Introductory Guide for First Year Students

When you want to borrow things from the library, you do that at the circulation desk.

We have a general collection of materials mostly about law, as well as others like our leisure or our study aids collections. We also have other items available, like board games, book stands, and second monitors. 

More details about circulation are provided below:

• Hours & Staff
• Access to Online Resources
• Due Dates, Renewing and Returning Law Library Items

Hours

The Circulation Desk is staffed to assist you when the Law Library is open. The Law Library’s typical hours during the school year are described in the table below. In addition, the Law Library and the University are closed on federal holidays. See https://lawlibrary.gsu.edu/calendar for exact hours.

The Law Library provides access to a bunch of useful online resources that will help you as you make your way through law school. You can find individual titles, including books and journals or law reviews, by searching the online catalog. The Law Library home page has a list of databases that you can access using your campus ID. Additional databases are provided by University Library. You will need your campus ID to access those databases.

Some databases will require other logins and passwords. These include the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI), Lexis, and Westlaw. The access codes for setting up those accounts will be distributed during orientation. See the CALI/Lexis/Westlaw tab in this guide for more info about these resources.

Also, online study aids are available, including a variety of titles that will help you with your classes OR help you with the adjustment to law school. To learn more about study aids, including online access, see the Study Aids tab in this guide.

Due Dates for Law Library Items

Law Library materials from the main collection circulate for three weeks. When you check out an item, you receive an email indicating the due date and time. Borrowing periods are shorter for items from other collections including reserves, study aids, and leisure. 

Overdue items accrue fines, and fines are payable by check or cashier check. If your account has multiple overdue items or fines over $10.00, it may be blocked from further borrowing. If you have more questions, contact Tim Zdencanovic at tzdencanovic1@gsu.edu.

Renewals

Most items may be renewed unless another person has requested it using the online catalog. 

You can use your library account to renew books by following these directions. If you have any issues renewing items online, contact Tim Zdencanovic at tzdencanovic1@gsu.edu.

Returning Items

There are two places in the College of Law you can return items: 1) You may return materials you borrow from Law Library to the Circulation Desk on the 5th floor. 2) You can also drop items into the dropbox just outside the College of Law entrance on John Wesley Dobbs Ave. 

You may also use the drop box at the University Library to return Law Library items. The box is located outside the Library South entrance on the Langdale Plaza level. 

Law Library items can also be returned at the Perimeter College Libraries. You can find those drop boxes outside of other GSU campus libraries.