The Reference Librarians are your primary service point for assistance and information. Please seek assistance from the Reference Librarians early and often. They can help you with hard-to-locate sources, help you locate materials in other libraries and on the web, and provide specialized training to editors in advance of cite checking assignments. See Ask a Librarian for detailed instructions on contacting a Reference Librarian.
The Reference Office (112A) is located in the Main Reading Room and Reference hours during the academic semesters are: Monday - Thursday 8:30am to 8:00 pm, Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm and Sunday 1:00pm to 5:00pm.
Abbreviations
Sources such as Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations (KF 246 B46 Law Reserve), the World Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations (K89 K38 Law Reference), and the Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations can be very useful for deciphering abbreviations.
Research Guides
Consult the library's Research Guides when you are researching an area you are not familiar with. Some of the research guide topics are: Arizona Legislative History, Federal Legislative History on the Web, Treaties and Other International Documents, Secondary Legal Materials, and Finding Federal Regulations.
ASU Libraries Catalog
Use the ASU Library Catalog to find out what books, journals and government documents the Law Library and other ASU libraries own. Use your ASUrite ID and password to request items through the online catalog from other campus libraries, track the books that you have checked out, renew your items online, and access ASU databases off campus.
Paper, microforms and image formats (PDF)
Please remember that microforms (microfilm and microfiche) and image formats (PDF) are exact copies of the original pages of a document or article with the same page numbers and graphics. For cite checking they are legitimate substitutions when the original cannot be located in paper. In the Law Library, be sure to check Westlaw for PDF versions of cases and HeinOnline for PDF versions of articles. HTML databases like LexisNexis and Westlaw files not yet converted to PDF, may lack page numbering and graphics. Many websites have articles in image formats.
Note: the online catalog lists books, journals, documents and microforms. It does NOT list individual articles in journals and law reviews. For help identifying articles see How to Find Articles.
Be sure to copy the call number, the location (Law Treatises, Law State, etc) and note the status of the book. Is it on the "shelf" or is it checked-out indicated by a "due date"?
Check the Building Directory or ask at the Circulation desk for directions to the appropriate collection.
If the book you need is not on the shelf, check the carrels, tables and copy rooms nearby. Inquire at the Circulation desk about a search or placing a hold if the material is checked out.
If the Status is "shelf" and if the book is located at the West, Polytechnic or Downtown Campus:
Click on the Request and enter your ASUrite ID and password.
Select "Law Circ" for the pick-up location and click Submit.
Be sure to select the West, Polytechnic or Downtown copy.
The book will be delivered from the West or Polytechnic campus to the Law Library and held at the circulation desk. This usually takes about 2 business days if the item is really on the shelf. You will be notified by e-mail when it arrives.
West, Polytechnic and Downtown campus items are sent free of charge. Always request the West, Polytechnic or Downtown Campus copy of a book if possible.
If the status is "shelf" and the book is at a Tempe Campus library, i.e. Hayden, Noble, Music or Architecture:
Click on Request and enter your ASUrite ID and password
Enter "Law Circ" for Pick-up location
In the large box, enter the password you were given in training or call Carrie Henteleff or Elizabeth Downey at 965-6144
Click on Submit
Choose available copy
The book will be delivered from the Tempe campus library to the Law Library and held at the circulation desk. This usually takes about 2 business days if the item is really on the shelf. You will be notified by e-mail when it arrives.
Tempe campus library books cost $1.00 per title to be delivered to the law library. So choose a copy from Polytechnic or West whenever possible.
Remember, these books are being checked out in your name. You are responsible for returning them on time and for any overdue fines.
How to Find Articles in the Law Library
Indexes
Library Catalogs do not list individual articles in journals, law reviews, newspapers and other periodicals. Use indexes to identify articles on a topic or by an author or to fill in missing information of a citation. Use indexes to complement Westlaw or LexisNexis because even though they don't have the full text of an article, they may cover journals not included in Westlaw or LexisNexis.
