User Services & Policies

User Services for Students

Westlaw Edge, LEXIS+, and Bloomberg Law Access

Research using LEXIS+ and Westlaw Edge while signed in with your law student login is limited to research directly connected to educational activities. There is no such research limitation while signed in with your law student login on Bloomberg Law. Contact Blake Wilson at wilsonwb@ku.edu with any further questions.

CALI

CALI (Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction) provides web-based tutorials on a variety of legal subjects. Currently, there are over 950 lessons in over 35 law school subjects in CALI's library of lessons. The lessons are free for KU Law students and faculty. Please contact the Wheat Law Library reference desk at lawref@ku.edu for the password.

Legal Databases

Legal databases are licensed electronic databases for all KU students, faculty and staff connecting to the internet (unless otherwise noted). Off-campus database connections may require a login.

SJD Student Resources

Review the SJD Resources for guidance as you move through the process of obtaining your S.J.D. from the KU School of Law. There is useful information for prospective, current and graduating students throughout this guide. Links are provided to help you obtain more detailed information and connect you to the university's many student support services.

Bar Exam Resource Guide

This Bar Exam Resource Guide provides useful resources for KU Law graduates taking the bar exam.

Ask a Reference Question

Visit the Ask a Law Librarian page to learn how reference staff can help identify and locate needed legal materials, instruct in the variety and use of legal resources and reference tools, and find facts such as names, addresses and phone numbers.

Interlibrary Loan

Materials not available in any libraries on the KU campus can be obtained through the interlibrary loan service.

Library Policies for Students

Loan Policy

A significant portion of the Law Library's collection cannot be checked out. 

Some books on floors 3-5 can be checked out for one month. Books can be renewed providing there are no hold requests on them. The Reserve Item checkout this semester is for 4 hours.

Fees are assessed for lost materials.

Photocopying, Scanning and Printing

A copying/scanning/printing machine is located on the second and third floors. The charge is 8 cents per page for black-and-white or 48 cents for color when using your KU ID.

Law students are allocated 1,000 black-and-white pages of free printing by the School of Law in August at the beginning of each school year. Once that has been used, you will need to add more funds to your KU card Beak'em Bucks account. Report any printing problems (poor quality, jammed paper, etc.) to the Circulation Desk.

Lost and Found

Items found in the library are kept at the Circulation Desk.

Food, Drink and Smoking

Smoking is not permitted in the building, including the library.

Water fountains and bottle fillers are available throughout the building. Please note: these guidelines are subject to change as necessary.

Report any spills you cannot effectively clean up to library staff so that appropriate action can be taken.

• KU Libraries 
• Library Catalog

User Services for Faculty

Library Liaisons

Each faculty member has a Library Liaison that they are assigned to assist with general library services, reference queries and research needs. Faculty members can send research assistants directly to their Liaison. They should receive updates from the Liaison concerning pending research projects or inquiries.

Legal Databases

Legal databases are licensed electronic databases for all KU students, faculty and staff connecting to the internet. Off-campus database connections may require a login.

Research on LEXIS+ and Westlaw Edge using the educational identification number provided to you is limited to research directly connected to educational activities. There is no such limitation while signed in with your personal login on Bloomberg Law. Contact Blake Wilson if you need a refresher or if you have any further questions.

Westlaw Edge, LEXIS+, and Bloomberg Law Access

Research using LEXIS+ and Westlaw Edge using the educational identification number provided to you is limited to research directly connected to educational activities. There is no such limitation while signed in with your personal login on Bloomberg Law. Contact Blake Wilson at wilsonwb@ku.edu if you need a refresher or if you have any further questions.

Interlibrary Loan

Materials not available in any libraries on the KU campus can be obtained through the interlibrary loan service.

Ask a Reference Question

Visit the Ask a Law Librarian page to learn how reference staff can help identify and locate needed legal materials, instruct in the variety and use of legal resources and reference tools, and find facts such as names, addresses and phone numbers.

