Library Policies

Law library materials designated for circulation may be checked out by students, faculty, and staff of the law school using their UDC ID cards. Borrowers are responsible for materials checked out in their names.

Most of the Law Library's collection is in open stacks and can be accessed by students and faculty. If unsure of an item’s location, a user should access the library catalog and note the location, call number, and title. The user should take that information to the Circulation Desk. Library personnel will help retrieve the material.

• Reading Room materials are for library use only. These materials cannot be checked out by patrons and are not to be removed from the law library.
• Reserve materials casebooks required for current semester courses and current editions of study aids. These materials circulate on premises for 2 hours and may be renewed one time. Within two hours of the library’s closing, UDC Law borrowers may check out Reserve materials overnight. These items are due one hour after the Circulation Desk opens the following business day.
• Audio visual materials including video and audio recordings. These circulate to UDC law student and staff for 24 hours and may be renewed once.
• Main collection materials include monographs and other library materials. These circulate to UDC law students and staff for 14 days or the end of the semester whichever is shorter, and may be renewed once. UDC Law faculty may check out main collection materials until the end of the current semester.

Please click the link here to view full circulation policy.

Faculty, staff, and students of the law school may check out books from the UDC’s main campus library. A valid UDC ID card must be presented at the time of checkout. The law library has no authority to waive fines and fees assessed by the university library.

Faculty, staff, and students of the law school may request materials not available in the law library or UDC’s main campus library through interlibrary loan, a system built on cooperative relationships established by participating libraries. Interlibrary loan materials are the property of the lending institution and circulated according to policies mandated by the lending institution. Failure to adhere to the policies of lending libraries jeopardizes UDC Law’s ability to borrow from other institutions; therefore, patrons are expected to adhere to the lending institutions circulation policies, including due dates.

Although the UDC Law Library is primarily for the use of current UDC Law faculty, students, and staff, the law library also is open to the public and non-law UDC affiliates. Non-law UDC affiliates may access the library during Reference and Circulation Desk hours. Public hours are posted separately on the law library’s website. During weekends, holidays, and law school exam periods, access to the law library is restricted to UDC Law students, faculty, and staff.

Children under the age of 16 should be accompanied by an adult at all times in the Library.

Use of law library study spaces is available to current law students, faculty, and staff 24/7. Library staff are not in the law library outside posted service hours, nor do they respond to emails and phone calls. Students should not let anyone in except themselves, nor should students prop open doors. Campus police periodically patrol the Library Level while the service desks are closed. If you have an emergency, call Campus Police at 202-274-5050.

To provide an environment conducive to learning, all patrons are expected to respect the rights of others when using the library. Any offensive conduct or language within the library should be reported to a library staff member. Threatening or dangerous behavior will be reported to UDC Campus Police immediately.

Library policies are designed to ensure that all patrons have access to Library materials in an environment conducive to study and research. Please address any questions or concerns about Library policies to the Library staff at lawlibraryhelp@udc.edu.

Noise & Phone Use

Library patrons are expected to be respectful of other library users. To foster an atmosphere conducive to studying, please speak in a low tone, observe designated quiet areas, do not play music aloud anywhere in the law school, and keep the volume of music played through ear buds/phones low enough that the person sitting next to you cannot hear the music. The noise policy applies to the entire Library Level, including the elevator lobby and student printing area.

Cell phones should be set on vibrate or silent mode while you are in the Library Level or in any study room in the law school. Cell phone conversations are prohibited in all areas of the Library Level, with the exception of library offices. The cell phone policy applies to the entire Library Level, including the elevator lobby and student printing area. Cell phone calls should be made and received in 1st floor lobby of the law school, not in the Library Level or study rooms.

Food & Drink

Snacks are permitted in the law library, but patrons are responsible for properly disposing their trash and keeping library spaces clean. General food and beverage rules are as follows:

• Patrons may drink beverages from containers with secured lids, such as travel mugs, in all areas of the law library except near the scanners, copiers, and computers. Alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited.
• Patrons may eat items such as fruit, cold sandwiches, and candy bars in most areas of the Library.
• Noisy, aromatic, greasy, sticky, or messy foods – such as pizza, soup, tacos, burgers, noodles, and cooked sandwiches – are not permitted in either the Library Level or the designated study areas throughout the law school. These types of foods should instead be eaten in the Student Lounge / Open Market Café.
• Patrons are expected to clean up any food or drink spills. If the spill is large and requires cleaning from the maintenance staff, clean it up as well as you can and notify the circulation desk staff immediately.

Study rooms are available exclusively for use by current UDC Law students for individual or group study. Priority use of study rooms is given to UDC Law students who have reserved study rooms through the online system. Please use study rooms in the law library or carrels in Building 71, 6^th floor, for individual study, leaving larger rooms for groups.

