FAQ for Independent Studies
Last updated: August 2007
This FAQ is intended to answer general questions about library services and
resources to assist students who are completing independent study paper assignments.
If we didn’t cover something or you have a more specific question, please
don’t hesitate to ask for help.
How am I assigned a “Research Librarian”?
Librarian assignments are determined by the Law Library Director based on the
librarian's subject specialty, the faculty member supervising the independent
study and librarian workload. Students who are pursing independent studies should
contact Kristin Cheney, Associate Dean for Library and Educational Technology
(Library Administration - Room 307A, (206) 398-4091, kcheney@seattleu.edu).
When do I set up a consultation with my “Research Librarian”?
Your designated research librarian should sign your independent study form.
At that point, you should set up a mutually convenient date and time to meet
with your research librarian for a more formal research consultation.
How do I contact my “Research Librarian”?
How do I find materials in the Law Library collection?
Search the Law Library catalog online.
For tips on how to search the catalog, check out: www.law.seattleu.edu/library/research/help.
How can I get more familiar with the Law Library locations?
Check out our popular locations
guide.
How do I borrow Law Library materials?
Take materials to the Circulation Desk and show them your Seattle University
ID card.
How do I borrow books at the Lemieux Library?
Check out materials at the Lemieux Library Circulation Desk and show them your
Seattle University ID card. Be sure to turn in materials on time and in good
condition as fines do accrue. The Lemieux
Library catalog is available online.
How do I borrow books on Summit?
Summit is the shared library catalog of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, a consortium
of 31 colleges and universities in Washington and Oregon. This service provides
access to over 27 million books, DVDs, and videotapes. Summit does not provide
access to magazines, journals, and newsletters. Materials are delivered to campus
from member libraries within 2 - 3 business days. Borrow books in your own name
with your 7 digit university identification number preceded by two leading zeros
(e.g. 001234567 – your university identification number is available under
“registration information” on SU Online: https://suonline.seattleu.edu).
Loan periods are 21 days (with one renewal) for books and three days (with one
renewal) for videos/CDs. Fines accrue for overdue items so be sure to return
materials on time and to time your request accordingly. The Summit catalog is
available online at: summit.orbiscascade.org.
For questions, check out the Summit
FAQ.
How do I borrow books on interlibrary loan (ILL)?
First, check the Law Library catalog.
Next, check the Lemieux
Library catalog. Then, check the Summit
catalog. If you do not find what you need by searching the catalogs above,
fill out an ILL
request form online or pick one up at the Law Library Circulation Desk and
return it to the Circulation Desk.
The time it takes to receive requested ILL material generally depends upon
the location of the lending library (one to two weeks). If the material is needed
by a specific deadline, please indicate this on the request form. Fines accrue
for overdue items so be sure to return materials on time and to time your request
accordingly. You are also expected to comply with any special loan conditions
imposed by the lending library. If a renewal is needed, ask the ILL staff to
request it before the due date. Some libraries do not renew interlibrary loan
materials. ILL materials are subject to recall at any time by the lending library.
To ensure that our institution can continue to receive materials via ILL from
other libraries, it is important to follow the above procedures. For more information,
consult our ILL FAQ.
What types of material can I get on ILL?
Generally, books, copies of periodical articles, and certain government documents
(if in print) can be requested through ILL.
What types of material are not available on ILL?
The following material is often not available through ILL: recently published
books, entire issues of periodicals, reference or reserve books, rare books
or original manuscripts, books in poor condition, film, videotapes, software
and other non-print material, some dissertations and theses, microfiche/film.
Additionally, original or obscure materials such as correspondence, non-published/minimally
distributed reports, and manuscripts are not available on ILL and are best requested
directly from the author.
How do I find articles in magazines, journals, and newsletters?
First, check to see if the journal is available on Lexis or Westlaw. (For Lexis,
use the “Find a Source” tab; for Westlaw, use the “Find a
Database Wizard” on the left of the Welcome screen.) For law related titles,
also try Hein Online, which is available through our database
listing. For non law titles, check the Lemieux
homepage. Finally, if no online version is available, check our
catalog and the Lemieux
catalog for hard copies of the journal. If you do not find what you need
by searching the databases or catalogs above, fill out an ILL
request form online or pick one up at the Law Library Circulation Desk and
return it to the Circulation Desk.
What other databases are available?
The Law Library subscribes to many specialized
databases. Please note specific access instructions, availability (on site
only – wired vs. wireless network) and usage restrictions. Lemieux Library
hosts a variety of non-legal
databases. Contact the reference desk or one of the reference librarians
if you need training or assistance.
What is a good starting point for my research?
The Law Library maintains a research portal.
The research portal includes our online catalog, database listings, and suggested
internet links. The librarians have also authored a number of topical research
guides, called “Starting Points,”
to assist in finding resources.
How do I go about selecting my paper topic?
Your faculty advisor will discuss possible paper topics with you. If you need
additional assistance in developing or refining a paper topic, set up an appointment
with your assigned research librarian. You may wish to consult two helpful books:
Scholarly Writing for Law Students, Reserve KF250.F34 2005; Academic Legal Writing,
Reserve KF250.V65 2005. Additionally, the UW Gallagher Law Library’s research
guide, Writing
for and Publishing in Law Reviews, contains a section on finding interesting
topics.
How do I find out which articles have already been written on my topic?
The following databases will be helpful in determining whether your topic has
been previously published in the legal journal literature:
Current Index to Legal Periodicals
(CILP); Westlaw = CILP
Hein Online
Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals (IFLP)
Index to Legal Periodicals (ILP); Westlaw
= ILP; Lexis = LAWREV; ILP
LegalTrac; Westlaw = LRI; Lexis = LAWREV;
LGLIND
Lexis full text law journals = LAWREV; ALLREV
Westlaw full text law journals = JLR
How do I locate working papers on my paper topic or submit my research
paper to a working paper series?
In the legal arena, there are two main working paper repositories: 1) Social
Science Research Network’s Legal Scholarship Network; 2) Bepress
Legal Repository. Both Web sites provide searchable working paper archives
and instructions on working paper submissions.
Where can I get more information on publishing my research paper in
a law review?
The UW Gallagher Law Library has two research guides which may be of help: 1)
Writing
For and Publishing in Law Reviews covers sources for law review addresses,
law review rankings, and more; 2) Cite
Checking & Library Research covers resources for assisting with citation
format, retrieving cited sources online, internet sources and so on.
Where can I get help with research?
Send us a question via our e-mail reference service at: lawreference@seattleu.edu.
Visit us or call the reference desk at (206) 398-4225
How can I contact a member of the library staff?
Consult our Web-based Law Library staff directory.
How can I get passwords for, and training on, Westlaw/TWEN & Lexis?
Contact Tina Ching (x4129, chingt@seattleu.edu)
for passwords. Contact the vendor representatives directly to schedule training:
Westlaw/TWEN: Zachary Gose
Web: lawschool.westlaw.com
LexisNexis: Aaron Meyers
(206) 323-9537
Web: lexisnexis.com/lawschool
Where can I find additional information?
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Law Library Research Portal