*New* Charlotte School of Law Video Tour

CSL Mobile Reference

Join our Friends List: We’re available at CSLReference

Top Five Myths Dispelled about Law Library Orientation

“I heard someone has TWEN access already! I need TWEN, Westlaw and Lexis access now!”

Don’t worry. No 1L students have access to Westlaw or Lexis until Sunday August 16^th. In fact if you’ve never even heard of TWEN, Westlaw or Lexis you’re not behind.

“There are no computers to use since I don’t have my password yet”

There are 7 public computers on the second floor of the library. Please be courteous and limit your time to only email since these computers are also used by attorneys and members of the public.

“I don’t want to bother a librarian sitting at Circulation or Reference since he/she is too busy for my question”.

Please don’t hesitate to ask questions of the library staff. We may not have all of the all but we can direct you to do the right place.

“The library is just filled with books. Boring”.

Not so! The library contains sophisticated electronic databases, newspapers, magazines, legal fiction, microfiche, comfortable seating, study space, colorful displays, and much more!

“I have to whisper the entire time I am in the library.”

Although we do have a quiet section of the library, feel free to use a normal respectful tone of voice in the other portions of the library.

-Tom Hemstock-

Welcome, Fall 2009 students!

The Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges once said:  “I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.”  OK, maybe the CharlotteLaw Library is not paradise, but it will be a vital part of your law school career.

Where is the library?  When is it open?  What are its features?  Read on to find out . . .

Where is the library and when is it open?
The library is on the 2nd floor of the law school building.  Regular hours are as follows:

7:00am – 11:00pm          Mon – Fri
9:00am – 10:00pm          Sat
9:00am – 11:00pm          Sun

Library hours will change during mid-term exams, final exams, and holiday periods.  For complete library hours for the fall semester, click here.

How do I use the library collection?
You can locate books, journals, databases, DVDs, and other resources by searching the library catalog.  To borrow items from our collection, see our circulation policy.  To borrow items we do not own, see our interlibrary loan policy.

Does the library charge fines for overdue or lost items?
Yes.  See the circulation policy for details.

Does the library have all my textbooks?
Yes!  One copy of every course textbook is on reserve in the library.  Copies of certain study aids are also on reserve.  Course reserves are available at the circulation desk, and they may be checked out for a 3-hour period.

Where can I study in the library?
The library has 11 group study rooms that can accommodate 2-6 people.  The rooms may be reserved for 2-hour periods, up to 24 hours in advance.  Rooms must be reserved before they can be used.  To reserve a room, contact the library circulation desk.

In addition, there are numerous carrels, work tables, and plush chairs throughout the library.  In all, the library can seat roughly 300 people.

How do I photocopy or print from a computer?
The library has three photocopiers, each of which requires a user name and password to operate.  (These are the same as your e-mail user name and password.)  All copies count against your student quota.

In addition, there is a 23-terminal computer lab in the library (room 217).  To print in the lab, you’ll need the same user name and password needed for the copiers.  Lab print jobs count against your student quota.

For Westlaw or LexisNexis print jobs, there are dedicated Westlaw and Lexis printers in room 215, beside the computer lab.  Print jobs sent to these printers do not count against your student quota.

What is the policy regarding noise?  Food and drink?
The noise policy is here.  The food & drink policy is here.

How do I get library help?
Circulation desk:  704-971-8574
Borrowing or returning books, using course reserves, using study rooms

Reference desk: 704-971-8573
Research questions, Westlaw & Lexis assistance, LP I assistance

E-mail:  libreference@charlottelaw.edu

AOL Instant Messenger:  CSLReference (available 9am – 7pm, Mon – Fri)

-Anthony Aycock-

The “ABCs” of Estate Planning

In light of the breaking news from yesterday of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson’s passing, I feel as though I need to pose the following question: have you taken care of your affairs?  If not, the Charlotte School of Law Library has multiple resources on estate planning:

• Key issues in estate planning and probate in North Carolina / Mitchell C. Payne
• Woe is me, meeting the 2 “D”s : death and divorce in North Carolina /North Carolina Bar Association Foundation
• Basics of will and revocable trust drafting / North Carolina Bar Association Foundation
• Wills, trusts, and technology : an estate and trust lawyer’s guide to automation / Daniel B. Evans [Table of Contents]
• Love, money, control : reinventing estate planning : practical answers from America’s foremost estate planning advisors / Robert A. Esperti, Renno L. Peterson, Robert A. Goldman

If you are a law student interested in pursuing estate planning as part of your practice after graduation, CharlotteLaw’s academic curriculum offers advanced courses in:

• Wills, Trusts and Estates: This course examines wills and other methods for preserving and transferring wealth or property to beneficiaries in the context of death or economic planning.
• Elder Law: This course surveys the social, psychological, legal and financial concerns facing the typical elder law client when planning for long term or short term medical care, incapacity, and death. Particular emphasis will be given to the core Elder Law practice areas of Advance Care Directives, Estate Planning and Administration, Guardianships, Public Benefit planning with Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and VA benefits, Fiduciary Representation, Elder Abuse and Nursing Home Resident’s Rights.

