Regent Law Library

Welcome Back and Happy New Year!

2012-01-03T07:30:00.000-05:00

The Law Library has resumed normal operating hours.

Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. until Midnight
Saturday 8:00 a.m. until Midnight
Sunday 2:00 p.m. until Midnight

Welcome back!

Extended Hours During Law School Final Exams

2011-11-29T09:11:00.014-05:00

The Law library will be operating on an extended schedule during the Law School exam preparation time.

December 1-16

Sunday: 2pm until 2am

Monday-Friday: 7:30am until 2am

Saturday: 8am until 2am

On December 17, the Law Library will be open from 8am until 8pm.

The Law Library will be CLOSED December 18 through January 2.

Regular hours resume on Monday, January 3.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-22T09:48:00.008-05:00

The Law Library will be operating on an abbreviated schedule for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

November 23: 8am-6pm

November 24-25: Closed

November 26: 9am-6pm

November 27: 4pm-10pm

Extended Research Assistance Hours for First Year Students!

2011-11-02T09:57:00.021-04:00

It's that time of year again!

1L Research Exercises start TODAY!

Library hours are available at: http://www.regent.edu/acad/schlaw/library/guests/hours2.cfm
Research assistance is available:

Monday through Thursday 9am until 10 pm

Friday 9am until 5pm

Saturday 1pm until 7 pm

IN ADDITION: Research assistance will be available on Sunday from 5pm - 10 pm.

Please keep in mind that law librarians are able to teach you how to use the resources effectively and efficiently, while our Graduate Assistants are limited to helping students locate material. Please plan your visit accordingly!

WestlawNext Training Tomorrow!

2011-09-26T10:32:00.004-04:00

Would you like to complete legal research tasks more effectively? Efficiently? Just plain faster?

Join us tomorrow, September 27, in RH 116 at 12:15 p.m. to learn more about the benefits of WestlawNext.

Need extra incentive? All participants earn 200 points!

Constitution Day

2011-09-16T10:59:00.003-04:00

Please join us in the Moot Court Room today at noon for Regent University's 7th Annual Constitution Day celebration.

Free lunch to follow!

New Database: Rise of American Law

2011-09-15T09:00:00.002-04:00

The Law Library has added Rise of American Law (ROAL) to its database collection.

ROAL is a digital collection of more than 1,700 out-of-print 19th and 20th-century secondary legal texts. The text is searchable and .pdf images are available.

ROAL is accessible to members of the law school community through our Westlaw subscription. To browse ROAL titles, logon to Westlaw. Type "ROAL" in the database ID box. Click the "TOC" link in the upper right-hand corner to view a list of titles.

You can also search for indiviual ROAL titles in the Library Catalog.

A full list of ROAL titles is also available here.

Supreme Court Justices Offer Tips for Better Legal Writing

2011-09-12T09:00:00.005-04:00

Ever wondered what Supreme Court justices think of the quality of the legal writing in the briefs that are submitted for their consideration? Chances are good that only their clerks really know!

BUT Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Scalia, Thomas, Alito, Kennedy, Breyer, Stevens, and Ginsberg did sit down with legal writing expert Brian Garner and offer their thoughts on legal writing do's and don'ts.

Videos of the interviews are available on LawProse.com.

Transcripts of the interviews are available in 13 Scribe's Journal of Legal Writing (2010) .

Regent University Law Library Remembers 9/11

2011-09-11T08:45:00.006-04:00

Today, we remember the victims of 9/11.

We honor the firefighters, police officers, and paramedics who rushed in to save others. We grieve the loss of the many military men and women who gave their lives in the days and years that followed to preserve our freedom. We pray for the families whose lives have been forever changed.

God bless America.

New Study Aids in the Library

2011-08-24T09:00:00.004-04:00

Over the summer, the Law library updated and expanded its collection of popular student study aids, including:

Sum & Substance (Books and CDs!)

Answers & Explantions

In a Nutshell series

Not sure which study aid right for you? Stop by the Research Services Desk and ask a law librarian!

Carrel Sign-ups

2011-08-23T09:00:00.001-04:00

Want a study space of your very own in the Law Library?

Carrel signup times are as follows:

4Ls and 3Ls: September 6

2Ls: September 7

1Ls: September 8

Carrel rental is $10 per semester. Please contact Access Serives at ext. 4450 with questions.

Law Library Resumes Regular Hours

2011-08-22T12:00:00.002-04:00

Beginning today, the Law Library's hours are as follows:

Monday--Friday from 7:30 a.m. until Midnight

Satudrday from 8:00 a.m. until Midnight

Sunday from 2:00 p.m. until Midnight

New students who wish to obtain barcodes may do so at the Access Services Desk from 8 a.m through 4 p.m.

Welcome (Back) to Regent University Law Library

2011-08-22T09:00:00.003-04:00

Summer at Regent University Law Library can be a little . . .quiet.

Not in the usual "Shhh--this is library" sense, but in the "wow-except for the folks studying for the bar, this place is way too empty" sense.

Don't get me wrong--law librarians and staff work on major projects, attend conferences and seminars, and take great delight in finding spots in the Library parking lot without having to circle--but you are definitely missed!

We look forward to seeing familiar faces and welcoming new students, leading orientation tours for 1Ls, providing training for incoming members of the law review and journals, and just generally gearing up for the bustle that always comes with a new acadmic year.

Welcome (back) to the Law Library!

Orientation for new members of Law Review and the Regent Journal of Law & Public Policy

2011-08-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

New editorial staff members are invited to attend a training session focusing on cite-check policies and effective use of Law Library resources.

The session will be held on Saturday, August 20th from 11 a.m.--Noon in RH 107.

Welcome 1st Year Law Students!

