A plan to move the Butler County Law Library from Journal Square to the Government Services Center could save the county about $100,000 annually, but where to put it in the 11-floor building is up for debate.

Randy Quisenberry, county purchasing manager, said the law library could stay in the Robinson Schwenn building, but in a smaller space, or move to a county-owned space, which would save $100,000 in lease and utility costs. The idea is part of an ongoing space study for county offices, and officials said the law library does not need as large a footprint with the move to many digital materials.

Quisenberry asked the commissioners Thursday to approve relocating the law library to the ninth floor of the government services building. Space there became open after the downsizing of the county job and family services department.

“I am absolutely against moving the law library to the ninth floor,” Commissioner Cindy Carpenter said, noting such a move would eliminate future use of the floor for other things.

Carpenter, who spearheaded the county’s space study, said a logical location for the law library is in the current super courtroom on the second floor just behind the commission chambers. The spacious courtroom is reserved for trials with multiple defendants and attorneys and remains empty during most of the year. In the past few months, commissioners have moved executive sessions and work sessions into a portion of the room.

Carpenter said when presented in the past with a proposal to move the law library there, “the judges pushed back and said it was their domain.” She said she wanted a chance to meet with the judges again and talk about a solution.

Common Pleas Judge Charles Pater, who serves as the administrative judge, said the judges need to have someplace that will accommodate large cases when they arise. But they have no problem with the super court room being used for multiple purposes, such as a jury room or commission meetings.

Commissioner Don Dixon said the super courtroom likely cost $300 per square foot to build and there may a more cost effective location to remodel.

“The mistake was building it in the first place,” Dixon said of the courtroom.

Another proposal is to put the law library on the first floor and move the jury hold room to the super courtroom.

Law Library Director Joe Hodnicki said his preference is to relocate to the first floor, but any location in the government services building is welcome.

“We want to be located where our users are,” Hodnicki.

A work session will be planned in the next two weeks to discuss the relocation options.