The Reference Librarians can assist 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 - Thurscday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.
How to Chose a Paper Topic Guide Prepared by a Ross-Blakley Law Librarian, this guide is designed for law students who are writing a substantive legal research paper and are looking for guidance on how to begin. The guide details sources for help in selecting a paper topic and offers insight in how to check whether your paper will add new information to the field of law. CALI Preemption Checking Wondering if your topic for a journal note or article has been covered before? The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI) offers a lesson on the sources and process of conducting a preemption check. 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, Electronic Sources for Federal Legislative History, United States Treaties and International Agreements, Secondary Legal Materials, and 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.
Remember, these books are being checked out in your name. You are responsible for returning them on time and for any overdue fines that may accrue.
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.
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 may 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.
Other Electronic Full-Text Resources
Paper Copies/Microforms All journals in the Law Library are shelved by call number. Most journals are shelved in either the Bound Periodicals section on the 2nd floor or in Current Periodicals behind the Circulation Desk. Microforms are located in cabinets on the west side of the first floor.
LexisNexis and Westlaw The LexisNexis "US Law Reviews and Journals, Combined" and the Westlaw "Journals and Law Reviews (JLR)" database contain hundreds of full text law reviews and bar journals. These periodicals can be searched as a group, individually, by topic or jurisdiction. There are separate files for newspapers including some foreign newspapers.
To Search indexes in other disciplines, go to the ASU Libraries Home Page. You can get to this page from the Law Library's website by clicking on Search the Library Catalog and then on the ASU Libraries logo in the top left corner of the page.
From the menu on the left, select Find Articles. To search for indexes by subject or name, select Research Databases. To search for specific journals, select Journal Title Lookup . For more information on finding articles go to the ASU Libraries tutorials on Finding Articles.
If the article you want is not available at the Law Library or in electronic format, but is owned by another ASU library in print, you may use the Interlibrary Loan Request Form to request the article.
Many documents and publications of the executive, legislative and judicial branches are available in the Law Library in paper, microform and electronic format.
If what you need is not in the ASU online catalog, try the other tools listed below. For help, contact a Reference Librarian.
To locate other government information and websites that contain documents go to the Law Library's Research Now page 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:
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.
Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications 1988 to date, indexes U.S. federal government publications. For more information on government documents at the Law Library go to the Law Library's website, click on More Library Information and then on Collections. Here you will see the link for Government Documents. For more information on government documents at the Hayden Library go to http://lib.asu.edu/govdocs.
Tips for managing Interlibrary Loans PLAN AHEAD! Place ILL requests as soon as possible. It can sometimes take up to 4 weeks for requests to be filled and delivered . 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 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. However, it may be faster to go directly to the author in these cases. The following types of materials are difficult to obtain through Interlibrary Loan:
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:
American Jurisprudence Arizona Reporter Atlantic Reporter Corpus Juris Secundum Federal Reporter Federal Supplement Northeastern Reporter Northwestern Reporter Pacific Reporter Southeastern Reporter Southern Reporter Southwestern Reporter Supreme Court Reporter US Reports USCA Carts may be used to transport items to the Law Journal office, but should be unloaded and immediately returned to the Circulation Desk. Items that cannot be relocated to the Law Journal cite check room in the basement include:
Returning Materials after Cite Checking Is Complete All materials relocated to the Law Journal office must be returned to the Law Library Circulation Desk when the cite check is complete. The Law Journal office must be cleared of library materials at the end of the year.
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