The Law Library seeks to support student scholarship by maintaining and expanding collections that are both comprehensive and diverse and targeted towards student needs. The Law Library is home to several collections that are designed to enhance the law school experience. Collections of particular interest to law students are:
Reserve The reserve holdings include current periodicals and audio files such as Sum and Substance, and materials designated for reserve by members of the law faculty for use in their courses.
Open Reserve Nutshells, hornbooks and other study aids purchased by the library or generously donated by students are available for 48 hour checkout and browsing. The collection is located in the reference area near the Circulation Desk.
Exam Back filesPast examinations administered at the law school and donated by members of the law faculty are available electronically and in print at the Circulation Desk.
The Escape Hatch Collection DVDs, videos and books with legal themes or attorneys as characters are available for recreational reading and viewing with a 7 day checkout. Browse at your leisure, the collection is located in the student lounge across from the Circulation Desk.
Read Around Collection - Books donated to the library for recreational reading pleasure. These books are free for the taking. Feel free to make your own donation to the collection. The Read Around Collection is located in the student lounge.
The Law Library is primarily for the use of law students and faculty. Law students have 24 hour access via use of their University cards. University cards are required by entry doors for access from late evening through early morning.
Copy machines, which accept University cards as well as coins and bills, are located on the levels 2 and 3.
A wireless network is accessible throughout the law school.
Many of the law databases are IP restricted due to restrictions in the licensing agreements governing use of the databases. Instructions for off campus access to IP restricted databases are available at http://law.wlu.edu/technology/page.asp?pageid=539.
The Law Library is designed to provide a welcoming space for study and collaboration. Each student is assigned his or her own carrel for individual study space. Questions regarding carrels should be directed to Macy Coffey in the Library Administrative Office. A carrel list is available online and is displayed in the hall outside the Library Administrative Office.
The Library Research page is a gateway to Library services, information and resources. The online catalog for Washington and Lee University provides access to the holdings of the Law Library and the other University Libraries. Materials not available at the University may be requested through interlibrary loan. Please contact Linda Newell or a Reference Librarian for assistance with any interlibrary loan requests.
E-mail reference enables a student to ask questions of a Reference Librarian. Questions are usually answered within 24 hours of receipt.
The Law Library provides reference assistance from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday; and 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday. Inquire at the Circulation Desk for a Reference Librarian.
Law students may check out the Law Library's circulating meterials by using any of the self-checkout terminals located on the third floor at the Circulation Desk or on either level of the stacks. Materials may also be checked out at the Circulation Desk by a library assistant. Students may renew materials online unless the materials have been requested by another patron or have been renewed twice. Students with overdue items may not check out additional materials. Circulation periods vary depending upon the resource. In general, the categories of resources and their loan periods are:
Reading Room, Escape Hatch, New titles, Stacks, Court Reports & Periodicals - 7 days
Closed reserve - 4 hours
Open reserve - 48 hours
Audio/Visual - 48 hours
Non-Circulating - rare book room; reference; current magazines
Reading Room, Escape Hatch, New titles, Stacks, Court Reports & Periodicals -Closed reserve -Open reserve -Audio/Visual -Non-Circulating - rare book room; reference; current magazines
Circulating Books in the General Collection and Escape Hatch
First Third Notices - Fines are waived if material is returned within 21 days of the original due date ("the Grace Period").Upon the expiration of the Grace Period, accrued fines (50 cents per day) retroactive to the original due date will be owed.
A Final Notice will be issued after the expiration of the Grace Period plus 7 days at which point accrued fines plus the actual replacement cost of the material will be due.
Open Reserve, Closed Reserve, and Audio/Videotapes & DVDs (except Escape Hatch Videos/DVDs)
Fines are waived if material is returned within 24 hours of the original due date ("the Grace Period").Upon the expiration of the Grace Period, accrued fines ($1.00 per hour) retroactive to the original due date will be owed.
A Final Notice will be issued after the expiration of the Grace Period plus 24 hours at which point accrued fines plus the actual replacement cost of the material will be due.