The archives are open to the public. The researcher is responsible for assisting in the preservation of materials of the Law Library Special Collections Archives and the Arkansas Supreme Court Briefs and Records Collection. The procedures listed below aim to protect and preserve the materials researchers may wish to use.
Access
Researchers should call or e-mail Kathryn Fitzhugh, Reference/Special Collections Librarian, in advance to schedule an appointment and to allow adequate time for retrieval of the requested material. Please include a subject line in any email message you send.
Before using the material, the researcher must complete an Archives Registration Form and sign a copy of our Archives Rules. Researchers may complete the registration form in advance and email it to Kathryn C. Fitzhugh or fax it to 501.324.9447. When visiting in person, researchers must present a valid driver’s license with photo identification or some other form of government-issued photo identification. Researchers under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult.
Using the Reading Room
When using archives material, researchers are placed in a secure, camera-equipped reading room, Room 134, under staff supervision. We allow researchers to bring the following items into the room with the material: pencils, loose paper, legal pads, computers and cameras without cases or bags. We do not allow pens in the reading room, nor do we allow the use of scanners.
To prevent damages to the records, the researcher must not lean on, write on, fold anew, or trace the material, nor should they handle materials roughly. We provide cotton gloves for researcher use. Documents and volumes must lie flat on the table, not in the researchers lap or propped against the edge of a table. The Law Library expects the researcher to maintain the existing order and arrangement of the papers.
Only two document boxes of material may be used at a time. No more than five bound volumes may be used at a time.
Copyright
The researcher assumes the responsibility for abiding by the laws of libel, literary property rights, and copyright which may be involved with the use of materials. The Law Library does not give patrons permission to post our archival material on the Internet.
The researcher is asked to give proper citation to our library’s archives materials. An example is as follows:
- UALR/Pulaski County Law Library, Arkansas Supreme Court Briefs and Records, Lemon v. State, Series I, Box 47, Folder 3023.
Researchers may photograph archival photographs when not prohibited by law or restricted by donors’ agreements. Photographs published or exhibited by the researcher should be designated as Courtesy of University of Arkansas at Little Rock/Pulaski County Law Library, with the name of the collection, the box number, and folder number added if applicable.
Reproduction
The Law Library staff will copy public domain archives material that is in reproducible condition. We provide an Archives Invoice and require payment by cash, check, or money order or before beginning copying jobs for patrons. Please allow at least 24 hours notice to make copies.
Archives Material and Rare Books Do Not Leave the Library
We do not authorize researchers to remove rare books, archives, or court records material from the library. Theft or mutilation of records is considered library theft under the Arkansas Code Annotated Sec. 13-2-803. We reserve the right to detain any person for a reasonable time if we suspect that person of committing library theft.
When ready to leave the library, the researcher is asked to leave the materials in Room 134 and wait for a library staff member to check them. This staff member inspects researchers’ belongings before allowing them to leave the library.
Provide Our Library with a Copy of Articles and Citations
Researchers agree to send the Law Library a copy of articles published as a result of using our archives or court records material. Researchers agree to provide a citation and information on availability of theses and dissertations written as a result of using our archives or court records material.
