Law Research Assistant Guide to the Law Library

When researching your article and/or pulling sources, look at the following:

• Check to see if someone has written a research guide on the topic!  See our research guides at  http://guides.libraries.uc.edu/lawlibrary. Some useful general guides:
  • Federal Administrative Law
  • Federal Legislative History
  • Ohio Legal Research
  • Secondary Sources
  • Statutes
• For interdisciplinary subjects, check one of the UC Library Subject Guides, http://guides.libraries.uc.edu. The subject guides are developed by UC librarians who specialize in that subject in order to find applicable indexes and full-text sources that you will then need to search. Remember that not everything is electronic!  Each subject guide will also have the contact information of the subject specialist who developed that guide.
• Check to see if someone has written a bibliography for the particular topic.  This could be in book or article form.  For example, Susan M. Boland & Therese Clarke Arado, O Brave New World - Electronic Voting Machines and Internet Voting: An Annotated Bibliography, 27 N. Ill. U. L. Rev. 313 (2007).

You can use OneSearch to see if a book is available in our library or another UC library. 

1. If a book you want is in our library, please go to the location, retrieve the book, and check it out at the Circulation Desk. Note that if your pick-up location and request location are the same, the request is not processed. In other words, if a book is available in the law library, do not request it. Instead retrieve the book yourself and check it out.
2. If a book you want is at another UC Library, you can either go to that location or request it to be sent here. To request a book from another UC Library:

• Click on the book and when the record page opens, sign in as a UC Students and Staff using your UC credentials if you have not already signed in.
• Under Get It, you should see a Request link (you will not see this link until you sign in). Click the Request Link.
• Select your Pickup Location: Law Library will be one of the options in the drop-down menu
• Click on the Send Request button.

1. If a book you want is not available at UC, you may be able to find and borrow it through the OhioLINK. To get a book from OhioLINK:

• Click on the book and when the record page opens, sign in as a UC Students and Staff using your UC credentials if you have not already signed in
• Click the Get it for me from other libraries link
• then click the Get It button under Get it from OhioLINK. 
• Select your Pickup Location: Law Library will be one of the options in the drop-down menu
• Click on the Send Request button.

The book will be delivered to the Law Library and we will deliver it to you when it arrives. Be aware that it may take 7 or more days to arrive.  Note that even if checking out a book for a faculty member, YOU and not the faculty member are responsible for that book unless you have checked out that book as an authorized faculty borrower under the faculty member's account.  Be sure and renew and return your books as needed. Be sure and renew and return your books as needed. Check your account to see when books are due or renew books at My Library Card.

If a book you want is not available in in OneSearch at a UC or OhioLink Library, you will need to submit an Interlibrary Loan Request.

• Find the book in WorldCat (use the box below for a simple search, use the WorldCat Advanced Search for more search options).
  • To access advanced WorldCat, you will need to authenticate. 
• Fill out an ILL form with the information you found in WorldCat. Note that the Law Library does not use ILLiad at this time.

How Long Can You Keep Something Checked Out?

Note that periodicals and reference materials do not circulate and out student circulation desk staff cannot override the system. If you need to check out law material that does not normally circulate, please contact Circulation Manager Justin Ellis or Collections & Access Librarian Lisa Wernke so that arrangements can be made.

Paying Fines

The Law Library does not have the authority to waive fines from other libraries. Check your account and renew books at My Library Card. Please note that for books where a replacement charge has been billed (30 days overdue), even if the book is later returned there will be a $50 billing fee.

The Fine Appeal Committee (for the entire UC library system) reviews fine charges that patrons wish to appeal. To appeal a fine, complete the Fine Appeal Form. The fine appeal form can be e-mailed to the Circulation and Multimedia Services Department at uclibcirc@ucmail.uc.edu. Payments of library fines may be made by check or money order (payable to the University of Cincinnati) by Bearcat Campus Card (UC ID) at the Langsam Library Circulation Desk, or by mail at: Circulation and Multimedia Services, Langsam Library, PO Box 210033, Cincinnati OH 45221-0033. Payments can also be made with a Bearcat Card by phone at (513) 556-1424. They do not accept cash or credit.

There are many treatises available through Lexis, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law.

Some books may be available via Google Books.  Primarily, these are books within the public domain.  Limited previews may be offered for other books.  If you need a copy of a book found through Google Books, please check WorldCat and fill out an Interlibrary Loan Request.