The archives are open to the public.
Access
Researchers should call 501-916-5454 in advance to schedule an appointment and to allow adequate time for retrieval of the requested material.
Before using the material onsite, the researcher must complete an Archives Registration Form and sign a copy of our Archives Rules. Researchers may complete the registration form in advance. When visiting to use our collections, 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 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.
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.
We ask researchers to use the proper citation form of our library’s archives materials. An example is as follows:
- UA Little Rock/Pulaski County Law Library, Arkansas Supreme Court Briefs and Records, Lemon v. State, 3 Ark. 402 (1895), Series I, Box 47, Folder 3023.
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.
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 before beginning copying jobs for patrons. Please allow at least 24 hours notice to make copies of reproducible print materials.
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 Arkansas Code Annotated § 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 should leave the materials in the Special Collections Reading Room and wait for a library staff member to check them. This staff member may inspect 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 the availability of theses and dissertations written as a result of using our archives or court records material.
Archive Collection Content
The law library’s archive collection contains:
- Law School archives. The library collects non-confidential print and media material concerning the law school.
- Several small manuscript collections, primarily those of individuals such as former deans and former law librarians, who have papers and artifacts concerning the history of the law school or its predecessor institutions. At present we have the following small manuscript collections:
- Ruth H. Brunson Papers, the law school’s first librarian.
- Murray O. Reed Papers, former Pulaski County Chancellor.
- William O. Nash Papers, former Assistant Dean, Arkansas Law School.
- University of Arkansas Department of Law, Bowen’s predecessor institution.
- Arkansas Law School, Bowen’s predecessor institution.
- University of Arkansas School of Law, Little Rock Division Papers.
- W. Harold Flowers Law Society, a small Arkansas bar association.
- Arkansas Supreme Court Briefs And Records consists of the record and briefs of the following categories of Arkansas cases: civil, 1836-1926, and criminal, 1836-1963. The library acquired this collection in 1993 as an open collection. Some files are missing from the collection because they were never received by our library.