Faculty Publication Resources

• KU Law faculty publications on KU Scholarworks
• KU Law faculty publications on SSRN

Library Policies for Faculty

The KU Wheat Law Library provides access to an extensive collection of print and electronic resources, and our knowledgeable staff is here to connect you with the information you need. 

Circulation

The majority of the law library's print collection is available for faculty checkout. While materials are given a due date of August 23rd of each year, faculty members are expected to return them to the Circulation Desk when they are no longer needed so the checkout record may be cleared from our files.

The print collection can be searched via the online catalog. Law librarians are available to provide assistance for online catalog search strategies. If you are unable to physically locate an item you need, you may fill out a SEARCH card at the Circulation Desk. If library staff cannot locate the item, you may request it through Interlibrary Loan Services (ILL). In either event, you will be notified when the item is available.

Law faculty have two separate library accounts for checking out materials: one for law library materials which uses your last name as a barcode, and a separate account for materials from the other KU libraries which pulls your KU ID number from the strip on your KU card. To check out law library materials, simply identify yourself as law faculty and the materials will be checked out to you. However, you must have your KU card with you to check out materials from other KU libraries. You may also have books from other KU libraries delivered to the law library (usually arriving within a day or two). This service is available via the "Retrieve from Shelf" feature in the online catalog. Please note, items checked out from other KU libraries will not follow the August 23 due date schedule employed by the law library. All KU Libraries have their own rules and regulations which must be followed. Jeff will renew your non-law library items as many times as allowed, then notify you when you need to take action.

All library materials taken to your office (or out of the building) for more than a few hours must be checked out at the Circulation Desk. Periodicals and loose-leaf services you check out should remain in your office so they can be readily available to other patrons upon request. Reference and Reserve materials should generally not be checked out to faculty offices for any extended period of time. Although rare, it is occasionally necessary to enter faculty offices and retrieve items needed by other patrons. Please contact us with any questions or special considerations regarding this policy.

E-Reserve and Reserve Collection - Blake Wilson

The Reserve Collection consists of frequently used library materials placed on reserve at the request of faculty members, along with various items that require higher security than the regular collection affords. 

Placing Items on Reserve

Reserve requests must be received at least 48 hours before they are needed by students. Please do not tell your students you have placed something on Reserve before the library receives a copy! Keep in mind everything placed on Reserve has to be processed before it is available for checkout (i.e. records created, folders labeled, items scanned or barcoded, etc.)

Types of Reserve

• E-Reserves: Non-copyrighted materials (sample questions or class notes) may be placed on electronic reserve through your Canvas/Blackboard page. Contact Blake Wilson at wilsonwb@ku.edu for assistance.
• Personal Reserves: Personal copies of books and non-copyrighted materials (excluding old exams) may be placed in the library's Personal Reserve Collection on a temporary basis. Please identify each item for reserve with your name, the name of the class, with a title by which you will refer to the item in class. 
• General Reserves: You may request books from the library collection be placed on reserve for your course. 

Routing Serials

If a faculty member wishes to see new print serials shortly after the library receives them, a request for routing should be placed. We ask that you forward each item promptly to the next person on the routing list. Routings are due back in the Serials Department in one week.

Using the Online Catalog

Library materials including print, AV, and most electronic journals can be found using the library's catalog. We have added new features such as tables of contents which will enhance your search.

If you wish to receive a book from another KU library, use the "Retrieve from Shelf" feature in the library catalog. The material will be delivered to the law library and routed to your mailbox.

New Acquisitions - Melissa Doebele

New books acquired by the library can be found through the New Resources link on the library's homepage. A new list is posted each month. An email, with a link to the New Resources list and a highlight of something special in the library collection, is sent to faculty and staff when a new list is published. Please contact Melissa Doebele at mdoebele@ku.edu with comments, questions, or to have an item on the list checked out to you.

