Memberships
About
Memberships
Please view our Borrower's
Rules for more in-depth information on Membership.
Any resident of San Diego County may apply for membership
and obtain a library card. You must provide a valid photo ID (and
proof of San Diego County residency if it is not included on the
ID) in person before the application will be processed.
| Membership
Categories |
Annual
Membership Dues |
Deposit* |
| Non-Attorney |
$10
|
$50
|
| Solo Attorney** |
$45
|
$50
|
| 2-3 Person Firm |
$45 per attorney
|
$65
|
| Firms, greater
than 3 attorneys |
$45 per attorney
|
dependent on size of the firm.***
|
|
* A deposit is required to set up the account; this amount
is refundable at account closure less any fines.
**Newly sworn-in attorneys (less than 24 months) enjoy $10 annual membership dues. After 24 months dues go up to $45.
*** Ask library staff for more information on setting up a
Firm account.
|
All memberships run October 1-September 30. Membership
created in April, May or June pay ½ price of full membership
dues (plus full deposit) and run only through Sept. 30 of that year.
All memberships are billed 4-6 weeks in advance of expiration.
Memberships must remain open for at least three months.
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How to Apply
for Membership
- Submit a completed membership application to any
branch. You may print one from below and complete it, or ask for
one in person.
- Pay the annual membership fee and security deposit.
We accept cash, check, or credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, and
American Express).
- We will create a library card which you will sign,
thereby accepting responsibility for everything checked out on
your card.
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Membership
Benefits
The benefits of membership are:
- Borrow library materials, including legal treatises, practice guides, MCLE materials, and self-help law books.
- Remote access to LegalTrac, a web-based online index of major law reviews, legal newspapers, specialty law publications, bar association journals and thousands of law-related articles from general interest publications including selective full text articles.
- Request materials from another library through an Interlibrary Loan.
- Law library members receive 4 hours of Conference Room usage at no charge.
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Membership
Responsibilities
This is not a comprehensive list of responsibilities.
Please see our Borrower's
Rules for greater detail.
1. DUE DATES:
Borrowers are responsible for knowing when their
materials are due. Our loan periods are shorter than most public
libraries, and ignorance of the due date is not an excuse. The
library sends out courtesy overdue notices, and lack of receipt
of a notice does not free the borrower from owing fines. We always
give a receipt upon check-out. Borrowers can view their due dates
via this
website, or call any branch
to find out when materials are due.
2. ITEMS CLAIMED “RETURNED”:
If a borrower thinks they’ve returned an item,
but it still shows as checked out to them, we will immediately
look for the item on the shelf. If we find it we will check it
in immediately and remove it from the record. If we do not find
it, the item is labeled “Claims Returned.” We will place
a one-month grace period in which both the borrower and the library
will search thoroughly for the material. If it is not found after
that month, the item will be treated as lost, and the borrower
will be billed..
3. FIRMS’ RESPONSIBILITIES:
Firms are responsible for the fines accrued by
its attorneys and staff. If a member leaves a law firm but has
items checked out or overdue fines accrued, it is the responsibility
of the firm to bring that account current.
4. DAMAGES TO MATERIALS:
Borrowers are responsible for damage sustained
during the period the items are checked out. If there are missing
pages, missing CD’s, liquid damage, broken binders, or other
damage found at checkout, library staff will make a note in the
record so the borrower is not fined. However, if neither the staff
nor the borrower notice these damages, the library will assess
all damages to the borrower upon the item’s return and hold
that borrower responsible.
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Account
Closures
Once opened, an account must remain open for a minimum
of three months before a request to refund the balance will be honored.
The security deposit, less any unpaid fines or other charges will
be refunded approximately six weeks after the Library receives a
member’s written request to close the account. To start the
account closure process you may download an Account
Closure Form and return it to any one of our Library locations.
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