Stetson Law Library Historical Society

For over 100 years, Stetson Law has been at the center of legal education. In 1954, Stetson Law moved from DeLand to the beautiful campus in Gulfport and occupied the 17 buildings which had been part of the Hotel Rolyat built in 1925. In 1958, the College of Law opened the Charles A. Dana Library, named after Mr. Charles A. Dana, New York attorney, financier, and philanthropist.

In 1998, a new Law Library and Legal Information Center opens across from the College of Law. For the opening, the College of Law hosted United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. On Saturday, Sept. 5, 1998, Justice Ginsburg was the keynote speaker for the dedication of the new law library. Ginsburg discussed the history and evolution of law libraries in the United States, the changes in law education over the course of history, and the rise of women in the law profession. The new 59,100 square foot building emulates the architecture of the Rolyat Hotel.

In 2010, the Legal Information Center was renamed the Dolly & Homer Hand Law Library. In 2022, the Law Library Historical Society was established to promote the collection and preserve the history of the Law Library.