As a side note, here is a small tribute to Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett:

• Tribute: Top Ten Michael Jackson Songs
• Ace’s Blog dedicated to Michael Jackson (from the Ace and TJ Charlotte Morning Talk Radio Show)
• Farrah Fawcett: A Tribute to an Angel

-Liz McCurry-

Reminder: LexisNexis & Westlaw Student Summer Access

Just as a reminder, LexisNexis and Westlaw provide only limited access to students during the summer between late June and August 1st. However, students wishing to use their LexisNexis and Westlaw student accounts for a qualifying academic purpose may register to extend their access through the summer. If you did not request an extension from Westlaw or LexisNexis, your access will be denied.  Full access for continuing, non-graduating students will be restored on August 1st. LexisNexis and Westlaw strictly prohibit the use of student accounts for commercial purposes.

LexisNexis Summer Access

Once signed on to lawschool.lexisnexis.com, look for the summer access promotion or go to the “Manage My Account Tab” above the the sign in boxes.  You must certify one of the following academic uses to be granted full summer access:

• Class preparation and assignments;
• Research associated with moot court or law review/law journal;
• Research associated with pursuing a grant or scholarship;
• Service as a research assistant to a professor (either paid or unpaid);
• An unpaid internship, externship or clinic position for school credit;
• Clerkship for credit; or
• Bar review.

If you do not register for summer access, your LexisNexis student ID will be limited to career materials as of June 30th. Graduating students may extend their accounts to August 1^st.  Graduating students whose employment has been deferred or who are pursuing public interest employment should considering applying for access through the LexisNexis ASPIRE program.

If you have any questions about LexisNexis summer access or the ASPIRE program, please contact Lexis Nexis Technical Support at (800) 897-3419.

Westlaw Summer Access

Register for Westlaw summer access by signing on to lawschool.westlaw.com and following the summer access link or go here directly to Westlaw Summer Extension. You may extend your Westlaw student password for summer use for the following academic purposes:

• Summer law school classes (use for law review competition, written work requirement, LLM paper or SJD dissertation);
• Law review or journal work;
• Project for a law school professor;
• Moot Court; or
• Unpaid non-profit public interest internship/externship or pro bono work required for graduation (does not include courts and government agencies).

If you have any questions about Westlaw summer access please contact Westlaw Technical Support at 1-800-Westlaw or our Westlaw Representative Andrea Hansen at andrea.l.p.hansen@thomsonreuters.com.

-Liz McCurry-

Lights, Camera, Action!

From The Treasure of the Sierra Madre to My Cousin Vinny, the Charlotte School of Law Library has a selection of 74  law-related feature films ready and waiting to be checked out.

Did you know, we have different loan policies for different materials!

And guess what? 

You can check these movies out for FREE for 7 days!!

Not only does this display include DVDs, but it also displays a select few of the legal resources available for doing legal research in the entertainment industry or counseling clients regarding entertainment law.  Go to our catalog to see additional print and electronic resources available.  Make sure to come by the library to see our displays this month!

Don’t see your favorite movie in our collection?

Don’t fret, make a purchase suggestion or leave a comment!

Oreos or Whip Cream: What do You Want on Your Ice Cream?

The library is celebrating National Library Week by sponsoring an Ice Cream Social on Wednesday, April 15th.  Yes, that is Tax Day! 

What kinds of toppings would you like to see offered at the social?

Oh yea, don’t forget we’re giving out prizes there too!  The library will be raffling off prizes starting at 2:30.  To be entered into the raffle, stop by the Reference Desk Monday-Wednesday (April 13th-15th) & fill out a short survey. 

If you didn’t already know, here’s what we have to give away- iPod Shuffle; 30 minute full-body massage gift certificate; Gift cards to BlackFinn, TGIFridays, WhiskeyRiver and Mama Riccatas; Umbrellas, portfolios, waterman pen, career-building books, Bar strategy books, & a lot more!

Library searching, policies and services

Getting lost in over 100,000 volumes in the library? Try using the catalog to conduct laser guided research. Use subject searches to find resources on specific subjects, title searches to look for an exact item, and keyword searches to use Google style searches across the entire collection. If you are still not finding what you are looking for try using the Advanced Search option to further limit the search by date, publisher, material type, and location.

 

Library policies and services are now posted online. Policies include cell phone use (no), eating in the library (no), some drinks (yes!), increased hours during Finals (yes!), and book suggestions (yes!).