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Services to the Public
The Law Library exists primarily to serve the needs of the students and faculty of the University of Connecticut School of Law. As a public institution and an integral part of the University of Connecticut, however, we are open to the entire community as a resource for legal information.
- Tours
- Driving Directions
- Use of the Library
- Library Hours
- Reference Assistance
- Borrowing Privileges
- Reserve Collection
- Printing
- Photocopying
- Interlibrary Loan
- Online Services
- Research Guides
- Policies
- Library Service Standards
Tours
Librarians are available to give group tours if requests are received in advance and staff are available at the requested time. The library staff also would like to be alerted in advance to any large group visiting the library or using the facilities. To arrange for a tour or to notify the library in advance about a group of visitors, contact Darcy Kirk, Associate Dean for Library & Technology (860-570-5109).
Driving Directions
It is easy to drive to the Law Library. Directions from the major highways are as follows:
- From I-91 Southbound: Take Exit 32-A to I-84 West
- From I-91 Northbound: Take Exit 32 to I-84 West
- From I-84 East or West: Take Exit 46 (Sisson Avenue)
- At the end of the ramp, turn right onto Sisson Avenue
- At the end of Sisson Avenue (2nd traffic light) turn left onto Farmington Avenue
- Take the first right onto Girard Street
- The campus is directly ahead on the right
- Turn right on Elizabeth Street
- The Library is the largest building on campus. Visitors may park on city streets close to the campus. Parking lots are reserved for Law School faculty, staff, and students.
Use of the Library
In order to provide the best possible service, the University of Connecticut Law Library must maintain an atmosphere conducive to research and study. It is expected that those who use the library will do so responsibly and appropriately, in accordance with library policies, without harassing other users or library staff and without damaging library facilities or collections. Patrons who violate any of these policies may lose their privilege to use the Law Library, and/or be subject to criminal prosecution or other legal action, as appropriate.
Library Hours
Detailed information about library hours (such as deviations from the above schedule due to holidays and intersession periods) can be found on the annual calendar.
Reference Assistance
Reference assistance is available seven days a week during the academic year. The Reference Desk is located on the third (main) floor of the library. Reference staff will be on call or at the desk during the following hours when classes are in session: 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday through Thursday; 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Friday; and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM Saturday and Sunday. Between semesters and during July and August there is no evening or weekend reference service.
Because assisting the students, faculty and staff of the University of Connecticut School of Law is the first priority of the Reference librarians, services to other patrons will be provided only to the extent that staff, time and other resources permit. Public patrons are welcome to consult the Law Library's online catalog. Reference librarians can direct the public to resources, but are not authorized to give legal advice or provide interpretive assistance to any patron. If help is needed to resolve a legal problem, or interpret the law, the public patron should consult a practicing attorney.
The Connecticut State Library on Capitol Avenue in Hartford is open to the general public and has a comprehensive law collection with a reference staff prepared to assist the public. Courthouse libraries are also open to the public.
Borrowing Privileges
The only items that may be checked out by members of the public are those items in the Reserve Collection. All Reserve items must be used inside the Library, and are loaned to patrons for a period of two hours.
Reserve Collection
The Reserve Collection, located behind the Circulation Desk, contains materials placed on reserve either by the Library or a professor. These materials include hornbooks, nutshells and other study aids, some current periodicals, and selected reference books. Reserve items may be checked out for two hours, for in-library use only. Public patrons must leave a driver's license or other photographic ID at the Circulation Desk to borrow reserve items. Overdue fines on reserve materials are $1.00 per hour with no maximum.
Printing
Printing is now available to the public at the workstation next to the Circulation Desk on the third floor of the library. Printouts cost $.15 cents per page and can be picked up and paid for at the Circulation Desk. The library is unable to provide change, so kindly plan accordingly. Printing is unavailable within 15 minutes of closing.
Photocopying
Members of the public can make photocopies at the photocopiers located on the 1st and 3rd floors of the library. The copier will accept $1, $5, $10, and dollar coins. The library is unable to provide change, so kindly plan accordingly.
Interlibrary Loan
Requests to borrow or obtain photocopies of materials from the collection of University of Connecticut School of Law Library are accepted from participating libraries through the OCLC interlibrary loan system. Photocopies are delivered by Ariel. The UConn Law Library gives priority to requests sent by other academic libraries, specifically, OCLC ILL libraries and NELLCO consortium libraries. Please check with the interlibrary loan department at your own institution to determine whether expedited reciprocal ILL service with the UConn Law Library (UCL) is possible.
Members of the public who are not affiliated with an academic institution may obtain interlibrary loan service through their local public library. Any Connecticut resident with a town library card in good standing may borrow materials from any public library in Connecticut through the State Public Library System. You may also use your town library card to order materials on interlibrary loan through the ReQuest system if your library has activated this service.
Public libraries and law firm libraries not using OCLC ILL must register here. Those that have already registered can logon here. We cannot guarantee rush service but we will ship FedEx if an account number is included in the request. We bill participating libraries by OCLC IFM. Interlibrary Loan fees are as follows:
Book loans:
$15.00 Academic, Public
$20.00 Corporate, For-Profit
$30.00 Outside North America
Photocopies By Mail/Ariel:
$20.00 minimum per article (up to 30 pages)
Surcharge: Additional $5.00 for every block of 10 pages after the first
30 pages. (31-40 pages = $25.00, 41-50 pages = $30.00, etc.)
Fax:
$25.00 minimum per article (up to 20 pages)
Surcharge: Additional $15.00 for every block of 10 pages after the first 20 pages. (21-30 pages = $40.00, 31-40 = $55.00, etc.)
Photocopies Faxed/Mailed Outside North America:
$30.00 minimum per article (up to 15 pages)
Surcharge: Additional $20.00 for every block of 15 pages after the first 15 pages. (16-30 pages = $50.00, 31-45 pages = $70.00, etc.)
If sent by Ariel, standard photocopy rates above apply.
Online Services
Members of the public may use the library's online resources from computers within the library. Public access to LOIS (Legal Online Information System) on the Web is available through a PC in the third (main) floor kiosk by the Reference Desk. Ask a reference librarian to assist you in accessing LOIS. This database contains primary legal material for the U.S. government and all fifty states. Other online subscription databases available through the Web also may be used within the library at public access workstations.
Members of the public may access our online catalog and our Weblinks resources from any computer via the Internet. The two major legal databases, LEXIS and Westlaw, are not available for public use according to the terms of our educational subscriptions.
Research Guides
The University of Connecticut law librarians have prepared a number of guides to legal research. They are available in print in the literature rack beside the Reference Desk, and also on our web site.