Our history

In 1869 the founders of the Law Society resolved that the first objective of the Society would be the formation of a law library. The first library was set up in Victoria in 1869 followed by a library in New Westminster in 1890. The Vancouver library was established in 1893. Over the years the library system expanded throughout the province and in the early 1950s Vancouver became the main library.

The Society was formed in 1975 to manage the libraries throughout the province. In 1984 the Society changed its name from the B.C. Law Library Foundation to the British Columbia Courthouse Library Society.

Timeline

1975

B.C. Law Library Foundation formed.

1984

Name changed to B.C. Courthouse Library Society.

1988

Copy cards are first used for photocopying.

1993

Staff first accessed the Internet for users.

1995

Online catalogue became operational.

2001

Computer workstation roll out across 25 libraries.

2007

A - Z Knowledge Base goes public (renamed Asked & Answered and thenĀ renamed Our Legal Knowledge Base inĀ 2017)

2009

Clicklaw beta website launched.

LawMatters virtual launch.

2010

Launch of first Online Learning course for CPD.

2012

Lawyers' Reading Room launched (renamed Remote Access to Subscription Databases, 2017).

Clicklaw Wikibooks launched.

2013

Book-in-a-Box service launched.

2017

Online Community Platform.

2020

Adjustments to library service delivery in response to Covid-19.

2021

Abbotsford branch is opened.