Index to Legal Periodicals Indexes periodicals from 1981 to date. Also available in paper (1880's to date K33 I53 LAW INDEXES) and on LexisNexis and Westlaw.
LegalTrac (Legal Resources Index) Indexes periodicals 1980 to date. Also available in paper (Current Law Index K33 C87 LAW INDEXES) and on LexisNexis and Westlaw.
Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals Indexes periodicals 1960 to date. (K33 I52 LAW INDEXES).
HeinOnline and Other Electronic Full-Text Sources
Full text electronic journals generally exist in one of two formats. Image formats such as PDF are exact copies of the original with page numbering and graphics. PDF copies, just like microforms, are accepted as legitimate substitutes for the original when cite-checking; HTML versions like Westlaw and LexisNexis provide the full text hyperlinks to cases, statutes and other documents cited in the article, but my lack page numbering and graphics. Please note that Westlaw provides PDF format for some federal cases.
HeinOnline
The HeinOnline database collection provides online, image-based access to law periodical titles previously only available in print, as well as other primary and secondary resources of historic significance. Its libraries contain numerous complete runs of titles from the first volume, predating coverage available on either LexisNexis or Westlaw for most titles. HeinOnline's most attractive feature for cite checkers is that it contains full-text exact page images of law reviews and journals, U.S. Reports, the Federal Register, and other primary and secondary legal sources. There is no difference between looking at a PDF version of a law review volume and looking at the actual print volume. See also detailed instructions on Using HeinOnline.
Click on Journal Title search. On the lower half of the screen locate Search for the Electronic Version of the journal, periodical or newspaper.
In the Find box type in the words that you know are in the journal title. In the Where box select the search option appropriate to your search (i.e. - Title Begins With if you know the very first two words of the journal title). You may also browse a list of titles that are available in full text. The Search for electronic version search will lead you to databases that include the full text of the journal.
If the journal is not available in electronic format, you must then use the Journal Title Search to find out if the ASU Libraries have a print version of the journal.
Paper Copies/Microforms
All journals in the Law Library are shelved by call number. Most journals are shelved in either the Bound Periodical section on the 2nd floor of the tower or in Current Periodicals behind the Circulation desk. Microforms are located in cabinets on the west side of the first floor.
Then under Find... click on Articles. You can search for indexes by subject or name. For more information on finding articles go to the library tutorial How to Find Articles.
If the article you want is not available in electronic format or at the Law Library, but is owned by another ASU library, you can fill out an Interlibrary Loan form.
How to Find U.S. Government Documents
Many documents and publications of the executive, legislative and judicial branches are available in the Law Library in paper, microform and electronic format.
Copy the call number (ex. AE2.108/2:) and the location (ex. LAW GOV DOCS STACKS, LAW GOV DOCS REFERENCE) for the document.
Check the building directory for the location or ask at the front desk.
Please note, not all the Law Library government documents are listed in the online catalog. If you retrieve a record from the online catalog that indicates that only Hayden Government Documents owns it, you may want to check the Law Library's government documents stacks for the call number. Better yet, call a Reference Librarian for help!
Government documents that are selected by ASU and available in electronic format on the internet should have links to them from the ASU online catalog.
If what you need is not in the ASU online catalog, try the other tools listed below. For help, contact a Reference Librarian.
Other Tools
To locate other government information and websites that contain documents go to the Law Library's website and click on Search for Websites in the Research Tools box. This will allow you to search for databases and web sites under the following categories:
Arizona-Judicial
Arizona-Legislative
Federal-Administrative
Federal Judicial
Federal-Legislative
Also on the Law Library's website, check out the Research Guides that relate to government documents.
LexisNexis Congressional Searchable guide to congressional hearings, reports, documents, prints and legislative history.
GPOAccess Government resources by branch or by topic. "Federal wide resources" includes a complete list of federal websites.
How to Request Materials Not Available at ASU - Interlibrary Loan
Tips for managing Interlibrary Loans
PLAN AHEAD! Place ILL requests as soon as possible. It can sometimes take up to 4 weeks for us to locate a library willing to fill the request and then for delivery time. Most ILLs are loaned for only 3-4 weeks, so be sure to pick up the materials promptly when they arrive.
