Quick Facts about the Mabee Legal Information Center:
Just the Facts:
- Opened its doors on Monday, January 17, 2000
- Cost: $10.4 million * Total gross square footage: 70,500
- Expansion gross square footage: 31,000
- Renovated area gross square footage: 39,500
The Design Team:
- Architects: The Hillier Group of Princeton, NJ / Coleman-Johnston-Clyma, Inc. of Tulsa
- Interior Designer: Woody Design Associates Construction: Manhattan of Tulsa
Special Design Features:
- Suite for alumni with a high-tech conference room, adjacent to the John Forrester Hicks College of Law History Archives.
- Career Services interview rooms (2): scheduled for students to interview for employment with law firms, corporations, courts, etc.
- Seven miles of shelving.
- Three electronic compact shelving units
- Seats more than the law school student body: Total seating for students & patrons = 704.
- Speciality Rooms, including center for NELPI (National Energy-Environment Law & Policy Institute) and suites for certificate programs:
- Native American Law
- Comparative and International Law
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Lawyering Skills
- Offices for our three student journals & Advocates:
- Tulsa Law Review
- Energy Law Journal
- Comparative and International Law Journal
- Board of Advocates
- Computing Resources Offices
- The Clara Flinn Lounge
- Six collaborative study rooms for student group study
- Student Bar Association Office
Technology:
- Wireless network throughout the MLIC
- Total number of Data Jacks for wired connections: approx. 715 [334 in the Legal Information Center and 381 in John Rogers Hall
- New 100 Megabit switched network and wiring for John Rogers Hall
- 3 Computer Labs provide 36 PCs for student use
- Technology Training Center: 24 laptop computers and “smart podium” for Professor in this electronic classroom
Traditional resources:
- West’s National Reporter System, all 50 State Legislative Codes
Interesting architectural features:
- Rotunda as connector between the expansion and rest of John Rogers Hall
- Clerestory windows above the atrium in the two-level grand main reading rooms, creating a well-lighted, high space
- Natural light brought into all levels of expansion
- Large open spaces attributable to a design using "moment connections" on steel frame instead of diagonal wind bracing
- Two stone materials accenting each other: Tennessee Ledgestone which is seen elsewhere on campus and Caststone
- Use of aluminum brake metal and lead-coated copper
- Use of fine woods, especially solid cherry finishes
- New automatic sprinkler system throughout entire Legal Information Center
- A warm and spirited space
Recognition and Awards:
- Featured in American Libaries April 2000 "Fabulous Facilities" Architectural Issue.
- Also featured in Library Journal's December 2000 Architectural Issue.
- Manhatten Construction Company received the 2000 "Construction Award of Excellence in Recognition of Outstanding Quality in the Construction of the University of Tulsa Legal Information Center" by the Association of Building Contractors of Oklahoma.
Art:
- Commissioned art by Native American artist Shan Goshorn and a glass collage celebrating diversity in the Belsky Gallery in honor of Dean Martin H. Belsky.
- Other original art pieces in the Native American Law Center, the Rotunda and the Comparative and International Law Center.