On Monday, September 21st, the Law Society Law Library will be re-opening our onsite members/authorized secondary clientele research services in a limited, appointment-only capacity.

With the health and safety of our members and staff as our top priority, we are complying with public health order directives including social distancing and cleaning requirements. As a result, you can expect to see some changes in the way the library will be accessible.

Access to the Law Library will be open by appointment only for use of either the databases or print resource consultation. Appointments are not available for general work/study.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to accommodate walk-ins to the library.

Afterhours access/fob card access remains suspended for the foreseeable future. The second floor will be unavailable for study purposes and the shelving areas on both floors will be restricted to staff-only access.

The number of researchers allowed into the library at any one time will be limited to two (2), and each appointment is a maximum of 30 minutes to allow for capacity control and sanitizing between appointments.

We have reduced the number of tables to provide for physical distancing, and plexiglass has been installed around the circulation desk. In accordance with national and international library re-opening guidelines, all materials will be quarantined after use for a period of 24 hours.

The Law Library will continue to offer contactless loans and returns of library materials, the resource scan service, and database searching for all members/authorized secondary clientele, should you be unable to come to the library or if you need longer than 30 minutes.

How the appointment system will work:

• Members/authorized secondary clientele wishing to conduct a database search or library material search are asked to contact Jenny Thornhill, Law Librarian, by email at jthornhill@lsnl.ca or call (709) 758-0815 to book an appointment. Appointment bookings can be made anytime starting September 16th for the appointments starting Monday, September 21st.
• The Law Librarian will discuss your research requirements and the material you would like to view.
  • If you wish to search in the databases, please request this at the time of booking
  • If you wish to view texts and you know the titles you want to view, you can provide the details at the time of booking. If you would like to look at texts on a given area, but do not know the title(s) the library staff will pull some suggestions for your query. Staff can retrieve additional texts during your appointment, if necessary.
• Once we have determined what you would like to access, an appointment time will be booked.
• When you arrive, you will have been assigned a station and, for those booking a table, your requested materials will be ready and waiting for you on that table when you arrive. For safety reasons, individuals are not permitted to change stations. Please ring the doorbell and wait at one of two red hexagon markers in the porch area until a staff person arrives to conduct the Covid-19 questionnaire and escort you to your station.
• Library appointments will be for a maximum of 30 minutes, on the hour, Monday to Friday. Appointments are available at 9 am, 10 am, 11:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 3:00 pm each day.
  • Ex: if you book a 9 am appointment – you will arrive at 9 am, go through the Covid-19 questionnaire, staff will go through the requirements with you while escorting you to your station, and then you will have 30 minutes in which to conduct your research.
  • If you reach the end of your research period and need another appointment, please speak with staff.
• Members are required to bring AND wear their own face covering and to follow safety guidelines as provided by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador at all times while in the Law Library. Refusal to wear a face covering will be grounds for cancellation of your appointment.
• Members will be required to complete a Covid-19 screening questionnaire prior to entry to the library. Refusal to complete this process will result in the cancellation of your appointment.
• In order to ensure your maximum time for research and for the stations to be sanitized prior to the next appointment, members are requested to arrive on time for their appointments.
• Photocopying, printing, and scanning will be available, however, only staff will have access to the photocopier and will copy on your behalf. Members can invoice for all copies or print jobs. We will not be accepting cash at this time.

If you are ill on the day of your appointment, please contact the Law Library and reschedule your appointment. If a person arrives at the library and shows signs of illness and has not cancelled the appointment, library staff reserve the right to cancel your appointment. Another appointment will be offered, if available.

If you have any questions or wish to make an appointment, please contact Jenny Thornhill, Law Librarian by email at jthornhill@lsnl.ca or call (709) 758-0815.