The Sol Blatt Law Library officially opened last spring at Charleston School of Law. The new 16,000 square foot facility provides Charleston Law students, alumni and members of the legal community expanded services.

“With a modern day law library you need to have the balance of resources – study rooms, print materials, and technology – and finding that balance of marrying old ideas with modern technology,” said Katie Brown, Associate Dean for Information Resources. “[It] allows students to have those options available to them.”

“Our librarians did a great job of sort of sifting through our collection and figuring out what makes the most amount of sense in electronic form and what makes the most sense in book form,” added Dean Larry Cunningham. “They did a great job designing a layout where resources that are of similar nature are kept together.”

The new law library space includes:

• 17 private study rooms for students

• Mock trial courtroom

• Private student study carrels and designated open group study areas

• Soft seating and lounge area

• A refreshment station for student convenience

• Student Affairs and Career Services

Dean Cunningham said the key additions to the new library are were two courtrooms. “It was important to us that these have a certain ‘wow’ factor because our advocacy programs are really outstanding, and we want to give students a space to practice for mock trial and moot court competitions,” he said. “At the same time, we wanted to make sure that spaces were multifunctional. Both of the courtrooms double as regular classrooms.”

“A lot of schools will combine those spaces,” added Brown. “What we did is, we have two separate rooms which is great for competitions.”

The law school also consulted with students about the build out of the library.

“They were ultimately going to be the primary users of the space and so we wanted to make sure it worked for them and they had a lot of great ideas,” said Cunningham. “We wanted it to be a welcoming space for students…a place that students want to come to.”

“The library’s been well received,” said Vic Silvis, Director of Facility. “Between Dean Cunningham, President Bell, Dean Brown, our general contractor, architects, at the end of the day, everybody’s pretty happy with the way it came out.”

Research tools including two Westlaw terminals available in the library for Charleston School of Law alumni and members of the bar . In addition, print study aids and Bar prep materials are supplemented by two Electronic Study Aid Collections published by Aspen and West.

Our friendly staff and student workers are also available during regular business hours to help you.