Purchase of Resources - Chris Steadham

The law library wishes to accommodate all reasonable faculty requests to acquire new materials for the general collection. These requests may relate to your specific current research needs, your general areas of interest, or other titles that you think would benefit the law school. Send your requests to your Primary Library Contact (PLC) or Chris Steadham at csteadham@ku.edu.

Primary Library Contact (PLC) Service and Faculty Services - Blake Wilson

Each law faculty member has a PLC assigned to assist them with general library services, reference queries, and basic research needs. The PLC service is offered for convenience and to develop synergies with faculty research needs. Faculty members are always free to contact any library staff member as needed. The service provides each faculty member with one individual from the library to contact via telephone, e-mail, or in person for library services. Faculty can send student Research Assistants directly to their PLC or Blake Wilson at wilsonwb@ku.edu for research assistance.

Complex research projects that go beyond the scope of the PLC system may be routed to the Faculty Services department consisting of Assistant Director Blake Wilson, law student Research Assistants, and (as needed) Director Chris Steadham. The Faculty Services team conducts in-depth research for the faculty including preliminary research for writing projects or classes, assistance with updating treatises, and interdisciplinary research for various purposes.

Scholarly Communication Services - Blake Wilson

The law library provides faculty Scholarly Communication Service for inclusion of publications in the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) and KU ScholarWorks according to the KU Open Access Policy and those adopted within the Law School. You may request that your scholarly publications be uploaded to SSRN and KU ScholarWorks by emailing your works to Blake Wilson at wilsonwb@ku.edu.

S.J.D. students may contact Blake Wilson for assistance with their electronic dissertation submissions. An S.J.D. LibGuide is available in the Research and Study Guides section of this website.

Reference Area

In addition to services provided by your PLC, the law library also offers reference services all hours the library is open. You may email your query to lawref@ku.edu or call 785-864-3025.

The reference collection on the second floor contains a number of frequently used sets. In addition, computers in the area provide access to the online catalog, HeinOnline, Bloomberg Law, and numerous other databases.

Instruction Services and Vendor Relations - Blake Wilson, Chris Steadham

In addition to teaching advanced legal research courses, law librarians are available to provide guest lectures in your classes. This is especially appropriate for clinics or courses involving papers. We train the students to use specialized research materials in both electronic and print formats. If you are having issues with Canvas/Blackboard or other digital media issues we can help with those as well. Blake also assists faculty with Westlaw and Lexis issues such as passwords or setting up clip services. Please contact your PLC, Blake Wilson or Chris Steadham for more information.

Microforms - Pam Crawford

Microfilm/fiche is located in the Reserve Area. Most microform titles are archival and can be found by searching the library catalog. If you need microfilm/fiche digitized or printed please email lawref@ku.edu.

Government Documents

The law library is a selective depository for U.S. government documents. The library's documents have been integrated into the library's main collection and may be accessed through the online catalog.

Please note the University of Kansas is also a regional depository for government documents. The Documents Department of the University Library, located at Anschutz Library, contains a much larger collection of government documents and is also a depository for U.N. materials.

Electronic Research & Information Technology - Blake Wilson

Blake Wilson is available for assistance utilizing various electronic resources made available through the law library or the main KU libraries. Services such as Blackboard/Canvas support or digital media manipulation and acquisition may also be available through the law library. Contact Blake with any questions.

Document Delivery & Interlibrary Loan Services

The Document Delivery/Interlibrary Loan Department can secure books and articles that are not available in the KU libraries. Please email lawill@ku.edu with your requests. Hardcopy materials will be delivered to your mailbox (front office) or PDFs will be emailed directly to you. Articles from journals held by other campus libraries can be requested electronically through Document Delivery.

The KU ID enables faculty members to borrow materials from any of the libraries in the KU system. You may request books from other KU libraries through the Retrieve from Shelf service in the online catalog. Click the "Recalls and Requests" button and follow the instructions. The book(s) will be sent to our library for you.

