How the Library Can Help You Survive the First Year of Law School
Library Website
The Library’s website is: http://www.law.umaryland.edu/marshall/. Use the Law Library’s online catalog “Discovery Service @ UM Carey Law” on the homepage to find and borrow materials in the Law Library and other University of Maryland libraries.
Save time ask for help!
For research assistance, stop by the User Services Desk on the 2nd floor at any time, and don’t worry—you aren’t bothering us; we want to help! We also provide a list of research guides and helpful library tips.
Each course in the law school is also assigned a liaison librarian; that’s the person to contact if you need help finding information for that class. You’ll find the liaison’s name and contact details on the course’s Blackboard page. Most course liaisons are located on the fourth floor of the library.
The Office of Technology, which also located on the fourth floor of the library, provides the School of Law support with e-mail, setting up wireless access, virus and SPAM protection, network security, computerized exams, etc. Stop by the Help Desk in room 4401F or complete this help form for assistance.
Library Hours
Library Hours vary throughout the year, with extended hours during the exam period.
Reading Room
Just to the right of the library entrance is the Rothenberg Reading Room. Besides being a great place for quiet study, the shelves in here hold basic legal books for many courses, including all of the first-year courses. For a listing of the available books, go to Quick Links and click on “Reserves.” The library also buys one copy of all assigned course books, which are also kept in the Reading Room for in-house use. These are not substitutes for your purchase of the book, but can be useful if you forget your book, or just need to read a few pages. We also suggest books that can help with your classes and exams this year.
Legal Databases
Each first year student is provided a password to Lexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law. You may use these databases anywhere to find full text of cases, law journal articles, and even some books. With a UMBID and password, 24/7 remote access is available to many of the Law Library’s other online databases without a password. Instructions for accessing library databases.
CALI:
CALI lessons are a great way to master material during the semester or when studying for exams. The lessons are interactive, computer-based tutorials provided by the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction. You will find the lessons online by choosing CALI under Databases on the library’s home page and following the instructions and the link to register. Once you’ve registered, you can login just by going to www.cali.org.Printing, Photocopying and Scanning
You can use your UMBOne card for printing, copying and scanning on level 2 of the library. You can also set up your laptop for law school printing.
Lexis also offers free printing to law students from its database. Its printers are located on the 3rd floor of the library. Even from a remote location you can send print jobs to the Lexis printers and then pick them up in the library.
Study Space:
If you and at least one other student would like a quiet place to meet or study, you can reserve a group study room for up to 3 hours in any one day. Reservations can be made via the web up to a week in advance. Choose “Reserve a Room” from the Quick Links menu on any library web page. In addition to the group study rooms, students may use the individual study carrels, tables and soft seating located throughout the library. Study carrels are wired for laptop use and Ethernet cables.
Food and Drink:
You may bring drinks into the library in spill-proof containers. Snack food is also permitted, but not hot food or food requiring utensils. Food and drinks are not allowed in equipment areas, library stacks, or either of the two reading rooms.
Exams
Yes, exams are a long way away, but in case you want to see sample exam questions in your courses, the library maintains an electronic file of previous course exams to which faculty members may choose to contribute. Exams are available under the Quick Links menu from the Library’s homepage.
Social Networking
Here are a few ways to stay current on library news:
- “Like” the Law Library Facebook page to receive important information regarding library updates and legal news.
- Twitter: @UMDLawLibrary
