Sometimes court cases are concerned with the exact date that the Libraries added a particular book to its collection. Oftentimes this is in connection with a UT thesis or dissertation, but we've been asked about when journals or books were added to our collection, too. Sometimes it involves a patent or copyright dispute, but it could be anything. Sometimes it is obvious that a law firm is inquiring about such matters with the intent of providing such information to a court, sometimes it isn't so obvious.
If you receive a question about library records, such as the date an item was catalogued or added to the collection – even if you are unsure of the motive behind the question – a prudent response would be to have the user make an open records request:
http://www.utexas.edu/business/vp/open_records.html
Then, at least we will have been advised by appropriate authorities on campus before responding and this will assist in reducing our risks of litigation and liability.
In cases where legal information is being sought in connection with any part of our collection, patrons should be directed to the Office Of the Vice President For Legal Affairs---
https://legal.utexas.edu/open-records-request
https://legal.utexas.edu/open-records-faqs
The main phone number for this office is 512-471-1241.
If you're unsure about this situation, feel free to contact Joe Dobbs.
(updated 6/2016)