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Introductory Guide for First Year Students

This guide will help new law students get started with Law School and become more familiar with the Law Library.

Applied Legal Experience, Research, & Technology (ALERT) Program

The Applied Legal Experience, Research, & Technology (ALERT) Program is a non-credit program that provides students with additional opportunities outside of the College of Law’s curriculum to learn advanced legal research and technology skills.  By completing the program, students can demonstrate to potential employers a desire to obtain practice-ready legal research skills and an ability to hit the ground running.


ALERT Sessions

We offer four 50 minute sessions each semester. To complete a session, you must attend the session in person or watch online, and successfully complete the associated quiz on the ALERT iCollege page.  Online asynchronous ALERT sessions are also available.  To complete these, simply follow the directions provided in the Online ALERT box in the upper right-hand corner of the page.  


ALERT Fall 2024 Schedule

All sessions will be held in Room 538.

Topic I – Bluebooking 101

  • Monday, Sept. 9th
    • 5-5:45pm
  • Wednesday, Sept. 11th
    • 2:45pm-3:30pm

Topic II – Historical Georgia Research

  • Tuesday, Oct. 8th
    • 5-5:45pm
  • Wednesday, Oct. 9th
    • 2:45pm-3:30pm

Topic III – Understanding Algorithms & Fact-Checking AI

  • Monday, Oct. 14th
    • 5-5:45pm
  • Wednesday, Oct. 16th
    • 2:45pm-3:30pm

Topic IV – Word Formatting Tips Every Lawyer Should Know

  • Monday, Nov. 4th
    • 5-5:45pm
  • Wednesday, Nov. 6th
    • 2:45pm-3:30pm

Completion Requirements

Students will have their entire law school career to complete the program. Students will be recognized at Awards Day for completion and also receive a digital badge immediately upon finishing each level. Online and in-person sessions count towards this total number. The levels of completion are as follows:

  • Completion with Distinction - 6 sessions completed
  • Completion with High Distinction - 8 sessions completed
  • Completion with Highest Distinction - 10 sessions completed

For more information, see the ALERT webpage. The ALERT Program also has its own iCollege page. Contact Alison Guffey with any questions.

Personal Librarian Program

undefinedAs an incoming student, you will be assigned your very own Personal Librarian! It's a great way to connect you with the Law Library, as well as librarians. We will communicate with you monthly and keep you aware of library programming and information about the library, such as hours changes, hiring, etc.

Feel free to also reach out to your Personal Librarian. Throughout the semester, there may be times when you prefer not to ask your Research Methods in Law professor a question, like "I missed class and need help with..." Transferring students may not have much in-class time with a librarian, so we are also available to talk to you about seminar papers or other questions you may have during your time at GSU. 


Meet Your Personal Librarian

Learn more about each librarian here!

 

Pam Brannon

pbrannon@gsu.edu

 

Meg Butler

mbutler@gsu.edu

 

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Patrick Parsons

pparsons@gsu.edu

Gerard Fowke

gfowke@gsu.edu

Alison Guffey

aguffey3@gsu.edu

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Terrance Manion

terrance@gsu.edu

Law Library Blog

The Blackacre Times features library news and announcements, along with helpful tips and brief descriptions of resources you may find useful in your research. Click the image below and bookmark our blog! 

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Social Media

Follow us on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram for updates, such as new blog posts from the librarians and student GRAs! Click the images below to visit and follow us.

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GSU Law Library

@GaStateLawLibrary

@GSULawLib

 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the State of Georgia, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. Georgia State University College of Law and the authors of the works contained on this website do not assume or accept any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, currentness, or comprehensiveness of the content on this website. The content on this website does not in any manner constitute the issuance of legal advice or counsel. The information on this website is intended to provide resources that may aid the research of the topics presented, and are in no way a comprehensive list of sources one should consult on the topics presented. Please note that case law, statutory law, and administrative law may be modified and/or overturned. Additionally, because the laws vary between jurisdictions, the laws referred to herein may or may not be applicable to the law within the reader’s jurisdiction.