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Library Services & Information

Administration

Construction Closure Summer 2024

The BYU Law Library has limited space and access to library materials during construction this summer in 2024 and will be locked and closed to the public beginning April 29, 2024, until further notice (likely until fall semester begins). 

BYU Law Students: Please see your email for instructions on how to access the library and study carrels.

People outside the BYU Law Community, including non-law BYU students and faculty, attorneys, and local community patrons may request an exception for access to use our library materials. A request for access can be made using this form. Note that requesting access does not guarantee you access, and requests will only be granted for access to use our specialized library materials. Access for any other reason will not be granted (e.g. space to study and work, etc.). A decision regarding your request may take up to a full business day. Access, if granted, will always be brief, limited, and short-term (less than 2 hours) and will require an appointment made with a Reference Services employee to enter the library to use the access you’ve been granted.  

For access to physical materials that are located on the 2nd floor, access will not be immediate.

Electronic Resources

Patrons who visit the Law Library in person can access some Law Library electronic resources, such as Westlaw, depending on our contract with the database vendor. Public access to many main campus (Lee Library) databases is also available to visitors in the Law Library. For questions about access to specific databases, please contact Reference Services. Remote (from home) access to Law Library databases is not available to visitors, although some databases are available remotely to Utah attorneys and BYU Law alumni. For information about access to HeinOnline’s Law Journal Library for BYU Law alumni, click here. For information about access to the LexisNexis Digital Library (Lexis treatises such as Nimmer on Copyright, the Utah Code Annotated, and more) for Utah attorneys and BYU Law alumni, click here.

Library Spaces for Research and Studying

Members of the public are welcome to use the library and its resources on the second (main) floor of the library. Materials can be retrieved from the first and third floors, but tables, study rooms, Zoom booths, and carrels on these floors are restricted to current law students, faculty, and staff.

Access to Electronic Resources & Digital Reserves

Lexis+, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law

Registration information for Lexis+, Westlaw, and Bloomberg Law accounts are sent to all incoming 1L and LLM students in August shortly before the beginning of the fall semester. New students should register for these accounts promptly so they can complete assignments for their legal research and writing classes. Transfer and visiting students will receive registration information early in the semester they begin study at BYU Law School.

Students who graduate from law school later than they originally planned due to personal reasons or the completion of a master’s degree will likely experience expired research accounts. Students who experience any trouble with their legal research accounts, including new registration difficulties or account expiration, should contact Iantha Haight for assistance.

Students are encouraged to use their legal research accounts throughout their education at BYU Law School, including during the summer. Students should note, however, that Westlaw accounts may not be used for paid law firm or corporate work.

Digital Course Reserves

BYU Law Library sometimes licenses e-books assigned for Law School courses (not casebooks or textbooks). Links to these e-books will be provided on the course Canvas page. Access may be limited, so please be courteous to other students and checkout books only while you are reading them. Email Iantha Haight if you hare having trouble access an e-book for a course.

Course Canvas pages may also contain links to assigned journal articles or licensed reading assignments. More information will be available in your course syllabus.

Electronic Study Aids

In addition to print study aids available in the Law Library Reserve Room, the Law Library licenses two digital study aid platforms that are very popular with law students, Quimbee and the Aspen Learning Library. Registration information for Quimbee is sent out to new incoming students shortly before the beginning of fall semester. All BYU Law students can access the Aspen Learning Library by logging in with their law school account credentials. Once logged in, law students can register for a personal account so they can save study materials to a virtual bookshelf or download and use the app. For more information, refer to the Study Aids for Law Students Research Guide. Contact Iantha Haight with access problems.

Additional Online Research Databases

BYU Law Library subscribes to a wide array of legal research databases, from historical legal material, to international and foreign law, to litigation analytics, and more. A list of these resources is available in the Law Library’s A-Z Databases list. BYU Law students also have access to many databases through the main BYU campus library. Click here to access the BYU Library list of databases.