2011-08-16T12:20:00.001-04:00

Want the inside scoop on Law Library resources and services? Signup for a Law Library Orientation Tour at the Access Services Desk!

HOW Did We Do It?

2008-08-20T15:32:00.001-04:00

by Marie Summerlin Hamm

Assistant Director for Collection Development

Just walk into the Law Library and the many improvements made over the summer months are immediately apparent. Quiet carrel clusters, private study tables, and an open reading area . . . the results are impressive. There was not much space to spare at the end of last semester so the question returning students keep asking is HOW? Did we toss tons of tomes to make room for better study space? Are you kidding? We’re lawyers, yes, but we’re also librarians! We love those dusty old books. Basically, to make the new layout possible, a number of changes were made to the flow of the collection.

Two changes, in particular, will be immediately noticeable to our veteran researchers. First, all state materials are now located adjacent to the new reference and reading area. Virginia materials are located at the beginning and all other state materials (including North Carolina) follow in “alpha” order. Second, the periodicals collection has been entirely reorganized. The periodicals are now arranged by “call number” rather than alphabetical order. You’ll need to use the Online Catalog to find the location of a particular title. Note that not all periodicals are located on the third floor! Full runs of the official law review of each ABA accredited school and recent journal issues (2000 forward) are available in the third floor stacks. Older journals are now housed in our closed stack area on the 4th floor. This change is really what made the new carrel arrangement possible. Not only does it free up more space, it also give students an incentive to explore HeinOnline. This amazing database puts the majority of the periodicals collection at your fingertips by providing searchable full-text PLUS PDF images (something Westlaw and Lexis DOES NOT offer). If you’re not familiar with HeinOnline, just stop by the reference desk for a demo or visit the HeinOnline YouTube page.

Other notable changes include the relocation of the microform collection to the alcove just outside the Research Service offices (which are still in the same place!) and the changes in the orientation of the shelving in the Law General Collection. Maps are posted throughout the facility. If you need help finding anything, just ask—we’re still getting use to the new arrangement too!

It’s Not Just About the Books! Check Out the Website “Remodel”

The Law Library’s webpage benefited from a remodel as well! Check out the new “look and feel.” Note that information about library hours is now available on the top navigation bar. On the database pages, we’ve streamlined the flow so that it’s easier to access the resource you need. If you have questions or would like to offer suggestions about changes to the website, contact Associate Director Margaret Christiansen margchr@regent.edu or Assistant Director Marie Hamm mariham@regent.edu.

Law Students, You Asked for It... You GOT It!

2008-08-18T15:32:00.000-04:00

Merriam-Webster Online (http://www.m-w.com)
Main Entry: re·mod·el
Pronunciation: \rē-’mä-dəl\
Function: transitive verb
Date: 1789
: to alter the structure of : remake
Merriam-Webster Online (http://www.m-w.com/)

You told us emphatically you wanted more quiet space, better study areas away from distractions, improved access to facilities and services, new carpet and better lighting. Well, Phase I of the Law Library remodel, just completed, was designed to address all these concerns and more.

Better Use of Space

No longer need you find your way to the back stairs or the hidden elevator to access the Law Library. Simply go straight in through the beautiful windowed main entrance of the University Library and take either the elevator across from Circulation or the main stairs to the third floor.

Once on the third floor, you may walk in either direction to access all areas of the Law Library, as the Balcony is now easily accessible from either side. This means you can get to study areas more quickly and efficiently. You may also study on any floor and carry materials between the University and Law Libraries without restriction.

More, Better and Quieter Study Space

Study spaces have been broken up and moved from high traffic areas as much as possible. Carrels have been split up into small groups of 3 to 10 each to create a more secluded study environment, while the stacks have been rearranged around study areas to create physical barriers against audible and visual distractions.

The Law Library is now divided into two sides, with two functions. The Quiet, Individual Study Side on the north side contains the carrels, some comfortable seating, law periodicals and the general law collection. As the name suggests, conversation and noise producing devices are strictly limited in this area. The Conversational, Group Study Side occupies the south wing of the Law Library houses the primary U.S. and state legal source materials, and is dotted with tables ideal for individual or group study. Conversation moderate in volume and tone is permitted. More vigorous conversation should be held on the Balcony or in a Study Room.

More Study Rooms

Well, we did the best we could considering that the Law Library has no more square feet than before, but we were able nonetheless to add a seventh study room. Please see the map below for precise location.

Better Access to Librarians and Library Services

A single Service Desk, immediately at the head of the stairs and central to all study areas, now provides you with a one-stop point of access for all Law Library Services. Whether you need help using a database, finding a resource, checking out a video or getting an ILL, you can find the assistance you need at the Service Desk.

Better Lighting, Carpet and Paint

Lights and ceiling tiles have been replaced, walls and trim painted, and new carpet is everywhere, giving proper setting to the new Law Library layout.
Open Up the “Stairway to Nowhere”

Of course the ‘stairway to nowhere’ is now the heart of our beautiful main entrance. We rejoiced in the demise of the offending wall in May with a ‘Jericho Project’ wall bashing ceremony , featuring Dean Brauch and others with hardhat and sledge hammer in hand. Video of this celebration may be found at http://www.regent.edu/acad/schlaw/library/Jericho.mov.

Still More to Come: PHASE II

So with all this accomplished, what left to look forward to? Phase II, that’s what. As funding becomes available, plans are in place to further enhance the study environment in the following ways:
· Upgrade library seating with fully ergonomic models.
· Widen carrels to provide at least 50 inches width of study space, to better accommodate books and laptops.
· Create a number of individual study rooms in addition to the present group study rooms.
· Build an environmentally controlled special collections room to better protect and display the law library special collections, with a reading room to contain additional carrels and tables for study space.