Reference Services
The law library staff is available to guide patrons to appropriate legal materials, in print or electronic formats, so you can conduct your own legal research. The library staff takes great care to avoid the unauthorized practice of law. The library staff will not give legal opinions or advice, nor will they comment upon or explain the meaning of a text.
Telephone reference is limited to reading short sections of statutes when a specific cite is given by the caller, or the status of a specific title. The number to our front desk is (408)299-3568. Patrons in the library have higher priority; we may ask you to call back later if we experience high traffic at the front desk. You may also email the library at circdesk@sccll.org
What We Can Do
- Suggest specific titles or areas of the collection that may help you answer your question.
- Show you how a set of books is organized and indexed.
- Help you read a legal citation.
- Tell you where items are located in the library.
- Show you basic search and download functions in the catalog or legal databases.
- Photocopy, fax, or e-mail you a specific citation for a fee.
- Refer you to local legal assistance organizations, a lawyer referral service, or directories of attornies.
What We Cannot Do
- Interpret or explain the meaning of the law, regulations, court cases, or any other documents.
- Give legal advice or state opinions on legal issues.
- In-depth one-on-one database training, formulate your search strategies, or teach you how to use a computer.
- Help you select or fill out forms.
- Do legal research.
- Recommend a particular lawyer.