Deane Law Library Policies

General Policies

The goal of the library administration and staff is to make the collection as freely available to all patrons as is consistent with proper and equitable use. Compliance with the following rules will be appreciated by all library users:

1. The unavailability of library materials is frustrating to all library users. Please either correctly reshelve books you have used or place them on the reshelving carts located throughout the Library. Your colleagues will appreciate it!
   
   
2. If you need to refer back to library materials, please make a photocopy rather than hold the book.
   
   
3. Please be aware of the different quiet and talking areas within the Library. Within the talking areas, please keep your voices at a low volume. Please step outside into the lobby or use the upstairs lounges for extended conversations.
   
   
4. Cell phones and pagers may not be used in the Law Library. All patrons should turn off the ring feature on their cellular phones and pagers so that the noise does not disturb other patrons. Conversations on these phones should be carried on outside the Law Library.
   
   
5. If you are planning to use audio on a laptop, please use headphones.
   
   
6. Please do not write in, underline, or otherwise mutilate library materials.
   
   
7. Limited food is permitted in the Library. You must remove any waste items when you leave the Library. Beverages may be brought into the Library. Please report any spills to the Circulation Desk.
   
   
8. The Library does not page patrons nor take messages.
   
   
9. Smoking and the use of all other tobacco products is not permitted anywhere in the Library.
   
   
10. Fire alarm drills are periodically performed. Everyone must leave the library immediately when the fire alarm sounds.
    
    

Deane Law Library Access Policy

Access to the Hofstra University Law Library is limited to:

1. Hofstra University students, faculty (including emeritus faculty), administrators and staff.

2. Attorneys and judges.

3. Hofstra Law School alumni (alumni from other divisions of Hofstra are not permitted).

4. Students from other law schools with a letter of introduction from their law school. Students will be issued a pass for the current semester unless a shorter time period is requested. Passes issued to these students will not be honored during exam periods.

5. Students from law schools in the New York area with a pass (green slip) for one time access. Green slips will not be honored during exam periods.

6. Non-attorneys employed by a law firm who submit a letter from their law firm requesting permission to use the library that day only (the letter is to be submitted to the Circulation Desk Staff).

7. Students from other law schools attending summer classes at Hofstra Law School.

8. Students from other law schools taking Bar Review classes at Hofstra Law School.

9. Anyone who has a Deane Law Library pass.

10. Members of the public who request permission to use federal depository materials (no I.D. is required, but the patron must go to the Reference Desk).

11. There are area libraries that are open to the public should access not be allowed under the rules above.

Deane Law Library Bar Study Access Policy

Non-Hofstra Law School graduates who are taking a bar review course at Hofstra Law School in preparation for a summer or winter bar exam must purchase passes for Bar Study Access.

Passes are available at the Circulation Desk and individuals must present their bar review course ID and proof of identity at the time of purchase. Bar Study Passes are not transferable and the Library reserves the right to limit the number of passes it makes available for sale.

Each Bar Study Pass is $50 and provides access from the time of purchase (no earlier than the end of the Hofstra Law School spring semester exam period for the summer bar and no earlier than the end of the Hofstra Law School fall semester exam period for the winter bar). Payment can be in cash or by check made payable to "Hofstra University".

The Pass entitles the individual to use the facilities of the Hofstra Law School Library with the exception of use of the study rooms. No borrowing privileges are granted or included in the Pass.

The Pass does not allow 24/7 access to the Library; it is only good for when the Library is open and the Circulation Desk is staffed. You can see the Library's hours here.

Bar study access for non-Hofstra Law School graduates is a courtesy extended by the library. Holders of the Bar Study Passes are subject to all Library and University policies and Passes may be revoked upon any violations.

Deane Law Library ADA Policy

The Deane Law Library is committed to providing access to library services to all patrons.

Access and service accommodations for disabled patrons

Access
All patron areas of the library are open and accessible to all patrons. Access to the lower library levels for disabled persons may be obtained by speaking with a reference librarian or a circulation assistant. Library personnel will escort the patron on a law school elevator to the lower level(s). Before leaving the patron to continue his/her research, library personnel will show the patron the location of a law library phone. Should the patron need additional assistance, or should s/he need to return to the main level of the library, s/he may use this phone to contact the reference desk and/or the circulation desk.

Patrons requiring assistance for book retrieval from unreachable shelves should contact a reference librarian or a circulation assistant.

Computers
There is one ADA station located in the library, next to the other public workstations on the first floor. It has a scanner attached and has DragonNaturallySpeaking installed.

Microform readers/printers
The library’s microform readers are capable of adjusted text size for visually impaired patrons. Any patron needing such text enhancement should contact a reference librarian or a circulation assistant, who will then retrieve and install the necessary microform lens.

Photocopying
Disabled patrons unable to reach and/or use the library’s photocopiers may (1) bring their materials to the circulation desk to be photocopied for them, or (2) check-out the items and take them to the law school copy center for copying. The patron will be given a time for completion and pick-up at the time of request; the jobs may not be completed immediately, depending on traffic and already pending requests. The patron will be charged only for the copies themselves; no service charges shall apply.

