1921
- 1931
Downtown Hartford
The law school operated out of rented space at several downtown locations, including 94 Allyn Street and the Hartford Trust Building. During this period, there was no dedicated law library, and students relied on the Hartford County Bar Library.
From the Archives
The college's first location at 94 Allyn
Street, rented space in the Hartford Wire Works Company building.
Display Advertisement in the Hartford Courant,
October 30, 1921.
1922-1923 Course Catalog page.
Excerpt from 1922 Catalog on Hartford location.
750 Main Street, Hartford Connecticut Trust
Building (1923-1926).
Gladys Judd Day, Hartford Bar Librarian, listed
as faculty in 1926 for "law books and their use."
Hartford Courant article (Sept 8, 1926) noting
the move to 51 Chapel Street.
51 Chapel Street (1926-1931), first location
with space dedicated to a 'library'.
1931
- 1940
44 Niles Street
The move to 44 Niles Street provided dedicated space for library collections and services. The school received ABA accreditation shortly after this period.
From the Archives
44 Niles Street facade.
1932-1933 Catalog cover featuring 44 Niles
Street.
ABA Accreditation notice, 1934-1935 Catalog.
Birdseye Case listed as the first Law
Library Director in 1934. He had also been a law professor at the Hartford College of Law starting in 1922.
Description of Library Facilities, 1934.
Day Division Announced in 1935.
Article: Valuable Gift of Books Received
(Jan 31, 1939).
Trustees' minutes outlining librarian
duties (1939).
1940
- 1964
39 Woodland Street
The move to 39 Woodland Street significantly increased available space. A later annex added dedicated stack areas and a reading room.
From the Archives
39 Woodland Street, former home of M.W.
Jacobus.
39 Woodland Street showing the new annex
addition.
The new reading room inside the annex.
Board of Trustees minutes regarding purchase of
39 Woodland.
Caroline Lillard, co-founder, managed the
library 1940-1942.
Obituary: George Lillard passed away October 25, 1940.
Margaret Taylor Lane appointed librarian. Ms. Taylor Lane's career would mostly take place in Louisiana but for two years, she oversaw the law library. She was a graduate of both the Louisiana State Law School and Columbia University School of Library Science. Board Minutes from January 16, 1946, show the Board accepting her resignation in that year. She went on work at the Louisiana State as Law Librarian and lecturer on Legal Bibliography and later as recorder of documents for the state of Louisiana.
Leon M. Liddell named Law Librarian. Liddell earned his legal degree at the University of Texas and was admitted to the Texas Bar. He worked both in private practice and for Insurance companies in the claims divisions before coming to the Law Library, which at that time was now the University of Connecticut School of Law. After a short stint in Connecticut, Liddell moved on to the University of Minnesota for the law librarian position there.
Karl Punzak put constant pressure on the Administration for increases to the library budget and the collection grew from 15,000 to over 22,000 volumes during this tenure. He also directed planning for a new wing at the 39 Woodland Street building. The entire second floor of this addition housed the main reading room of the Library.
Eileen M. Murphytook over as law librarian in 1956. Ms. Murphy had an MLS (Master of Library Science) from Pratt Institute Library School in New York City and a LL.B. from St. John's University. She moved on to an illustrious career after leaving UConn. She was hired as the first female attorney at General Motors Corporation in 1959 and played an important role in establishing the American Association of Law Librarians' (AALL) headquarters in Chicago.
Shirley Raissi Bysiewicz oversaw the move of the library to 1800 Asylum and staffing of a new space. She was a strong advocate for the library and staff.
Bysiewicz returned to her alma mater in 1956 to teach and in 1972 became the first female tenured professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law. She served as a law librarian and later library director. Bysiewicz is widely credited and commended for the growth and quality of the library's collections during her time as Director.
1964
- 1984
1800 Asylum Avenue
The move to 1800 Asylum Avenue marked the first purpose-built law library facility. During this period, early legal research technologies were introduced.
From the Archives
1800 Asylum Avenue in West Hartford.
West Hartford News Special Section, April 30,
1964.
Advertisement from West Hartford News.
Shirley Bysiewicz (second from left) with
students/faculty, 1979.
1968-1969 Library Staff List.
Library description, 1972-1973 catalog.
The main desk in the 1800 Asylum library.
Students studying, 1979.
Student reading newspaper in print format.
Student photocopying. First mention of Xerox in
1968.
Student at an early word processing machine.
Student using a microfiche reader.
1983-1984 Library Staff (expanded to 12).
Dennis Stone, Librarian 1983-1995.
Stone moved the library from 1800 Asylum to the new campus of the former Hartford Seminary. He also was instrumental in planning for the new library at 39 Elizabeth Street including spaces, collections and staff considerations.
1984
- 1995
Starr Library
The school moved to the former Hartford Seminary Campus. The library was located in Avery Hall, later named Starr Hall.
From the Archives
Starr Hall in Winter.
Avery Building archway, 1982-1983 catalog.
Starr Reading Room, Sept 1988.
Using the card catalog in Starr Library, 1988.
Students in the stacks, 1988.
Library as a community hub, 1983-1984 catalog.
Starr Reading Room (1995-1996 catalog).
Student reading in window at Starr Library.
Lexis and Westlaw terminals available by 1984.
Woman at Lexis terminal, 1988.
Group gathered around an early legal database
terminal.
New Library Construction Report (1990-1991).
Tree Topping for the new library, Dec 1994.
New Library under construction, 1995.
1996
- Present
Thomas J. Meskill Law Library
A standalone library opened in 1996. Dedicated as the Thomas J. Meskill Law Library in 2010.
From the Archives
The New Library.
Justice Stephen G. Breyer at the 1996
dedication.
Invitation to the new library dedication
(1996).
Specification sheet for new library.
Darcy Kirk, Director of the Law Library, 1995-2017 and Associate Professor of Law
Kirk came on while the library was moving into the new space. She had to quickly get up to date on the move and space configurations and was instrumental in improving study space and library layout in her first years as director.
Interior of the new library, 3rd floor.
Meskill Law Library Dedication, April 13, 2010.
Gov. Jodi Rell at the dedication.
Thomas J. Meskill Library at dusk.
Meskill Library dedication, Graduate Report
2010.
Rehab: Exterior construction (2008).
Rehab: Exterior scaffolding.
Rehab: Blocked fire door.
Rehab: Reference Stacks.
Rehab: Book trucks in reading room.
Rehab: Table in front of Reference Desk.
Rehab: Federal Room stacks.
Rehab: Insurance Collection stacks.
Jessica de Perio Wittman, Director
2018-present. de Perio Wittman has been director during a move from less print to more digital to online learning. During her time, law librarians have increased courses taught in legal research and writing, and added ones on access to justice and diversity in the law among others. Librarians also provide in class sessions on using legal databases, and provide one on one consulting to students for papers and projects. They also provide indepth research services for faculty.