Law Library Research Guides are useful tools to identify databases, websites, and other resources that may be relevant to your area of research. You can access our Research Guides here. For additional assistance, please contact a librarian or the Reference Desk.

Digital News Sites

BYU Law Library subscribes to many digital news websites for law student research and enrichment. Available titles include the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Financial Times, The Atlantic, The Economist, and Law360. For access information, locate the title in the A-Z Databases List and click “More information.”

Email Iantha Haight for any questions about database or news access.

1st Floor

The Law Library 1st Floor is the basement level of the library. It houses a number of research materials, including the Law and Religion Studies collection, government documents, law reviews and journals, microfiche, state reports, and archived state codes. The 1st Floor is also home to 76 study carrels that can be selected by rising 2L and 3L students during the spring carrel lottery. The 1st Floor is an excellent carrel space for students who prefer a quieter study area.

Library Instruction Room (267)

The Library Instruction Room (Room 267) is located on the main floor of the Law Library near the Innovation Space (Room 271) and the restrooms. Designed to facilitate instruction in electronic legal research skills, this room is equipped with a projection screen and eight monitors along the sides of the room. This room hosts first-year legal research and writing courses, advanced legal research, library research workshops, and other Law School classes.

Library Innovation Space

The Library Innovation Space (Room 271) is located on the Law Library’s main floor. The room has moveable furniture including work tables and whiteboards, allowing for numerous configurations that facilitate breakout sessions, group work, and design-thinking exercises. Due to its flexible nature, the space is a popular classroom and hosts everything from large lecture courses, to small seminars, to BYU’s Legal Design Clinic, Law X. Guest lectures and training classes for the Law Library’s Legal Tech Initiative are also frequently hosted in this space.

Iantha Haight

Maureen Holman

Shawn G. Nevers

Library Faculty and Staff

Administration

Law Library Director
neverss@law.byu.edu

Shawn G. Nevers

801.422.8784
277B
Primary Responsibilities:
Direct library operations. Facilitate faculty research and support. Oversee and maintain the library's electronic resources. Provide reference services and assistance to students, faculty and public patrons. Teach legal research.
Law Library Deputy Director
haighti@law.byu.edu

Iantha Haight

801.422.9023
277A
Primary Responsibilities:
Legal reference, faculty research support and development, management of the library's electronic collections, and legal research instruction.
Administrative Assistant
holmanm@law.byu.edu

Maureen Holman

801.422.7475
277
Primary Responsibilities:
Library maintenance, supply orders and inventory, basic support of Law Library Faculty and Staff. Schedule Law Library conference room and the Lee Reading Room.

Circulation

Access Services Librarian
colemanm@law.byu.edu

Melanie Coleman

801.422.3656
256B
Primary Responsibilities:
Manage the overall process of circulation and supervise the student employees. Process routed and hold materials to law school faculty and ensure law school faculty needs are being met quickly and efficiently. Process InterLibrary Loan and Document Delivery requests to meet the needs of the law school faculty, staff, and students. Processes overdue items, damaged materials, fines and the overall process of requesting materials from libraries.
Student Services and Outreach
chaom@law.byu.edu

Melanie Chao

801.422.9052
294
Primary Responsibilities:
Oversees library marketing and outreach. Manages student study carrels, study rooms, reference computers, building security, and keys.
Collection Maintenance Assistant
duarted@law.byu.edu

Danielle Duarte

801.422.7474
256
Primary Responsibilities:
Assist with collection organization, shelf management, and weeding of obsolete materials.

