Welcome back! This week in the Law Library we welcome everyone back, introduce 1Ls to legal research and sources of legal authority, teach technology in law practice, train Law Review cite checkers, and highlight useful law school survival resources.
Welcome Back
Welcome back, we missed you! Sign up for building tours and view building maps.
Law Library Hours & Services
Library Access
Building doors are unlocked Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm. 2L and 3L law students, law faculty, and law staff have key card access 24/7. New students who received their Bearcat ID card prior to 8/19/22 should have access to the building with your ID card. Student who have not yet secured their Bearcat ID card, or obtained it after 8/19/22, will not have key card access to the building. Please contact Justin Ellis, Law Library Circulation Manager to arrange for access.
The Law Library is still under construction and currently our stacks are closed. Please request books through UCLID, the online catalog.
Circulation hours
Monday — Friday 8:00am – 6:00pm
Closed Saturday and Sunday
Closed Monday, Sept. 5
Research & Library Help
Take advantage of librarian expertise! Schedule an appointment, email us, or stop by our offices. We’ll be happy to help with suggestions for sources and tips. Also, don’t forget the Library’s Web page and many research guides.
Library Study Areas
Seats are available on a first come, first serve basis. We are not reserving group study rooms at this time. The quiet reading room is on the 4th floor, room 445.
This Week’s Research Sessions
Tuesday, August 23, 2022
Lawyering I, sec. 2
Susan Boland, Interim Director & Laura Dixon-Caldwell, Instructional & Reference Services Librarian
Room 135
9:00am – 10:25pm
Introduction to Legal Research
Lawyering I, sec. 4
Michael Whiteman, Associate Dean of Library Services
Room 170A
10:40am – 12:05pm
Introduction to Legal Research
Lawyering I, secs. 5 & 6
Susan Boland, Interim Director & Laura Dixon-Caldwell, Instructional & Reference Services Librarian
Room 230
1:30pm – 2:55pm
Introduction to Legal Research
Technology in Law Practice
Shannon Kemen, Legal Technology & Research Instructional Services Librarian
Room 107
11:10am – 12:05pm
Friday, August 26, 2022
Law Review CiteChecker Training
Susan Boland, Interim Director
Room 140
12:15pm – 1:15pm
Featured Study Aid
CALI
CALI stands for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction. CALI.org is a non-profit consortium of law schools – of which UC Law is a member – that develops and distributes legal education lessons to the consortium members. If using CALI, you will need to create an account (if you have not already done so) using a Cincinnati Law authorization code. You can obtain this code from a librarian.
There are over 400 CALI lessons dealing with First Year topics. You can also browse lessons tied to a specific casebook.CALI also publishes a selected number of free e-books. Of particular note are the Federal Rules.
Featured Database
Preview of United States Supreme Court Cases on HeinOnline
Preview is an eight-issue subscription publication that provides, in advance of oral argument, expert, plain-language analysis of all cases given plenary review by the Supreme Court. Preview Issues 1-7 precede the Court’s seven argument sessions from October to April. Published in July following the close of the Court’s term at the end of June, Preview Issue 8 reviews the term using a combination of charts, statistics, case summaries, and essays.
Featured Videos
Sources of Law & Legal Authority Video Part 1
This video discusses sources of law and legal authority among the different branches of government and looks at the weight of different primary law authority. The video is 8:11 minutes long and features closed captioning and a table of contents.
Sources of Law & Legal Authority Video Part 2: Hierarchy of Case Law
This video focuses on the hierarchy of case law and looks at the federal court system and several different state court systems. The video is 7:30 minutes long and features closed captioning and a table of contents.
Featured Guides
1-L Survival Guide
This guide provides vital information on library resources and services for first year law students.
LLM Survival Guide
This guide provides vital information on law library resources and services for LL.M. students.
Law Student Guide to the Law Library
This guide provides an overview of the Law Library for law students.