The Law Library remains a hub of activity for students

Among the many contributions to California Western during Dean Smith's era, few generate more pride and benefit more people than the Law Library, dedicated in 2000 by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Although Smith and a special committee of faculty and staff oversaw the project’s design and construction during the late 1990s, he credits his predecessor, Dean Emeritus Michael Dessent - who led the school from 1986 to 1996 - as the person most responsible for the creation of "the first new law school of the 21st Century."

"The genesis for a new library really dates back to 1992 during a very tough ABA inspection," recalls Dessent, who remains a professor at the school today. "They were extremely critical of the dilapidated shape of our library, noting that part of it was buried in the basement at the 350 building and part of it was located on the second floor. The ABA was right. Our library was an embarrassment and we had no choice but to figure out a way to upgrade it."

Professor Phyllis Marion, associate dean for Library and Information Resources, is still thrilled with the way the library turned out.

"Everyone actually avoided the library in the old days, but today the library is such a remarkably attractive focal point of our campus, it is fully utilized by our students and faculty for studying and conducting research, and we see many alumni and community members coming over to take advantage of our considerable resources.

"Even though it is 12 years old now, we still think of it as new, and it's been amazing how the facility has maintained its comfortable ambience as an academic refuge and working laboratory," she adds. "One reason is that when we designed it, we made sure it was both academically equipped and technologically advanced so our patrons could explore the legal world either through hard bound books or connections to the virtual world. I think most people would agree with me that this library has made California Western a much better law school."

BOB ROSS // RES IPSA ONLINE