John Goss, Law Library Director
The Winnebago County Law Library is located on the third floor of the Winnebago County Courthouse. Winnebago County has a full time Law Library Director. The facility is available to serve all judges, attorneys, public officials and the public during regular courthouse hours. The Library continues to maintain a core print collection of research materials. For materials outside of Illinois, the library has chosen to steadily reduce its print subscriptions and instead rely on web-based resources. Two public access Westlaw® terminals are available for computer assisted legal research.
The Winnebago County Self-Help Legal Center is located within the law library. The Self-Help Legal Center provides access to court forms and provides general information about court rules, terms and procedures to self-represented litigants. A navigator is present during normal working hours to assist individuals with using the available computer and print resources. The Winnebago County Self-Help Legal Center was opened in May 2007. In calendar year 2025, the Winnebago County Self-Help Legal Center provided assistance to 8,373 individuals.
The Boone County Self-Help Center closed its doors in early 2025.
Additional resources can be found on the Circuit's website at https://illinois17th.com/public-info/court-resources/law-library
In 2025, new furniture, computer terminals, and “pods” were installed in the Law Library, making it a more welcoming environment for its 8,373 visitors.