Public Services

Senior Law Librarian
stahelik@law.byu.edu

Kory D. Staheli

801.422.9223
274A
Primary Responsibilities:
Oversee collection development, select publications for purchase, provide faculty research assistance and support, and teach Legal Research courses.
Head of Reference and Faculty Services
HickmanA@law.byu.edu

Annalee Hickman Pierson

801.422.3596
274E
Primary Responsibilities:
Oversee legal reference and faculty services, provide faculty research assistance and support, and teach legal research.
Legal Technology Librarian
nick.hafen@law.byu.edu

Nick Hafen

801.422.2658
277A
Primary Responsibilities:
Oversees legal technology trainings, law student technology certifications, and advanced technology learning platforms.
Foreign, Comparative, and International Law Librarian
kristen.kellems@law.byu.edu

Kristen Clarke Kellems

801.422.7472
274G
Primary Responsibilities:
Responsible for providing both general research and reference services and services for foreign, comparative, and international law inquiries. Maintains and enhances BYU Law's FCIL law collection. Teaches LLM and legal research classes.

Technical Services

Acquisitions Librarian / Head of Technical Services
geldmacherb@law.byu.edu

Bonnie R. Geldmacher

801.422.3572
260B
Primary Responsibilities:
Acquires legal materials for the law library collection. Oversees cataloging and serials, looseleaf filing, donations, and the bindery.
Cataloging Specialist
howarda@law.byu.edu

Andrea Howard

801.422.1632
260A
Primary Responsibilities:
Catalogs newly acquired print and electronic legal resources, processes old law material, and assists in paying for legal material for the Law Library.
Serials Librarian and Data Project Manager
odamt@law.byu.edu

Teresa Odam

801.422.3571
260C
Primary Responsibilities:
Responsible for maintaining the serials collection in the Law Library. Coordinates with other Law Library employees to process data project requests from Law School and Law Library faculty.

Library and Networked Information Systems

Head of Infrastructure and Technology
armondd@law.byu.edu

David L. Armond

801.422.4258
396
Primary Responsibilities:
Lead the Library and Networked Information Department (LNIS) which supports, develops, and implements information technology within the Howard W. Hunter Law Library. Coordinate support with the Law School Computing Support Department for law school enterprise-wide information technology
LNIS Manager & Programmer
harrism@law.byu.edu

Mark Harris

801.422.9050
459K
Primary Responsibilities:
Oversee technical aspects of the Library's electronic database collection. Maintain electronic resources to ensure they are accessible to faculty, students, and patrons of the Law Library and meet patron and institutional needs. Evaluate, implement and support programs and applications to better support the delivery of electronic information in the academic environment.
Digital Resources Librarian / Law School Copyright Coordinator
urquiagal@law.byu.edu

Laureen C. Urquiaga

801.422.6657
457
Primary Responsibilities:
Manage the Library's presence on the web; overseeing website development, the digital archive, libguides and other web-related resources. Provide course packet support and monitor law school copyright compliance.

Library Directory

Administration

Law Library Director

Shawn G. Nevers

277B JRCB | 801.422.8784

Law Library Deputy Director

Iantha Haight

277A JRCB | 801.422.9023

Administrative Assistant

Maureen Holman

277 JRCB | 801.422.7475

Circulation

Access Services Librarian

Melanie Coleman

256B JRCB | 801.422.3656

Student Services and Outreach

Melanie Chao

294 JRCB | 801.422.9052

Collection Maintenance Assistant

Danielle Duarte

256 JRCB | 801.422.7474

Collection Maintenance

Collection Maintenance Assistant

Danielle Duarte

256 JRCB | 801.422.7474

Public Services

Senior Law Librarian

Kory D. Staheli

274A JRCB | 801.422.9223

Head of Reference and Faculty Services

Annalee Hickman Pierson

274E JRCB | 801.422.3596

Legal Technology Librarian

Nick Hafen

277A JRCB | 801.422.2658

Foreign, Comparative, and International Law Librarian

Kristen Clarke Kellems

274G JRCB | 801.422.7472

Technical Services

Acquisitions Librarian / Head of Technical Services

Bonnie R. Geldmacher

260B JRCB | 801.422.3572

Cataloging Specialist

Andrea Howard

260A JRCB | 801.422.1632

Serials Librarian and Data Project Manager

Teresa Odam

260C JRCB | 801.422.3571

Library and Networked Information Systems

Head of Infrastructure and Technology

David L. Armond

396 JRCB | 801.422.4258

LNIS Manager & Programmer

Mark Harris

459K JRCB | 801.422.9050

Digital Resources Librarian / Law School Copyright Coordinator

Laureen C. Urquiaga

457 JRCB | 801.422.6657

Public Use of the Law Library

The Howard W. Hunter Law Library is open to members of the public to engage in activities associated with the use of a law library, including law-related research, reading, studying, and writing. Because the primary mission of the Law Library is to serve members of the BYU Law School community, public patrons must be conscientious of law students and faculty and carefully adhere to the policies outlined below.

After-Hours Access

Law Faculty, Staff, and Students

To access the library after 6 pm, approved patrons will need to swipe their ID card on the reader located by the second floor – east entrance of the Law Library. Approved patrons who forget to bring their ID card and need assistance accessing the library after 6 pm, please contact the circulation desk at 801-422-3593. For questions regarding ID card access or hours, please contact Melanie Chao at chaom@law.byu.edu or 801-422-9052.

BYU Patrons

Current BYU students, faculty, administrators, or staff can use the button below to request after-hours access. Upon approval, your BYU ID card will be activated to allow swipe card access after 6 p.m. Please allow 24 hours for your request to be processed and swipe card access activated.

Law Community Patrons

Eligible patrons include BYU Law School graduates, members of the Utah Bar, and UALC members. Use the button below to request after-hours access. Please allow one business day for a decision and to receive further information about after-hours access.

Public Patrons

This category encompasses all patrons that are not eligible for a Law Community account and are not currently a BYU student/employee. Use the button below to request after-hours access. Please specify why you need after-hours access and specify why you are unable to utilize the library before 6 p.m. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please allow 2 business days for a decision and to receive further information about after-hours access.

After-hours drop-in access is not permitted for Public Patrons.

Request Access

Library Facilities & Policies

Public Research Areas

Members of the public and BYU who are not affiliated with the Law School may research on the 2nd (main) floor of the law library. The 1st and 3rd floors are designated as BYU Law School student study areas only. Public patrons are permitted to select books on the 1st and 3rd floors, but they should only remain on these floors for short periods of time while they use the collection.

Study Rooms

Study rooms are for law student use only.

Computer Use

Three computers near the reference desk are designated for use by the public for legal research purposes.

Noise

Noise should be kept to a minimum in the law library. Talking loudly or making noise that disturbs other library patrons is prohibited. Conversations should be conducted in quiet tones and in locations that do not disturb others. Cellular phones should be silenced within the library (alternative ring modes such as vibrate are permitted), and all telephone conversations should be conducted outside the library.

Food & Drink

Food and drink is not permitted on the 2nd (main) floor of the library.

Behavior

Library patrons may not engage in behavior which results in health and safety risks, property damage, or nuisance to other library users and library staff. The following are examples of behaviors not permitted in the library:

  • Not attending children in the library
  • Behaving in a manner that threatens other users or staff
  • Engaging in sexual harassment, including viewing pornography
  • Physical or verbal threats of violence, or fighting
  • Intoxication
  • Damaging or vandalizing library premises, furnishings, equipment, or materials
  • Having offensive personal hygiene or body odor
  • Monopolizing or impeding the use of furniture by others
  • Refusing to leave at library closing time or impeding the closing of the library
  • Talking loudly or making noise that disturbs other library patrons
  • Engaging in uninvited conversations with other users
  • Soliciting legal advice from library staff or law students
  • Behavior in violation of federal, state, or local law
  • Behavior in violation of Brigham Young University policies

Enforcement

Library staff will provide a warning to users whose behavior violates library policy.* If the violator fails to heed the warning and continues violating library policy, library staff will contact University Police to remove the patron from the building. Patrons required to leave the library for policy violations may not be permitted to return to the law library.

*Serious threats to health and safety of library patrons or staff will be reported immediately to University Police without warning.

Whom to Contact for What

The following is a list of contacts for some of the major services provided by the Law Library. If the service you need is not listed, please contact reference or your library liaison to request assistance:

BinderyBonnie Geldmacher
Bloomberg PasswordsIantha Haight
Book Checkout and RenewalCirculation Desk or Melanie Coleman
CarrelsMelanie Chao
CatalogingAndrea Howard
CILP ServiceContact your library liaison
Collection DevelopmentKory Staheli
Copyright Questions & Permission RequestsLaurie Urquiaga
Course ReserveMelanie Coleman
Digitization RequestsMelanie Coleman
Electronic Database TrainingIantha Haight
Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery, & Lee Library RequestsMelanie Coleman
Gifts and DonationsBonnie Geldmacher 
Government DocumentsReference or your library liaison
Group Study RoomsMelanie Chao
KeysMelanie Chao
Lexis PasswordsIantha Haight
Library InstructionAnnalee Hickman Pierson
Library PoliciesShawn Nevers
Lost & FoundCirculation Desk
MicroformsReference or your library liaison
Missing BooksMelanie Coleman
New Material RequestsKory Staheli or your library liaison
Notary RequestsMelanie Coleman, Maureen Holman or Bonnie Geldmacher
Overdues/FinesMelanie Coleman
Preservation/Book RepairBonnie Geldmacher 
Reference QuestionsReference or any Reference Librarian
Routing MaterialTeresa Odam
SecurityMelanie Chao
Website FeedbackLaurie Urquiaga
Westlaw PasswordsIantha Haight

For more information about employees, see the Library Directory.

Quiet Study Room

The Quiet Study Room is located in the northeast corner of the law library’s main floor next to the Innovation Space (Room 271) and the Library Training Classroom (Room 267). This room is only available to law students and must be accessed with the student’s ID card. The room will accommodate up to fifty students and includes soft couches and chairs, carrels, and tables. Law students using the space must refrain from phone calls, group study, and noise that could disturb others using the space.

Rex E. Lee Room

The Rex E. Lee Room (393 JRCB)  is a great place to take a break, relax, and socialize with friends and family members. The room has both work tables and soft seating, and lots of natural light for chasing away the winter blues. Shelves hold a collection of popular novels and magazines for law students, as well as a selection of games and puzzles. Law students are welcome to bring their children to this room. It has a kids’ corner with some toys and books for young children.

Gifts and Donations

The Howard W. Hunter Law Library gratefully accepts gifts of books and other materials. Gifts are accepted with the understanding that the law library retains discretion to utilize or dispose of the items as warranted by library needs. Upon written request, at the time of donation, gifts not added to the library collection will be returned to the donor. Unless requested otherwise, a letter of acknowledgement will be sent to the donor of each gift. The library does not assign a value to gift materials. Contact Bonnie Geldmacher at 801-422-3572 for all gifts and donations.

Online Subscriptions

The Law Library subscribes to dozens of online legal research tools. These resources are available off-campus only to authenticated law school users. However, most subscription resources are available within the law library for public use. Contact Reference Services for further information or for assistance with using these databases.

Book Purchase Requests

To recommend a book purchase, please email suggestions to Kory Staheli, Collections and Legal Research Instruction Librarian, at stahelik@law.byu.edu. Books not in the collection can also often be obtained via Interlibrary Loan. To request a book via Interlibrary Loan, click here.

Final Exam Study Aids

The Law Library purchases a number of study aids to assist law student with exam preparation. Current editions of study aids are generally shelved in the Reserve Room and may be checked out for 2 hours (subject to the reserve circulation policy). Older editions are shelved in the main collection and can be checked out for the normal loan period. For specific titles, check the library catalog.

Additionally, check out this research guide on Study Aids for Law Students, which gives more details about the different types of study aids and how to access some of them electronically.