Attorney General's Office, Court of Criminal Appeals, Supreme Court of
Texas, and University of Texas Law School Library. Several planning and hiring
meetings were held in July and August 1971 before the official beginning of the
Library in September 1971. Meeting frequency was reduced over time from at
least monthly meetings in the beginning to several times per year or annual
meetings. Minutes do not exist for some years; it is unknown whether meetings
were held or if minutes were not created or maintained.
Arrangement
These records are arranged chronologically as maintained by the
agency.
Preferred Citation
(Identify the item), Board meeting minutes, Texas State Law
Library records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State
Library and Archives Commission.
Accession Information
Accession number: 1997/116
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information
Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the
State Law Library on May 12, 1997.
Restrictions on Access
None.
Restrictions on Use
None.
Processed by
Tonia J. Wood, March 2005
1997/116
State Law Library Board meeting
minutes
1997/116
July-December
1971
1997/116
January, March,
May-June 1972
1997/116
July, November
1972
1997/116
March, September
1973
1997/116
July 1975; March,
April, November 1976
1997/116
May 1977; April 1978;
January, May, September 1979
1997/116
February-March 1980;
March, May-June, August, December 1981
1997/116
June 1982;
February-March 1983
1997/116
February, April-May,
August, November 1987; August 1988
1997/116
January, February, May
1989
1997/116
February, April,
October 1990
1997/116
April 1991, May 1993,
August 1994
Annual reports to the board,
1983-1985,
fractional
The director of the Texas State Law Library provided annual
reports to the State Law Library board from 1983 to 1985 summarizing budget,
expenses, resources, staff, activities, needs, and statistics. The narrative
portion of the report covers lack of space and safety of facilities, staff
changes and professional development, computer-based research (LEXIS and
WESTLAW), purchases of books and computer equipment, and increased use of
resources due to organizational changes at the Attorney General's Office.
Statistics include acquisition costs, materials cataloged and circulated,
copies prepared, and hours of WESTLAW use. James Hambleton, director of the
State Law Library, prepared and submitted these reports to the board annually
in October.
Arrangement
These records are arranged chronologically as received by the
agency.
Preferred Citation
(Identify the item), Annual reports to the board, Texas State Law
Library records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State
Library and Archives Commission.
Accession Information
Accession number: 1997/116
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information
Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the
State Law Library on May 12, 1997.
Restrictions on Access
None.
Restrictions on Use
None.
Processed by
Tonia J. Wood, March 2005
1997/116
Annual reports to the board,
1983-1985
Administrative correspondence,
1961-1962,
1970-2004,
bulk 1973-2001,
2.3 cubic ft.
Administrative correspondence maintained in subject files
documents the administration and operation of the Texas State Law Library and
its relationship with other state agencies and universities, with corporations,
and with the public. Documents in this series include correspondence, memos,
lists, inventories, invoices, blueprints, newsletters, strategic plans,
retention schedules, contracts, reports, plans, charts and tables, printed
material, clippings, surveys, statistical profiles, forms, dating from
1961-1962, 1970-2004, bulk 1973-2001. Subjects are relations with the Attorney
General's Office (including inventories of holdings, requests for purchases,
and development of policies and procedures), the loan and display of artwork
from the collection of Elton M. Hyder, Jr., the transfer of books to the
University of Texas at Austin Law School library, presentations on legal
resources, information resources, Friends of the State Law Library special
events, records management, and interaction with state agencies providing
services to or requiring information from the State Law Library.
To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily
reviewed to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of
dates covered, and to determine record types.
Arrangement
These records are arranged alphabetically by subject as received
from the law library. The separate accessions have been integrated into one
alphabetical listing in the finding aid although they remain physically
separate. The accession from the Legislative Reference Library is listed at the
end.
Preferred Citation
(Identify the item), Administrative correspondence, Texas State
Law Library records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State
Library and Archives Commission.
Appraisal Information
According to the January 1996 appraisal report, staff at the law
library were to sort through a correspondence backlog to identify and place
administrative correspondence in its own appropriate series. The administrative
correspondence prior to 2002 has been transferred to the State Archives, as
those records have fulfilled their retention requirements. State Archives staff
will appraise this weeded correspondence for archival value.
Accession Information
Accession numbers: 1997/116, 2004/048, 2005/091, 2006/247,
2006/257
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information
Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the
Texas State Law Library on May 12, 1997; November 5, 2003; January 28, 2005;
and March 1, 2006; and by the Legislative Reference Library on January 26,
2006.
