Library Technology

BYU Law’s Legal Tech Initiative (LTI) has two primary goals: technological competence and excellence. Students learn to use software common in the legal industry—such as Microsoft Word, document management systems, and e-discovery tools—and learn about important concepts like cloud technology, AI, and cybersecurity. In addition to learning the basics, students learn to turn their technology skills into a competitive advantage. They learn to leverage document automation, design thinking, and generative AI to do better, faster, cheaper legal work. These are some of the training sessions offered in the past:

The Law School also provides resources for on-demand technology training. You can find details on accessing these tools here.

• The Legal Tech Assessment provides training and assessment in the Microsoft Office Suite, PDFs, and more.
• The National Society for Legal Technology provides certifications in Legal Tech, eDiscovery, and Legal Research, including training modules for a wide variety of software tools.
• Pluralsight offers on-demand technology courses and certifications for those who want a deeper understanding of the underlying technology. It also offers “Executive Summaries,” which are videos aimed at teaching non-technology professionals what they need to know about various technologies.

Law students have free access to a number of legal tech tools. Details are available here.

As a law student, it’s crucial to learn about generative AI (genAI) tools to meet the ethical obligation of competence required by Rule 1.1 of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Several lawyers have been sanctioned for citing fictitious cases because they used genAI for legal research without understanding the technology. Developing competence in genAI ensures you protect yourself and your clients. With that foundation, you can begin building proficiency that will give you a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving legal landscape. Attending the Law School’s Legal Tech Initiative trainings will give you a jump start, but you don’t need to wait to begin learning.

Developing Competence in Generative AI

To build competence, start by choosing a generative AI tool. Paying for the best models, like GPT-4, Google Gemini Advanced, or Anthropic’s Claude 3 Opus, is best, but you can begin with free versions or take advantage of free trials and open betas to get started.

Professor Ethan Mollick, an AI expert at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, recommends spending around ten hours using genAI to understand how it might affect your industry. Try it out on everyday tasks you encounter as a law student, such as composing emails, preparing for class, understanding legalese, or brainstorming research ideas. Of course, always follow the rules your professors and employers set for using genAI.

Building Excellence and a Growth Mindset

Once you’ve developed a baseline competence, push the genAI tool further in areas where you have deeper expertise. Apply it to more complex legal tasks that require reasoning, such as understanding legislation or contracts, flagging specific issues or provisions in documents, or analyzing your legal writing. Try out the legal-specific AI tools you have access to. (Visit this page for access instructions.)

As these tools continue to evolve and become more advanced, think about how you might leverage their future capabilities in your legal practice. Remain curious and develop a forward-thinking mindset by staying informed about the latest advancements in AI and their potential applications in the legal field. You’ll set yourself apart from other lawyers and law students, and you’ll be prepared for the future of legal practice.

BYU Law Co-Op Printers

BYU Law provides Co-Op printers for BYU Law students. To learn more about the cost, how to install it and use it, see the BYU Law page on Co-Op printing.

Lexis Printers

Lexis printers are available for BYU Law students to use to print for free from Lexis’s website. Lexis printers are available near the entrance of the basement on the 1st floor and on the 3rd floor near the Rex E. Lee room. There is also a Lexis printer outside the law library in the BYU Law Student Commons.

The Library has a limited number of legal research desktop computers in the reference area for public use. Resources such as Westlaw Patron Access and HeinOnline are available, as well as selected CCH and ProQuest Databases; and OIT-licensed campus resources can be utilized following proper authentication.

We no longer have public-access printers, so results need to be saved to email or a USB drive.

The Law Library does not have any printers available for public patrons. The Law Library provides document scanners, which allow the option of saving a document as a PDF to save and print at home, for use by the BYU Law school community and for use by public patrons who are scanning library materials. If you need an on campus printing option, BYU has several Print Centers or Printer Kiosks across campus. 

The Y App can help you find the closest pharos printer. The Print and Mail website provides more information about these options. 

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The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The person using the equipment is liable for any infringement.

Please note that scanning all or even a substantial portion of a book in order to avoid purchasing a copy is not a Fair Use (see § 107(4)).

Scanned PDFs may be saved to USB flash drives, uploaded to cloud-based systems like your own Google Drive, Box, or Dropbox account, or emailed using web-based accounts such as Yahoo or Gmail.

Scanner Locations

The Law Library currently has:

• two KIC Bookeye open-face scanners (the newer one near the Reference Desk and the older one in the Reserve Room);
• four flatbed book scanners (2 near the Reference Desk on the 2nd floor, 1 in the Reserve Room, and 1 on the 3rd floor near the Rex E. Lee room); and
• two multi-page feed scanners (1 near the wall that at the end of the table has the reference co-op printer and another on the 3rd floor near the Rex E. Lee room).

Employees at the Circulation and Reference are trained and ready to assist anyone in the BYU Law community who needs help with scanning and anyone from the public who needs help scanning library materials.

Microform

Copies of documents on microform can be made as digital scans on the public computer in the Microform area (first floor). Patrons may email those scans on that computer to themselves.