Today is the first day of the Fall 2021 semester and honestly, the Law Library staff has rarely been happier to see the start of classes. After 18 months of closures, limited access, seat reservations, social distancing and remote classes, we welcome you back into the Library, with your safety still in mind.
Since it may have been awhile since you have had a chance to use the library space, I thought the best way to welcome you back is to reacquaint you with our services, our staff, our best study spaces, and some of our policies.
Most importantly, remember you can always ask us a question! We're happy to help you find the closest bathroom or how to untangle a complicated legislative history. You can email us (askUWLaw@law.wisc.edu), chat with us (just click on 'chat now' at the top of our website), call us (608-262-1128) or just...walk up to us at the Reference or Circulation Desk. It's harder to not find us than to actually find us!
First, our staff. Okay, I may be biased, but the UW Law Library staff is the best. We have six reference staff who you will see as you enter the Library, four Circulation staff who help oversee everything from study rooms to scanning, and a whole bevy of skilled librarians who work behind-the-scenes to ensure your databases, journals, and books are all in good working order and available to you. Our whole staff (and their emails) are available on our staff directory. Feel free to reach out and say hello!
We take your health and safety very seriously at the UW Law Library. We have ample cleaning supplies available for you as you study and, of course, masks are required at all times short of taking a short sip of your drink. Our space is open for all legal researchers but we have five floors that should allow you to find a quiet and isolated area for study. Always feel free to ask us if you have any concerns or contact me directly (Kris.Turner@wisc.edu).
Speaking of our space, our five floors provide pretty much every type of studying experience you could imagine. Do you like natural light and open space? Try out the Habush, Habush, and Rottier Reading Room on the fifth floor. Like more traditional library space that is quiet and surrounded by stacks of books? Check out the first floor or any of the floors on the East Wing. Or...check out a Study Room for even more privacy! Here are maps of the Library and here is where you can check out Study Rooms (and our policies).
Let's round out this post with a brief look at bullet points of some of our policies:
- No food in the Library - It's too loud and smelly - plus we don't want ants in here!
- We'll limit the Library to law students and legal researchers about a month before exams begin to ensure you have space and quiet to focus on studying.
- You can scan for free using the scanners on the fifth floor or third floor. You can also print wirelessly from your laptop or any of our desktop workstations - printing is seven cents per page (or fourteen cents for a double-sided page).
- Remember...if you have questions, just ask!
Best of luck this semester! We look forward to working with you!
Submitted by Kristopher Turner on September 14, 2021
This article appears in the categories: Law Library
