Great local library! It is not your typical public library because it is devoted to legal…read moretreatises, statutes, and law. You can't pick up the latest Stephen King novel here. But if you have a legal dispute, or are just curious about the law, this is a good place to come. It is open to the public, and free. You can research local, national, or other laws in stately books in the stacks or along the walls. Aside from the hard-core legal material, there are also how-to books for everything from starting a business to getting guardianship of a loved one. There are also computers for legal research, as well, including such state of the art legal research engines as "Westlaw" and "Lexis Nexis." If you want a copy of anything, you will have to purchase a Copy Card (no more than a few dollars), and then fund it. Copies are 25 cents a page.
They also host free classes for the public, including how to seal a criminal record, go through probate, and how to fight an eviction. They also have typewriters that you can ask to use to fill out forms, if you need them.
The staff is terrific. Helpful and good at what they do. They are extremely patient. This place is popular with homeless and other very indigent individuals, some of whom are not super lucid or disturbed. They are treated with respect and care, but you might want to steer clear of them. It's not a big problem, though (aside from the occasional foul odor, to be honest). Keep your wits about you, and don't leave any personals or valuables out. It's a large facility, and you can just scoot over to one of the less populated areas of the library to review your materials. Also, the library is kept really clean and ordered. Even the keys of the computers are covered with plastic (that you can still type with), and sprayed with disinfectant. The bathrooms are also very nice and clean. So don't worry. There is also a security guard on duty. Lots of lawyers use this place, too. (Probably should be more afraid of them!)
The building is shared by other organizations. You enter on 3rd Street, pass the desk on the first floor (where a usually friendly guard sits), and take one of the elevators to the 4th floor. Turn to your left, and there you are. There is only street parking, but it is not too inconvenient. Usually spots open up throughout the day. You have to pay at a common meter (take note of your space number, listed on the side of the curb), but it takes coins and credit cards.