Restrictions on Access
Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall
under Public Information Act exceptions including, but not limited to, privacy
(552.101); agency memoranda (552.111); audit working papers (552.116); email
addresses (552.137); and social security numbers (552.147), an archivist must
review these records before they can be accessed for research. The records may
be requested for research under the provisions of the Public Information Act
(V.T.C.A., Government Code, Chapter 552). The researcher may request an
interview with an archivist or submit a request by mail, fax, or email
including enough description and detail about the information requested to
enable the archivist to accurately identify and locate the information
requested. If our review reveals information that may be excepted by the Public
Information Act, we are obligated to seek an open records decision from the
Attorney General on whether the records can be released. The Public Information
Act allows the Archives ten working days after receiving a request to make this
determination. The Attorney General has 45 working days to render a decision.
Alternately, the Archives can inform you of the nature of the potentially
excepted information and if you agree, that information can be redacted or
removed and you can access the remainder of the records.
Restrictions on Use
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted
and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials
received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the
creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law
(Title 17 U.S.C.).
Processed by
Tonia J. Wood, March 2005, March 2006
2005/091
Affirmative action plan - 70s,
1973-1974,
1978-1979
2004/048
AG (Attorney General):
2004/048
Correspondence,
1973-1981
[Contains possibly excepted information:
agency memoranda]
2004/048
Miscellaneous information,
1992-1993, 1995,
1999
2006/247
Aging, Department of,
2001-2002
2006/247
SAO (State Auditor's Office):
2006/247
Auditor's Office, FY (fiscal year) 03,
2002-2003
2006/247
Classification Office,
2001-2002
2006/247
Miscellaneous information,
2000,
2003
2005/091
Contract workforce and telecommuting,
1999
2004/048
Performance audit,
April 1992, November
1999
2004/048
Financial audit,
1987-1989, 1991,
1996
[Contains possibly excepted information:
audit working papers]
2004/048
Overtime management,
1998,
2000
2004/048
Salary adjustments,
1997
2004/048
Human resource surveys,
1993,
1996
2004/048
Art collection,
1961-1962, 1970,
1981-1982, 1990-1991
2006/247
Banking, Texas Department of, FY 02,
2002
[Contains possibly excepted information:
social security numbers]
2004/048
State Bar of Texas:
2004/048
Statistical profiles,
1998
2004/048
1997,
2001
2006/247
Bond Review Board,
1994,
2000
2005/091
TBPC (Texas Building and Procurement
Commission):
[Note: Records concerning the General
Services Commission, predecessor to TBPC, were filed here by the
agency.]
2005/091
1993,
1997-1999
2004/048
Space planning (older),
1975, 1984-1985, 1987,
1989
2006/247
Space planning,
1975, 1988-1991,
1996-2001
2004/048
Work contracts,
1991-1993,
1998
2004/048
GSC (General Services Commission) Administrative
correspondence,
1994,
1996-1997
2004/048
GSC state agency progress report,
1997
2004/048
GSC,
1998
2004/048
GSC,
1999
2006/247
Purchasing,
2000-2001
2006/247
Tex-An 2000 pricing,
2000
2006/247
GSC Tex-An service agreement,
2002
2006/247
Public (open) records,
2000-2001
2006/247
Phone system/Telecom,
2000
2006/247
Miscellaneous,
2000,
2002
2006/247
Mail services,
1998,
2000-2001
2006/247
GSC service request, FY 00,
2000-2001
2006/247
GSC request for service,
2000
2006/247
Telecom work orders,
1999
2006/247
Administrative correspondence,
2002
2006/247
Purchasing,
2000-2001
2004/048
CPA (Comptroller of Public Accounts) - notice to state
agencies,
1997
2004/048
Consultations - state agencies,
1989-1995
1997/116
Correspondence:
1997/116
1973, 1975,
1981
2004/048
FY 1995 and prior,
1975, 1989, 1991,
1993-1995
2004/048
FY 1996,
1996
2004/048
FY 1997,
1996-1997
2004/048
FY 1998
1997-1998
2005/091
FY 1999,
1998-1999
2006/247
FY 2000,
1999-2000
2006/247
FY 2001,
2000-2001
2004/048
Council on Competitive Government,
1993-1994
2004/048
OCA (Office of Court Administration):
2004/048
Job postings,
1997
2004/048
Information resources,
1992-1993
2006/247
FY 00,
1999-2001
2004/048
DIR (Department of Information Resources):
2004/048
General information,
1992-1993
2004/048
SLL (State Law Library) plans/DIR response,
