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.
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.