Introductory Guide for First Year Students

Beyond providing access to materials like books, videos, and online content, reference service is one of the most fundamental things that we do at the Law Library. The Reference Desk is a physical place in the library (see picture below), but Reference is the service we provide. Reference services can include any of the following:

• Research assistance
• Research Methods and Advanced Legal Research help when permissible by the professor
• Topic brainstorming
• Bluebook help
• Finding case filings
• Directing you to other law school resources

Of course you can always "Come see us at the reference desk!"  However, we know that coming to the desk isn't always convenient for folks. To meet you where you are, we are providing reference services in the following ways:

• In-person reference at Reference Desk in the library
• Chat Reference (see picture below) - Our chat reference is available at http://lawlibrary.gsu.edu and staffed during normal reference hours.  Ask any question you'd normally ask in person. If we need to set up a call or video conference, we can. 
• Phone - We're happy to discuss research over the phone. Usually, we can take phone calls right away, but we may not be able to talk immediately if we are helping a patron in person. You can reach us at the reference desk at 404-413-9102.
• Virtual Consultations - We can meet virtually on the fly, if you call or chat with us and want to switch to share screens. If you want to set up a consultation with a specific librarian, reach out to them directly.
• Email - Feel free to email the reference desk at lawreference@gsu.edu. If you'd like, you are always welcome to reach out to your Research Methods Professor or Personal Librarian.

Typical reference hours are provided below. 

Hours

The Reference Desk is typically staffed as described in the table below. See https://lawlibrary.gsu.edu/calendar/ for exact hours.

Meet Our Reference Librarians

Reference is staffed by professional librarians and occasionally by well-trained Graduate Research Assistants.  All Reference Librarians at Georgia State College of Law have both a Law and Library graduate degree and teach legal research courses, representing a wealth of legal research experience. They're also super nice!

You may find answers to some of your research questions by consulting the library's Research Guides. We create the guides around specific subjects, with each designed to provide an accessible introduction to a specific research topic.

We also provide some guides that are helpful for general law topics, rather than research subjects. Examples include:

• Bluebooking Tips & Resources
• Introduction to Legal Research 
• Legal Writing 
• Secondary Sources
• Study Aid Finder