User Services for KU Law Alumni

Ask a Reference Question

Visit the Ask a Law Librarian page to learn how reference staff can help identify and locate needed legal materials, instruct in the variety and use of legal resources and reference tools, and find facts such as names, addresses and phone numbers.

Subscription Database Access

Electronic resources available from the KU Libraries website (including Wheat Law Library) are licensed for non-commercial use by KU faculty, staff, students and on-site visitors at KU campus locations, for educational or research purposes only. Access depends on the terms set out in the license of a particular electronic resource. Generally authorized users are the registered students, faculty and staff of the institution purchasing the electronic resource. In many cases, authorized users also include members of the public who use the e-resource on library premises.

Research and Study Guides

Law library staff maintain a large collection of research and study guides organized by topic and audience.

Library Policies for KU Law Alumni

Loan Policy

If you are off-campus any books needed from the law library can be requested through the Retrieve from Shelf option in the library catalog. Library staff will retrieve the book(s) and notify you when they are ready to be picked up at the Circulation Desk. You can also make an appointment to pick them up at the law library.

A significant portion of the Law Library's collection cannot be checked out. Some books on floors 3-5 can be checked out for one month. Books can be renewed providing there are no hold requests on them. Fees are assessed for lost materials.

Interlibrary Loan

KU Law alumni may contact the Interlibrary Loan department via email at lawill@ku.edu or phone at 785-864-9264, and request copies of scanned materials (articles, statutes, etc.) at no charge. The copies will be emailed.

Photocopying and Printing

Copying and printing machines are located on the second and third floors. The charge is 8 cents per page for black-and-white or 48 cents for color if using a KU login. If you do not have a KU login you can save files/documents to a flash drive or you can email them to yourself.

Food, Drink and Smoking

Smoking is not permitted in the building, including the library.

Water fountains will be covered but you may bring a water bottle to fill at the bottle filler in the Informal Commons (first floor of Green Hall). Please note these policies are subject to change as necessary.

Report any spills you cannot effectively clean up to library staff so that appropriate action can be taken.

Reshelving Books

All books will be reshelved by library staff. Please see "Loan Policy" above for more information.

User Services for the General Public

Ask a Reference Question

Visit the Ask a Law Librarian page to learn how reference staff can help identify and locate needed legal materials, instruct in the variety and use of legal resources and reference tools, and find facts such as names, addresses and phone numbers.

Research and Study Guides

Law library staff maintain a large collection of research and study guides, topical guides to help you focus your legal research by subject.

Subscription Database Access

Electronic resources available from the KU Libraries website (including Wheat Law Library) are licensed for non-commercial use by KU faculty, staff, students and on-site visitors at KU campus locations, for educational or research purposes only. Access depends on the terms set out in the license of a particular electronic resource. Generally authorized users are the registered students, faculty and staff of the institution purchasing the electronic resource. In many cases, authorized users also include members of the public who use the e-resource on library premises.

American Bar Association Free Legal Advice

The ABA offers a virtual legal advice clinic. Qualifying users post their civil legal question to their state's website. Users will then be emailed when their question receives a response. Attorney volunteers, who must be authorized to provide pro bono assistance in their state, log in to the website, select questions to answer, and provide legal information and advice. Volunteer attorneys will not answer criminal law questions.

Reshelving Books

All books will be reshelved by library staff. 

Library Policies for the General Public

Loan Policy

A significant portion of the Law Library's collection cannot be checked out. Items that can be checked out, using your Law-only Borrower Card, include some books on floors 3-5 which are loaned for one month. Books can be renewed providing there are no hold requests on them.

Photocopying and Printing

Copying and printing machines are located on the second and third floors. If you do not have a KU login you will need to save your research to a flash drive or email it to yourself.

Food, Drink and Smoking

Smoking is not permitted in the building, including the library.

Water fountains and water bottle fillers are located throughout the library and Green Hall.  

Report any spills you cannot effectively clean up to library staff so that appropriate action can be taken.

Reshelving Books

All books will be reshelved by library staff.