The law library, which is in the basement at the Butler County Courthouse, is temporarily closed as the county seeks to make a decision on the law librarian position.

While the position of law librarian was eliminated by the county salary board at its last meeting, officials are still considering the best way to provide the law library services required by the state.

The county's salary board voted in September to eliminate the full-time position of law librarian and replace it with a part-time administrative assistant position in the interest of more research being done online rather than in hardbound books.

Tom Holman, the deputy court administrator, said on Thursday that longtime law librarian Sue Megarry retired in June and county officials decided to take a look at the job to determine the best way to provide services to attorneys and the public in the most efficient way possible.

“At this point we've taken a step forward to eliminate that position,” Holman said. “We think that the concept of the law library will be more electronic than hard copy, but we're still studying.”

He estimated that a final decision on the law library job will be made in three to five months.

The law library, which is in the basement at the courthouse, is now closed. If an attorney or a member of the public wants to use the computer programs inside or access a book in print form, Holman accommodates them.

A law librarian helps attorneys and those defending themselves in court with finding outcomes from previous cases, treatise materials, federal court materials and other documents.

“You can do legal research to prepare your cases for when you go to court,” said Mike Gallagher of Murrin Taylor Flach and Gallagher in Butler.

Gallagher also explained that the law library is a resource for members of the public, who can come in not to get legal advice from the librarian, but to get help finding forms and basic study materials to try and understand the court system and their potential actions in it.

The county Bar Association and Young Lawyers Division wrote a letter to Holman earlier this month stating the association's trepidation about eliminating the law librarian position.

“We are deeply concerned about the future of the library, and the detriment its closure is causing the public,” the letter states.

It goes on to say that Megarry was able to guide both the public and attorneys in finding what they need for their court cases.

“Without such a capable law librarian, we are concerned the public will not be able to adequately find resources on the issues they need to research,” said the letter, which was signed by Maryann Bozich-DiLuigi, the Bar Association president.

The letter also decried transitioning the library to a predominantly electronic research because members of the public do not know how to use the legal research computer programs installed at the law library.

“It is absolutely essential that the public, especially those who cannot afford representation, have access to justice,” the letter said.

The Bar Association also sees the law library as an invaluable resource for young attorneys and solo practitioners, who rely on both print and online materials.

“Many attorneys utilize the law library on a regular, if not weekly basis,” the letter said. “Without the assistance of a knowledgeable law librarian, case research and effective representation would be more difficult to achieve.”

Holman said a full-time law librarian would cost the county about $74,000 annually including benefits, while an administrative assistant with no benefits would cost about $17,000.

But Holman said the county is carefully studying the position and how to best provide law research services in the county.

“We're being very, very careful to do this right,” Holman said. “We're working diligently to provide exactly what's needed.”

Mercer, Beaver, Armstrong and Westmoreland counties, which surround Butler County, all have law librarians.

Attorney Tom Breth, who will take over as president of the county Bar Association in December, said he hopes the position of law librarian is reinstated by county officials.

“We really hope they will revisit that issue once additional information is gathered,” Breth said. “It's really hard to operate a law library and provide the services needed without a librarian who is qualified to assist.”