• In addition to rooms available in the law school building (Building 52), law students can reserve individual study carrels on the 6th floor of building 71 via the UDC library, https://www.udc.edu/covid-19/learning-and-work-pods/ . These study spaces are located to the right when you get off of the elevator.
• Law students can reserve group study rooms via the "Reserve a Study Room" link on the law library's website using their UDC Law email address and University ID (N) number. Students may not use another student's email address to make a reservation. Reservations may not be made in another student's name.
• UDC Law Library administration reserves the right to move or cancel a student reservation.
• Each UDC Law student may reserve a study room for up to 3 hours per day. The student who makes the reservation must be present during the reservation period for it to be valid.
• Study rooms should not be used for classes or meetings of student organizations.
• Users may have drinks in rooms in Building 52 if they are in containers with secured lids. Snacks meeting the criteria set out in the food policy are permitted; meals are not permitted. Alcohol is not permitted anywhere in the library. Please reference the law library’s food and beverage policy for more information.
• Food and drink are not permitted in study spaces in Building 71 or in other classrooms on main campus (i.e., buildings other than Building 52).
• Users are responsible for removing all trash from the room before leaving.
• Furniture is not to be moved in Building 52 spaces If furniture is moved in other study rooms, it must be returned to its original position at the conclusion of your time in the room.
• Users are responsible for their personal property at all times and should never leave items unattended. Unattended items will be removed and locked in reserves. Every Sunday at 11:00 a.m., unclaimed items will be sent to Campus Police, which is located in Building 39, Room C04.
• The law school is not responsible for loss or damage to personal property.
• Students are expected to be respectful and vacate study rooms during times reserved for classes, activities, or by other students.
• Students can use their booking confirmation email as proof of their reservation for a room.
• Repeated or egregious violations of library policies by students will be considered violations of the Honor System Volume II of the Student Handbook.
• Students should report any issues involving study rooms by visiting the circulation desk on the Library Level, calling (202) 274-7310, or emailing lawlibraryhelp@udc.edu.

The law library will not hold or serve as a pick-up location for personal items belonging to students, staff, or faculty. Unattended personal items will be removed from study rooms and spaces. The circulation desk is the temporary repository for personal items found in the Library Level and all study rooms, but library staff is not responsible for loss, theft, or damage to personal items. Unattended personal items will be removed from study rooms and public spaces. Every Sunday at 11:00 a.m., unclaimed items will be sent to Campus Police, which is located in Building 39, Room C04.

Per D.C. Mun. Regs., Subtit. 8-B, §2201, items purchased or acquired by the library, regardless of the source of funds, are considered property of the Board of Trustees of the University of the District of Columbia. Therefore, replacement fees will be assessed for materials not returned to the library within the applicable period specified in the circulation policy.

The mutilation, defacement, or unauthorized removal of library books, equipment, and other materials is prohibited. Defacement and mutilation includes folding, tearing, writing, or highlighting in library books.

Please notify a member of the library staff if any library materials or furnishings are in need of repair. Moving furniture is strictly prohibited. Damaging furniture, books, equipment, or any other library property is prohibited. Persons responsible for such damage will be charged the costs of necessary repairs or replacement.

Activities prohibited in the law library include, but are not limited to:

• Exhibiting threatening or intimidating behaviors, e.g., abusive language, threats of violence, or harassment.
• Engaging in behavior that is potentially unsafe or harmful to self or others.
• Engaging in sexual activities, indecent exposure, harassment, or making unwanted or inappropriate advances.
• Using alcohol, tobacco, or controlled substances.
• Leaving children under the age of 16 unsupervised.
• Creating disturbances with disruptive noise, e.g., loud talking or audible electronic devices.
• Vending, peddling, soliciting, or petitioning in the law library.
• Posting or distributing materials without permission.
• Disturbing library users who are studying.
• Disturbing others with strong odors, e.g., perfumes, alcohol, or unsanitary personal conditions.
• Consuming food or drink in areas where they are prohibited.
• Bringing animals, other than service animals, into law library.
• Blocking means of egress, e.g., entrances, ramps and stairways.
• Denying access to law library materials through theft or deliberate misplacement.
• Defacing or damaging library materials including, but not limited to, underlining, highlighting, writing, or removing pages or security devices.
• Misusing, misappropriating, damaging, or defacing library furniture, spaces, or equipment.
• Leaving personal belongings unattended.

In cases of exceptional or repeated violation of library policies, the library reserves the right to revoke or refuse access to our facilities. Repeated or egregious violations of library policies by students will be considered violations of the Honor System Volume II of the Student Handbook.

The law library is not able to accept donations at this time. For archives or special collections, please email lawlibraryhelp@udc.edu.