On June 2, 2010, the Butler County Law Library Resources Board unanimously approved the creation of the Law Library Practitioners Program. Taking effect on July 1, 2010, the Program replaces the Board’s temporary and free extension of the Butler County Law Library Association’s membership benefits that expires on June 30, 2010. The Program is described below.

Description of the Butler County Law Library Practitioners Program

Statement of Purpose. To provide law library services to

• elected officials, judges and public employees of Butler County offices, municipal corporations, townships and courts within Butler County who may require law library services in addition to those provided to members of the public to perform their official duties; and
• qualifying attorneys who may require law library services in addition to those provided to members of the public to conduct their practice of law

the Butler County Law Library Resources Board has established the Law Library Practitioners Program.

The Program’s current services for enrolled participants include:

• After-hours access to the Law Library;
• Opportunity to borrow legal materials from the Law Library’s circulating collection;
• Lending equipment available from the Law Library’s inventory of circulating laptop computers and laptop projector;
• Free interlibrary loan service;
• On-site use of Law Library computers and their resources including Internet access, licensed productivity software applications, and licensed electronic research services free of charge except for print-outs;
• Telephone and e-mail reference and research assistance;
• Use of the Law Library’s conference room for business meetings free of charge;
• Discounts for photocopies (10-cents per page), faxes (50-cents per page) and computer print-outs (10-cents per page);
• Availability of deposit accounts for copy, fax and print-out charges;
• Delivery of electronic documents by e-mail;
• Opportunity to subscribe to current awareness services offered by the Law Library; and
• Authorized law clerks and paralegals of program participants may use program services on the participant’s behalf.

Private Attorney Participants. Private attorneys who are licensed to practice law in the State of Ohio and who live in Butler County, have an office in Butler County or regularly practice law in Butler County are eligible for the Practitioners Program.

There is a non-refundable annual enrollment fee for each attorney participant. The annual fee schedule is based on the number of years the attorney has been licensed to practice law in the State of Ohio as follows:

Participation in the Program is specific to the enrolled attorney. Program benefits do not extend to non-enrolled attorneys associated with a program participant. Law clerks and paralegals employed by a participating private attorney may utilize the Program’s services on the attorney’s behalf upon written authorization. All expenses incurred by law clerks and paralegals shall be charged to the attorney’s account. Downloads: Attorney Enrollment Application and Law Clerk-Paralegal Authorization Form.

Payment of the enrollment fee is required upon receipt of the completed application by the Law Library and is due no later than July 31, 2010. Failure to make timely payment of the enrollment fee will result in the denial of county law library privileges previously extended by the Butler County Law Library Resources Board until payment is made. This action does not constitute a denial of access to the Law Library as a member of the general public during regular business hours.

The private attorney enrollment period expires on June 30, 2011. The Program enrollment fee is prorated 50 percent if paid between April and June of 2011. Fees are not prorated at any other time.

Statutory Users. Any member of the general assembly or any officer or employee of a county, municipal, or township government or court located within Butler County is exempt from paying an enrollment fee for participation in the Program. Statutory users are also exempt from paying library services fees and charges when performing work within the scope of their official duties.

Statutory users do not need to complete an enrollment application unless those who do not already have a building key and security key fob would like after-hours access. Staff, such as bailiffs, law clerks and administrative assistants, may be required to present official identification for checking out library resources on the statutory user’s behalf.

Amendment, Modification or Termination of the Law Library Practitioners Program. The Butler County Law Library Resources Board reserves the right to amend, modify or terminate the Law Library Practitioners Program including but not limited to program terms, conditions, services and fee structure at any time. In the event of program termination, participants shall be given 30-days notice. Any funds due to individual participants shall be refunded upon (1) return of the participant’s library card, entrance key, security key fob and loaned library materials, and (2) payment of any outstanding fees and charges. Enrollment fees shall be refunded on a pro rata basis upon meeting the above conditions.