Library Policies

Access Policy

Authorized Users
Affiliated users of the Marshall Law Library include students, faculty and staff of University System of Maryland campuses; attorneys; School of Law alumni; and UMMC and VA staff. Students with valid IDs may bring guests into the library, but those guests must be accompanied by the student at all times.

Visitors are welcome to use the resources of the Law Library only for the purpose of conducting legal research or using government databases or print materials.
Required Identification
Affiliated users must present current photo identification associated with the campus or organization listed above. Attorneys should present proof of current bar membership along with government-issued photo identification. Alumni will be asked to show a valid driver's license or other government-issued photo identification to the security officer at the main entrance. The officer will check the name against a list of alumni.

Visitors must present a government-issued photo identification. If the request for entrance is granted, the security officer will scan the photo identification, take a photograph of the visitor, and issue a visitor's badge which must be worn and visible at all times.
Hours of Access
Before 9:00 a.m. and after 8:00 p.m. on weekdays, and all day on weekends, access to the Marshall Law Library is granted only to authorized affiliated users. Visitors may not remain in the library after 8 p.m. on weekdays, and will be asked to leave at that time.
Conditions of Access
Visitor access is granted solely for the purpose of using library resources. Use of other portions of the law school building (courtyard, vending area, dining area, computers in other parts of the school, etc.) is strictly prohibited. Visitors who are not using library computers or library study areas for legal research purposes will be asked to leave.

Accessibility

The facility provides accommodations for those with disabilities that go beyond what is required by law. Switch plates are operational on the main library entrance door as well as on all restroom doors. All study carrels and tables in the library will accommodate wheelchair users. Students who have questions about library accessibility issues or who have special needs should contact libraryweb@law.umaryland.edu.

Cell Phones

Cell phone use is limited to designated cell phone areas in the law library. The designated areas are the Lounges on the 3rd and 4th floors, all Group Study rooms, and the Fayette Street stairwell. Cell phone booths are located just outside the law library entrance and between the law library and the law school on the 1^st level.

Cell phone users should set phones on an inaudible setting while in the library. If you receive a call, please go to one of the designated areas to use your cell phone.

Circulation Policy

The Thurgood Marshall Law Library is primarily a research and reference collection of law and law-related materials to be used within the library. Therefore, many categories of legal materials do not circulate, including court reports, statutes, codes and regulations, digests, indexes, encyclopedias, directories, periodical volumes, parts of multi-volume treatises, and looseleaf services. These books must be used in the library and should be reshelved immediately after use to ensure availability to other patrons. Library materials that are available for general circulation, primarily monographic works, circulate via the library’s automated circulation system.

In addition to law library borrowing privileges, law students and faculty are entitled to direct borrowing privileges at 14 Maryland public colleges and universities either by going to the other library or by using the self-service "holds" delivery system available in the Catalog. Books requested via the "holds" system will be delivered to our library. The library also provides an interlibrary loan service for items not found in its collection or in the collections of other University System of Maryland libraries. If you are a University of Maryland School of Law graduate, please refer to our alumni services page for more information.

For more details regarding borrowing from the Thurgood Marshall Law Library or other institutions, please see our Circulation page.

Printing & Copying

Printing and copying in the library may be paid for with a UM One Card (the University of Maryland, Baltimore ID card). Visitors may purchase a card to print or make photocopies.

Further information can be found on the library's technology information page

Food & Beverages

Beverages in spill-proof containers are permitted in the library except in the reading rooms on levels 2 and 3 and in equipment areas. Hot food and food that requires utensils is not permitted. Essentially cold snacks are allowed, but meals must be consumed outside the library. Food and drinks are not allowed in equipment areas, the computer classroom, library stacks, or either of the two reading rooms. If you spill, please clean up your mess. Restrooms on every level have paper towel dispensers.

Please follow these simple rules and do not force us to become food and drink police. Not many libraries allow food or drink of any kind, because the potential for damage to the books and computers is great. Because we want to make your study time as comfortable as possible, we are stretching the rules. We need your cooperation to keep this up.

Group Study Rooms

Study rooms are available for use by law students only. Two study rooms on the third floor of the library (Rooms 3321 and 3322) may be used on a first-come-first-served basis. Other third floor study rooms (3320, 3323, 3324 and 3325) can be reserved via the Room Reservation System. Reservations that violate or attempt to abuse library policies will be cancelled. A minimum of two names (first and last names) with @umaryland e-mail addresses must be given for each reservation request. Three hours is the maximum reservation time per day and per session. Reservations for rooms will be taken only up to one week in advance. Library staff may check IDs at any time. The Reading Room on the second and on the third floor cannot be reserved for group study or classes and has been designated as a quiet zone.

Paging & Messages

The library does not have a paging service, nor does it have a place to post messages.

Quiet Zones

The open areas of the library have been designated as quiet zones for studying and research. When you are in these quiet areas, please refrain from cell phone and other conversations. The library’s student lounges (Rooms 3314 and 4409) are available if you need to conduct a conversation. Please let someone know at the User Services Desk if other library users are being disruptive in a quiet area.

Reshelving

To insure maximum availability of library materials, patrons are expected to reshelve all materials they have used. If you do not know where a book belongs on the shelf, please leave it at the User Services Desk.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted inside any part of the library or law school, including the courtyard and the roof terrace.

Special Collections

The Special Collections of the Thurgood Marshall Law Library are open to students, faculty and staff of the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI), and to members of the public for in-house use only. Access to the collections is by appointment only, please contact Special Collections at the Library to make an appointment. Access to certain collections may be restricted based on condition, availability and/or prior donor arrangements. There is no charge to use the collections, however there may be a fee for copying or other services.

Telephones

A public telephone is located just outside the entrance to the law library. Campus telephones are located in the library in the compact shelving area on level 1 and in the Imaging Rooms on levels 1, 2 and 3.