Link for the main library page:
https://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/libraries/locations/lawlibrary/Pages/default.aspx
Link for the catalog:
https://vbpl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default
Digital Access
The website for the Wahab Law Library is part of the Virginia Beach Public Library system that is comprised of 10 public libraries. The library is named after the Honorable Robert S. Wahab, Jr. The branch manager is the only staff member who is listed on the website. This library provides access to information about the law including many law journals and access to digital resources through the website. This location mainly provides services to law professionals, government agency employees, and students. They are available to facilitate reference and research for the public. There is a link on the main website that will bring you to a Legal Resource page where you can access the Virginia Bar Association, the Virginia Lawyer Referral Service, and the American Bar Association. There are also links to help the community find court forms or research the requirements for legal documents that may be needed for a court appearance. There is also an option to ask the Law Library questions and there is a clause that staff cannot “interpret legal materials nor give legal advice, we can make suggestions about resources and research tools that are available to you” (Wahab, 2016).
The library catalog can be accessed through the main library page. Patrons can place items on hold, browse the catalog and view virtual and in person programming. Patrons have access to 2 digital streaming services: Libby and Hoopla. There are numerous resources available for the community to use at home and in the library. Some of the resources include access to Ancestry.com, LinkedIn Learning and Peterson’s Test Prep.
The website has a link to a talking book collection and has information about the Bayside Special Service Library which is a branch of the Virginia Beach Public Libraries. It provides library services to Virginia Beach residents with visual, physical, and reading disabilities. Talking books, talking book players, audio magazines and catalogs are mailed directly to customers’ homes (VBPL, 2016).
The Wahab Public Law Library is located within the Virginia Beach Judicial Center on the ground floor of the building. All visitors who enter the building must pass thru a security screening including walking thru a metal detector. It was very intimidating walking into the Courthouse entrance to get into the library. The library space is small but would be welcoming to a business or law professional to utilize. There are several tables and chairs as well as study room where professionals were using the computers. This library holds many law books which are available for reference, but they are not able to be checked out. The walls were lined with collections of books all focused around state and nation-wide laws.
The parking lot is utilized by all people coming to the Virginia Beach Courthouse. It was a 5–10-minute walk from the car to the building, then another 25 minutes before I entered the library.
I witnessed several reference questions between the Librarian and a patron pertaining to Virginia Law. There were 2 computers that were linked to the library catalog which is organized by the Dewey Decimal system. The space had signage indicating the types of books that were available and resources that were available thru the city or other outside resources. This library caters to business and law professionals. I did not see any children but was not surprised by that.
There were 3 staff working in the Library. A Reference Librarian, Library Programming Specialist and a Library Aid who was shelving books. The clientele in this library was diverse. A lawyer was using the space for research and an elderly man was picking up holds that had been placed. I can see how this library would not feel welcoming to some people. People who have a negative past with the court system and those who do not want to walk thru a metal detector may steer clear of this library.
There is a small computer lab and printer that can be accessed with a library card. The library has circulating technology that can be checked out for personal use. Some of the items are Go Pro cameras, telescopes and a digital scanner. These items can be placed on hold and retrieved from any of the Virginia Beach Public Libraries.
I was impressed by the amount of literature that this library holds pertaining to local and government law. The staff was extremely knowledgeable and willing to assist the patrons with their searches. I don’t think I would visit this library again unless I needed law assistance. I prefer warm and welcoming environments and this reminded me more of a doctor’s office.
Virginia Beach Public Library. (2016) Bayside SSL – Home. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2022, from https://vbpltb.klas.com/
Wahab Public Law Library :: Vbgov.com – city of Virginia Beach. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2022, from https://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/libraries/locations/lawlibrary/Pages/default.aspx
I have always wondered what a law library is like. I always imagined them to have shelves upon shelves of big, older books. Probably the curse of television and movies at work. I have not had the chance to visit one in real life. I wonder how it would be different if not housed in the courthouse building, but a campus or something like that?
Thank you for sharing your experience.
I think my experience would have been different if it was not housed in the Courthouse building. It was a stressful experience getting into the library but it was nice once I arrived. It was filled with tons of old books. Loads of volumes of Virginia and government law books. It was a neat experience, if you are ever able to visit a law library.
I think it is a great idea to have the law library connected to the courthouse. Many lawyers and paralegals must use this resource for their cases. It would be interesting if there were two entrances, one from the inside of the the courthouse, and the other from the parking lot. I guess that would require more security, for the courthouse, if a library patron decided to head into the courthouse via the library, they would need another security/metal detector at that entrance point. I wonder how many patrons come through on any given day. Thanks for sharing your experience.