Bricker & Eckler is one of Ohio’s leading law firms located within the Old Post Office on Third Street in downtown Columbus. The firm has additional offices in Cleveland, West Chester and Marietta and employs 140 attorneys. The law library employs three librarians who provide services to all branches and members of the firm. Services include news monitoring, business intelligence to assist with business expansion, research in legal and non-legal matters, tech services for circulation of library materials, due diligence on potential clients, and literacy training for summer and winter associates. Librarians are embedded within practice areas of the firm to provide specialized research.
Bricker & Eckler’s library is unique in size – in many firms, libraries are shrinking as more digital materials are utilized, but the library at Bricker is a central feature of the building. The library is responsible for providing resources for each area of the practice and so the librarians are deft at balancing resources and budgets to provide the best tools possible, as new attorneys and practice areas are added or change.
When we visited, the library was wrapping up Library Week, an annual program which promotes awareness and appreciation of the library to the entire staff. They offer training, host fun events, and provide food to bring attorneys in to check out the awesome tools the library provides. Susan Lowe, Director of Library Services shared that she loves her job. She said that librarians are really “adrenaline junkies” and her job is fast paced and exciting. She gets to be involved in every area of the practice and connects people with knowledge.
Fitch is an international design firm with North American headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. Fitch is known for innovative retail design and takes a multidisciplinary approach to environments, products, packaging, digital media, brand identity and brand experiences.
Fitch’s materials library supports their designers with samples of everything imaginable that could go into a retail store — from wallcoverings, upholstery, flooring, beautiful lighting and more. Designers can touch, feel and see how the various elements work together, and designers use the materials to help their clients envision future environments. In an age where so much is going digital, the tactile quality of the materials is important and can’t be replaced by technology. Having the materials library adds value to Fitch by speeding up the design process and creating more informed decisions.
Carly Tysh manages Fitch’s materials library and is an award-winning, senior designer. She does a fantastic job displaying the latest materials while creating an inviting space for easy access and conversations. Carly’s knowledge of team projects allows her to meet the needs of the designers, and her keen insights as an interior designer has led to the library’s increased functionality.
The Archives at the Ohio History Connection are a treasure trove of Ohio history. Open to the public, the library collection includes birth and death certificates, prison records, county directories, military rosters and so much more. The main room of the library houses only .005% of the entire collection, the rest lies in the stacks beyond (they span several stories of floor to ceiling shelves). The newspaper collection dates back to 1795, and visitors can browse through microfilm to read stories from local papers.
The library and archives are frequented by researchers and genealogists. Materials are also used in litigation to settle land disputes and by veterans to prove service with the help of military rosters. The library offers reference services via email and in person, and the library provides access to popular databases including Ohio Memory and Chronicling America.
