Overview of the Ubalt Law Library
At the heart of academic life at the University of Baltimore School of Law is the law library. Not only has it been a leading and learning resource for generations of students, but it has also long been a crucial part of scholarship and service for the faculty, key personnel in our law programs, and those supporting the University as a whole. Faculty have turned to extensive legal databases found on library computers, while students have come to learn from both their peers and their professors in the library’s study groups. Law librarians have helped faculty navigate the requirements of creating meaningful scholarship, and have introduced them to new tools to share it effectively. In addition, law school staff have sought assistance in evaluating resources that might provide innovative support, or to develop necessary technical capabilities, just as UB staff have been happy to assist the library and its users in their needs for the latest technology solutions . Finally, the law library’s online posting of documents from prior classes or programs has well served UB faculty and, through alumni, the larger community of Maryland practitioners.
Of course, all of this started with the building itself. Established more than a half-century ago as part of a wave of legal education innovations, the library occupied two large floors of a structure which also housed the auditorium and classrooms. Billed as "Maryland’s Newest Law School," the building was dedicated in 1961 by a U.S. senator. That same year, the law library’s first information desk, then called the reference desk, opened with staffing from the Maryland State Law Library, a coordinated undertaking between the State and the University. At that time, the law library housed some 70,000 volumes, with about 2,000 media titles. As we pass the 100,000 volume mark in the library’s collection, full text legal databases now provide us with access to millions of additional legal resources.
Resources for Research
The Ubalt Law Library packs a powerful punch when it comes to research material. It is the only law-library in the state, it is a member of the US Federal Depository Library Program and the US Government Printing Office, and a slew of other programs designed for access to books and journals via databases and electronic access systems.
The digital library can be accessed through the UBalt School of Law Library homepage. Within the digital library there are databases with a wide variety of legal journals, encyclopedias, and books. The online library also has an archive of Maryland statutes and cases dating back to 1637 to 1812. Of course there are extensive archives of the Maryland Reporter, and U.S. Supreme Court records.
The library is also a GPO library, which means that it received high-quality federal publications and collects, includes, and provides access to publications as required by law to keep various levels of government and citizens connected. There are important US Reports archives within the library and US Serial Set archives, as well.
The library houses an extensive collection of local collections known as Law Special Collections, which are comprised of a number of rare historical documents that have not been digitized or published. These special collections span time from circa. 1628-1950 and includes everything from pamphlets to documents, newspapers to land records, to personal correspondence regarding the law. This library truly is a virtual research haven for any legal-related research.
Places to Study
The Ubalt Law Library offers a range of study spaces to the public in its general library area and in its special collections library, the Harry A. Cole. The general library includes study carrels in quiet areas for individual study as well as group study rooms. The special collections library has its own study carrels and reading room. All of these study spaces are quiet spaces for students up to four students. Including our large study room that accommodates up to 40 and two meeting rooms that accommodate up to 16 people each. These meeting rooms are wired for audiovisual equipment for group presentations and teaching. With a project room for specialized assistance with technology enhanced classrooms that is also available for use.
Library Services
The library staff at the UBALT Law Library are devoted to understanding and meeting the information needs of our students and faculty. We work closely with our Library liaisons, who are each assigned a particular subject or practice area of law. In addition to problem solving, we are happy to provide basic research assistance, teach research skills and strategies, and connect patrons with legal information resources in other libraries on campus or in the region. The library is always willing to work with individuals to make sure their needs are met. We also offer workshops on best practices in legal research. We encourage feedback on library services via surveys, library comment cards, individual meetings with library administration, and online tools such as LibWizard, a survey tool that can be used to assess library services.
Access Online
In the digital age, the physical characteristics of a library can be less significant than the information access it provides. That’s what makes the Robert G. Natelson Law Library at the University of Baltimore a beacon for anyone interested in the law, not just students and faculty. The printed resources are, of course, a significant part of their collection. But what about their digital presence? On this front, too, they rise to the challenges of a world which uses multiple online tools in our daily lives. The University of Baltimore libraries use a unified library catalog system. UBalt uses OCLC WorldCat for their online search tool. WorldCat is not limited to the UBalt law library. It is a catalog covering many of the libraries around the world and has an extensive, searchable database. Even if you use the university’s catalog system, you are using WorldCat in common, thus making it easy to switch if needed. Materials at the law library are systematically and thoughtfully organized. There are unique guides to help you navigate the library’s primary collections and services: While each of these collections is specialized to a degree, they also serve needs of more general research endeavors as well. The Maryland State Documents database, for instance, offers the latest state news from the governor and committees, available in English and Spanish, while the digital archives provides access to records from various university groups on campus. An online catalog system , accessible from a distance, is a fantastic resource for students and faculty alike. It allows for checking availability, and even putting a do-not-checkout note on certain items from the catalog. The digital periodicals and journals database is accessible to UBalt law faculty only, while students must request access to the materials. This limitation is not unusual, although the policy is based more on resources than anything else. Many online resources are restricted to only those with access permissions, usually universities and other entities whose resources are provided for teaching, research, or other purposes through specific contracts. Vaulted under "Library Policies" and marked "Access Policy" is the library’s unique policy to specifically address off-campus access for students, faculty, and staff. Online resources which are provided for university instruction can be accessed by every student, faculty member, and staff member from anywhere, at any time. The provision is made possible because the digital materials are being used for the university’s sake, rather than personal research or other projects. (Which is not an unusual provision for higher education institutions.) Security concerns are valid and controlling access is how these concerns are addressed. But it does create a hurdle for any new attorney who may wonder why he or she cannot access a simple Texas law review article from home or with their Westlaw access.
Events and Programs
The Ubalt Law Library not only houses an extensive collection of legal resources, but it also acts as a hub for intellectual exchange in the law community. The Library regularly hosts events that benefit law students, faculty, practicing attorneys, and members of the public through workshops on the latest legal research technologies and techniques as well as community outreach programs.
An ongoing series of "Law for the Community: Legal Issues of Consumer Concern" workshops, hosted by the library in collaboration with Maryland Legal Aid, helps empower the legal community and the public at large by providing free access to workshops and services led by veteran lawyers in relevant areas of law. The topics of these workshops have included foreclosure, bankruptcy, housing, consumer fraud, domestic violence, and criminal record expungement.
A series of CLE-accredited workshops has been hosted by the law library in conjunction with LexisNexis as well. These workshops broadly span the tools of legal research available today. These sessions include demonstrations on the tools from both Lexis and Westlaw, workshops on bringing together the tools as they continue to grow, and networking opportunities as well as tricks and tips to improve both the efficacy and efficiency of legal research.
Workshops are not limited to the legal community, either. The law library also provides a wide range of workshops for interested parties outside the law school community as well as other departments at the University of Baltimore. The University Of Baltimore Law Library is a resource for all.
Getting Around
Located on the lower level is the reference desk. Reference librarians are available from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The library is open to UBalt law students, faculty and staff 24/7, however. The administrative offices for the Law Library are on the lower level as well.
The main floors of the library feature a number of helpful guides to assist users in navigating legal research. These floor plans and guides are available at the library and online. The Library Scholar , an online interactive research guide to the library, includes 55 guides and tutorials to help you navigate legal research in a variety of areas.
Groups of two or more persons wishing to reserve study rooms in the library should do so in advance. Librarians are available to provide individual and group instruction on a variety of legal research topics. While walk-ups are welcome, it is advisable to set up an appointment with a librarian in advance.