1988-1993
2004/048
FY 1994 information,
1993
2004/048
SLL plans, FY 1993-1995,
1992
2004/048
Miscellaneous information,
1989-1991
2006/247
Miscellaneous information,
2000-2001
2004/048
Instructions for strategic plan,
1994
2004/048
Administrative correspondence,
1998
2005/091
1996-1999
2005/091
Strategic plans/BOP (biennial operating plan),
1995, probably
1997
2005/091
Training,
1993
2005/091
Economic Development, State of Texas,
1998
2004/048
EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity):
2004/048
1989,
1992
2006/247
Compliance certification (Arnold & Porter),
2002
2005/091
ERS (Employees Retirement System) - Miscellaneous
information,
1998,
2000
2004/048
Ethics Commission - miscellaneous,
1992-1993,
1998-1999
2004/048
Office of Federal/State Relations,
1997
2005/091
Foreign library visitors/information,
1999
[Contains possibly excepted information:
e-mail address]
2005/091
Free subscriptions
[empty folder removed]
2005/091
G&L VBJ (office supply company re: chairs),
1997
2006/247
Government documents exercise for interview,
1990s
2005/091
Governor's Office:
2005/091
Federal funds,
1998-1999
2004/048
Miscellaneous,
1994,
1998
2006/247
FY 03,
2002-2003
2006/247
Governor's Budget Office--cost savings FY 02,
2002
2004/048
Higher Education Coordinating Board,
1999
2004/048
House Appropriations Survey,
1998
2006/247
Texas Commission on Human Rights:
2006/247
2002
2006/247
2000-2001
2005/091
1999
2004/048
1995-1998
2004/048
TDI (Texas Department of Insurance) - bail laws,
1998
2004/048
Incentive & Productivity Commission:
2004/048
1991-1993,
2001
2006/247
TIPC,
2001,
2004
2006/247
Instructional hours, FY 02,
2001
2004/048
Internships,
1985
2004/048
ISAS (Integrated Statewide Administrative System) -
general information,
1997
2006/247
JCIT (Judicial Committee on Information
Technology):
2006/247
Statewide contract,
1999-2000
2006/247
General information,
1996,
1999-2000
2006/247
JCIT [meeting supporting documentation],
August 27,
1999
2006/247
Job descriptions-other,
1993, 1995,
1990s
2006/247
Legal Hotline for Older Texans,
1990s-2000
2004/048
Legislative Budget Board (LBB):
2004/048
1998
2005/091
Contract and open records reporting,
1996,
1998-1999
2006/247
Open records reporting,
2000
2005/091
BOP (biennial operating plan),
1999-2000
2006/247
Biennial operating plan,
2001
2006/247
Liability questions,
1992
2006/247
Library lawsuits (national),
1991-1992
2006/247
National Library Week,
probably
1990s
2005/091
Library rate postage,
1993
2004/048
Local legal resources,
1992-1993,
1999
[Contains possibly excepted information:
e-mail addresses]
2004/048
TNRCC's (Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission)
issues with USAS,
1995
2006/247
Ombudsman group,
2000
2006/247
Organizational excellence survey,
1994,
2000
2006/247
Orientation for law clerks,
between 1990s and
2001
2006/247
Patron counts,
1989
2005/091
Problem patrons:
2005/091
1988,
1990
[Contains possibly excepted information:
privacy]
2006/247
2000-2001
[Contains possibly excepted information:
privacy]
2004/048
DPS (Department of Public Safety) - keys, locksmith,
parking,
1993-1995,
1998
2006/247
Resource guides,
1990s
2006/247
Salary reports, Hiring,
1990, 1992,
2001
2006/247
SIRSI-Disaster recovery,
2001
2004/048
SOS (Secretary of State):
2004/048
Miscellaneous information,
1998
2004/048
Texas Register filing,
1994,
1998
2004/048
SLL (State Law Library):
2004/048
Directory listings,
1992-1994
2004/048
Library litigation,
1991
2004/048
Water problem,
August 16,
1994
2004/048
Grant requests,
1992-1993
2004/048
Recycling report,
1992
2004/048
[Information resources] Strategic plan, FY 1993-1998,
1993
2004/048
[Information resources] Strategic plan, FY 1997-2001,
1997
2004/048
Records inventory and retention schedule,
1989-1999
2005/091
Invoice,
1995-1996
2005/091
Public relations - holiday,
1999,
1990s
2006/247
Small State Agency Task Force,
1997-2001
[2 folders]
2005/091
SORM (State Office of Risk Management):
2005/091
1998-1999
2004/048
1998
2004/048
TSLAC (Texas State Library and Archives Commission)
interagency contracts,
1996-1998
2004/048
Texas Senate Government Technology Survey,
1998
2004/048
Sunset Commission,
1999
2005/091
UT (University of Texas) - Austin:
2005/091
Computer Account Request,
1998-1999
2004/048
1993
2004/048
Interagency contract,
1998
2004/048
WESTLAW: contract, correspondence,
1979-1985
2004/048
Texas Workers' Compensation Commission,
1994
2006 Accessions Box 5 (2006/257)
Event notices, mailings, brochures, press release,
1973,
1991-1999