Deane Law Library Borrowing Policy

Open Stacks
Most single-volume works circulate for a period of 28 days. Due to the nature of the Law Library's collection, many materials do not circulate outside the Law Library. Among the materials that do not circulate are: primary materials (i.e., statutes, codes, reporters, government documents), periodicals, microforms, material from the looseleaf section, general reference material, finding aids, and individual volumes from multi-volume sets, works comprised of two or more volumes.

Audio and Visual Materials
Audio and visual materials are held on reserve. This material circulates for a period of 3 days. However, class videos, audio cassettes and DVDs circulate for a period of only 3 hours.

Reserve Material (other than A/V above)
Items held on Reserve must be used in the Law Library. This material circulates for a period of 3 hours. Reserve items may be renewed once for the same amount of time as the original loan period. However, they may not go out overnight.

Office of Career Services (OCS) Material
OCS titles are available for use by current law school students only. Students accessing OCS material may either use them in the OCS office or check them out directly from OCS. As is standard, a current law school ID is required to check out material from the library.

Renewals
Items checked out for 28 days may be renewed once for an additional 28 days, and are subject to recall. Overdue items may not be renewed. Items may be renewed by phone (Circulation Desk at 516-463-5989), in person, or online at http://libweb.hofstra.edu/patroninfo. Overdue items may not be renewed.

Recalls
If a borrowed item is requested by another patron, it may, at the librarian's discretion, be recalled after 14 days of the initial 28 day loan period or at anytime during the 28 day renewal loan period. If an item is recalled, the original borrower will be notified by email or phone, and is expected to return the item to the Law Library within 3 days.

Overdue Policy If an item borrowed for 28 days is not returned by its due date, the borrower will be sent a reminder notice to the borrower's Hofstra email account that day. The borrower will be given a three-day grace period to return the item before fines begin to accrue. This notice is a courtesy. Whether or not the notice is received, the patron is liable for returning the item when due. If the material is not returned within two weeks of the due date, the material will be deemed as lost. The borrower will then, in addition to the fines, be assessed the average replacement cost of the item and a $25 processing fee. If the item is subsequently returned prior to being replaced, the borrower will only be assessed a $5 service fee and the overdue fines.

Reserve material will be deemed lost if not returned within 48 hours of the due date and the borrower will be assessed the average replacement cost of the item, and a $25 processing fee. This applies to all reserve materials. If the item is subsequently returned prior to being replaced, the borrower will only be assessed a $5 service fee and the overdue fines.

Outstanding Fines
Borrowing privileges may be revoked once a patron has accumulated at least $25 in fines. Unpaid fines could result in the student being blocked from registration, graduation, etc.

Fines for Overdue and Recalled Items
1. Books that circulate for 28 days: $.50 a day for 14 days. After that it is considered lost and assessed a $75 replacement fee and $25 processing fee*
2. Course Reserve DVDs circulate for 3 hours: $.25 an hour for 48 hours; then a $50 replacement fee and $25 processing fee*
3. Popular DVDs and Audio/Visual circulate for 3 days: $1 a day fine for 4 days; then a $50 replacement cost and $25 processing fee*
4. General Reserve Items circulate for 3 hours: $.25 an hour for 48 hours; then a $50 replacement fee and $25 processing fee*

*All replacement and processing fees will be waived if the item is returned in a timely manner after assessment. However, the fine and a $5 service charge still must be paid.

Deane Law Library Interlibrary Loan Policy

The Law Library provides interlibrary loan service for Hofstra Law School faculty and students. Materials needed for research not owned by Hofstra Law Library or Axinn Library can often be borrowed from other libraries through interlibrary loan. The Law Library does not obtain leisure reading materials on Interlibrary loan. As a participant in the OCLC online interlibrary loan network, the Law Library has access to the resources of hundreds of law and non law libraries nationwide. Obtaining materials through interlibrary loan takes an average of 7-15 working days. Ask a reference librarian for assistance if you cannot locate the material you desire in the Law Library. To make an interlibrary loan request online, please use the ILLiad system.

The Law Library is requesting material on behalf of the student. The student is responsible for any fines or fees that are a result of overdue or lost/damaged materials.

Deane Law Library Study Room Policy

• Study rooms are only available for use by currently enrolled Hofstra Law School students. Reservations for study rooms may be made in person at the Circulation Desk.
• Rooms may be reserved in advance for one three-hour time period per day, with no renewals.
• Only one room reservation (per group or individual) is permitted each day. Each reservation will be for a maximum of three hours, with no renewals permitted.
• In a group reservation, all members of the group must be currently enrolled Hofstra Law School students. At the reserved time, groups are to present their reservation confirmation at the Circulation Desk. A blue slip will be given to one of the members of the group identifying the reservation.
• If the study room slip is not picked up within 15 minutes from the start of the reserved time, the room may be given to another group or student upon request.
• The Library takes no responsibility for any items left in a study room.

The following additional rules apply to the use of all study rooms:

1. Please cancel your reservation if you find you no longer need it.
2. When leaving the room, please turn off the light and close the door.
3. Study rooms are to be left neat and clean when the group is finished. Any library materials used in the study rooms must be reshelved. Please either correctly reshelve books you have used or place them on the reshelving carts located throughout the Library.
4. Abuse of study room privileges may result in the loss of the use of the study rooms.
5. Reservations may be canceled if the needs of the Law School require use of the room. (As an example, for exam takers.)