ILLs will be wrapped in a light blue book wrap so that they are easy to identify. Watch your due dates on these. It is very important that loaned material be returned to the lending institution by the due date. If you need the materials longer, be sure to request a renewal. Photocopies do not need to be returned.
We will attempt to obtain difficult items if needed. It may, however, be faster to go directly to the author in these cases. The following types of materials are difficult to obtain through Interlibrary Loan:
Recently published books.
Entire volumes or issues of periodicals.
Single volumes of multi-volume sets.
Reference works or Reserve materials.
Rare books or original manuscripts.
Entire Newspapers.
Some doctoral dissertations and master's theses.
Requesting Interlibrary Loans
If materials cannot be located at the Law Library or in the ASU Library Catalog, the managing editor will decide whether to obtain the item from the author or whether to pursue an Interlibrary Loan.
An Interlibrary Loan form must be completed for each item needed. This form can be filled out and submitted electronically. Paper forms are also available at the circulation desk.
To complete the form:
Verify that no ASU Library owns the material. Please indicate if the item is in the ASU Library Catalog but is not obtainable (missing, checked out, non-circ, article at a Tempe campus library, etc.).
Provide your name and a phone number and email where you can be contacted quickly. We may have to call you for more information and we will notify you as soon as the materials arrive.
Check "Law Journal" and indicate the author's name for the article you are cite checking on the form.
Check "loan" (book, original work) or "photocopy" (journal article).
Complete the bibliographic information with as much information as you have. (Book author, title, publisher, journal title, article author and title, volume, issue number, date, page numbers, etc.)
Relocating Materials to the Journal Office
All regular circulating Law materials and BOUND periodicals MUST be checked out to the Law Journal library account by the circulation staff.
After items have been pulled by cite checkers, all circulating items and bound periodicals will be checked out at the circulation desk to the Law Journal Account. For bound periodicals, carts can be left at the circulation desk for check out with a sign stating your name, the article author and the date.
The carts will be ready for pick up and the cite checker should inquire at the circulation desk the next day.
Carts may be used to transport items to the Law Journal offices, but they should be unloaded and immediately returned to the Circulation department.
Other materials that can be checked out and relocated to the Journal offices are:
Any reporter which has multiple copies, including all regional reporters, federal reporters, federal supplement, supreme court reporters, Arizona reporters, etc.
Legal encyclopedias
USCA
These items must be checked out using check out forms. Cite checkers may ask at the circulation desk for blank forms or print them from this website.
The cite checker must list on the form the Volume and Edition of each item being relocated.
If there is not a form with the item's title, the material does NOT relocate and must be used in the library.
File the forms in the binder located under the circulation counter.
Items that cannot be relocated to the Law Journal cite check room in the basement include:
Digests
Citators
Federal Register & Code of Federal Regulations
Indices
Looseleaf Services
Reference Material
Reserve Items
Current periodicals
Government documents
Statutes except USCA
Any other non-circulating materials (multi-volume sets, etc.)
These materials must be used in the library or make photocopies of the appropriate sections.
Returning Materials after Cite Checking Is Complete
An editor or managing editor must notify the library staff at the Circulation desk that a cite check is complete.
ALL CIRCULATING BOOKS AND BOUND PERIODICALS MUST BE RETURNED TO THE CIRCULATION DESK. Once checked in, Law Journal Staff is responsible for reshelving the bound periodicals.
Law Journal Staff are responsible for checking the reporters, legal encyclopedias and USCA off the forms in the binder and then for reshelving them.
Materials from other ASU Libraries may be checked in at the Law Library circulation desk.
Interlibrary Loans must be returned to the circulation desk.
Core Material Check Out Forms
The following are links to PDF forms used for relocating selected materials to the Law Journal Offices. If the item is normally non-circulating, and, if there is not a form for the title, then it must be used in the Law Library. The circulation staff must check out all circulating materials and bound journals. Use check out forms for the following titles only:
