Law Library

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Public Use Policies

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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.

Public Research Areas

Members of the public may research on the 2nd (main) floor of the law library. The 1st and 3rd floors are designated as student study areas. Public patrons are permitted to select books on the 1st and 3rd floors, but 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.

Borrowing Privileges

The Law Library provides borrowing privileges to BYU Law School alumni and members of the Utah State Bar. Borrowing privileges are also available for students and faculty of Utah universities and colleges whose libraries are members of the Utah Academic Library Consortium. Other public patrons may use law library materials within the Law Library, but will not be given borrowing privileges.

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.

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