Research Support
During the academic year, a reference librarian is stationed at the reference desk throughout the week, as follows: 9 AM to 9 PM, Monday through Thursday; 9 AM to 5 PM on Friday and Saturday; 1 PM to 9 PM on Sunday. The reference desk is staffed from 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday, during the summer. While at the reference desk, the reference librarians are available to help faculty locate material and assist you in using library services and resources.
The Law Library's reference librarians are professional law librarians who are knowledgeable about the resources and services of the Law Library and the University's Falvey Library. They can conduct research projects on request, or facilitate your use of library resources, including databases and special services. Amy Spare is responsible for coordinating the Law Library's resources and services for School of Law faculty.
Faculty research assistants are entitled to additional privileges to facilitate their work. Research assistants can check out books on behalf of a faculty member in the Law Library and at the University’s Falvey Library (see "University Library" in this guide for special instructions). They are also permitted to register for a carrel in the Law Library for use related to their faculty research. There are a limited number of carrels available during the school year, but we are usually able to accommodate most requests.
Research assistants are encouraged to work closely with the reference librarians while doing faculty research. Please feel free to direct your research assistants to consult with a reference librarian at any time.
For questions about research assistants, please contact Amy Spare.
The Law Library subscribes to the legal databases Lexis and Westlaw. For questions about Lexis and Westlaw (passwords, home access, searching, individual and group training), contact Amy Spare.
The law library subscribes to a number of electronic indexes and databases, such as Congressional Universe, Legal Trac, Statistical Universe, World News Connection, and the UN Treaty Collection Online, used to find legal periodicals, federal legislative documents and other sources of legal information. Links to these and other sources can be found under the "Search Databases" link on the Law Library’s homepage. For assistance with these electronic resources, contact Amy Spare, or a reference librarian.
The University Library subscribes to a number of indexes and databases used in other disciplines, such as PsychInfo, Sociological Abstracts, PAIS, Contents1st, PubMed, and many others.
