Founded in 1802, Jenkins Law Library continues to provide the legal community with access to information and a welcoming place to gather in the City of Philadelphia. The library currently serves its members and the public with legal research assistance through reference services, legal databases, research guides, and more.

This year’s theme for National Library Week is “Drawn to the Library.” As the nation’s first law library, Jenkins features a mixture of the old and the new. I had the chance to speak with Nancy Garner and Ida Weingram, the library’s Co-Executive Directors, to learn more about Jenkins and what has drawn individuals through the library doors for more than 200 years.

Flipping Pages: Jenkins History

The library, which was founded by 71 prominent attorneys of the time, started as the Law Library Company of the City of Philadelphia. The founders “resolved to jointly purchase legal books locally at auction, and also from London, to establish the library’s core collection.”^[1]Regina L. Smith, America’s First Law Library, 64 PHILADELPHIA LAWYER 112 (Winter 2002). This document can be found in HeinOnline’s Bar Journals Library. Shares of stock in the company were sold for $20, and annual dues were only $2.

In 1805, the Law Library Company published its first catalog consisting of 391 volumes. The catalog was compiled by one of the library’s founders, William Rawle, and was the first law catalog published in America.^[2]Regina L. Smith, America’s First Law Library, 64 PHILADELPHIA LAWYER 112 (Winter 2002). This document can be found in HeinOnline’s Bar Journals Library. The library merged with the Associated Members of the Bar in 1827 and became known as the Law Association of Philadelphia. It was later changed to the Law Library of the Philadelphia Bar Association in 1931.

It wasn’t until 1967 that the library took its current name when the provisions of Madeleine Jenkins’ will and testament were carried out. Madeleine, Theodore F. Jenkins’ wife, wanted to honor Theodore’s wish to improve legal research in Philadelphia. She “bequeathed approximately two million dollars to the Philadelphia Bar Association to establish a memorial in her husband’s name that would benefit members of the Philadelphia Bar and the public.”^[3]Regina L. Smith, America’s First Law Library, 64 PHILADELPHIA LAWYER 112 (Winter 2002). This document can be found in HeinOnline’s Bar Journals Library. Judge Theodore F. Jenkins was a former Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association from 1920 to 1923 and had a longstanding legal career.

In 1992, Jenkins once again became a membership library. Membership to the library now runs on a 12-month cycle. Throughout the years, the library has adapted to information technologies. In 1990, the library created its first online catalog, named the Jenkins Automated Catalog (JAC), and launched the first version of the library’s website in 1996.

New Chapters: The Library Today

Jenkins Law Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation and is governed by a board of directors. The library, which consists of a team of reference librarians and support staff, provides research services to more than 6,000 members. It also still remains open to the public.

According to Jenkins, the mission of the library has been “dedicated to bringing people and information together within the legal community and is committed to providing value through its outstanding service, comprehensive access to legal and other information, relevant educational programs, the latest technologies, and a hospitable place to work and visit.”

Weingram says the library was the first institution to offer hands-on research classes for Continuing Legal Education (CLE). The classes range in topic from general searching across the Internet to business and how to access government materials. The classes started to be offered at Jenkins in 1996.

One aspect of the library that stands out is the community relationship that Jenkins has formed with the First Judicial District of Philadelphia’s Family Court Help Center. According to Garner and Weingram, the opportunity to form a community alliance like this one is rewarding and fosters a sense of pride. Since 2019, the library’s volunteers have been able to assist self-represented litigants and provide legal information at no cost about simple (no property or assets), no-fault divorces.

Looking ahead, Garner and Weingram think Jenkins will continue to adapt to digital changes while also providing resourceful print texts, such as older volumes of the Pennsylvania Statutes. They are interested in seeing how Artificial Intelligence (AI) will develop and how it can possibly play a productive role in the library setting.

“We have always worked as a team and have gained such institutional knowledge over the years,” Garner said in regards to helping their members and visitors of library.

Visit Your Library

National Library Week is being celebrated across the country April 6–12. It is a great time to explore what your library has to offer whether its browsing stacks of books or conducting research online. National Library Week highlights the impactful role of libraries, librarians, and library staff and how their work strengthens communities.

Discover more HeinOnline blog posts where we have recognized National Library Week:

• Behind Every Case: Celebrating National Library Week with Law Firm Librarians
• Voices of the Library: Spotlighting Librarians for National Library Week 2023
• Connect With HeinOnline’s Digital Library this National Library Week

The Social Law Library, located in Boston, is known as the second oldest library in America and was founded in 1803. According to the library’s website, the Social Law Library “provides research materials, training, continuing legal education and other services to the three branches of Massachusetts government, dues-paying members from all segments of the private bar throughout Massachusetts, as well as to legal-services organizations and law-related nonprofits in every region of the Commonwealth on a pro bono basis.”

When researching, LibGuides can serve as a helpful resource. These guides—found at many libraries nationwide —provide a wealth of knowledge and tools for productive research on different topics. HeinOnline has an A-Z listing of LibGuides that are available, and each guide can help users learn more about database content and interface functionality. Jenkins Law Library and the Social Law Library also both offer a variety of research guides focusing on a multitude of law-related subjects.