Law Library Policies: Access Policy

The Boley Law Library is available during all open hours to students, faculty and staff of Lewis & Clark Law School and College, and to the legal community.

During public hours the law library shall make available materials and reference services to any person of the general public who can demonstrate a need for legal and/or federal depository materials. Public hours vary. More information about general public resources is found on the Resources for Self-Represented Litigants' page.

The law library reserves the right to restrict public access. At such times the law library will generally be for the exclusive use of Lewis & Clark Law School and Lewis & Clark College faculty, staff and students, and by members of the legal community.

All law library hours will be prominently posted and strictly enforced. No person except authorized law library staff will be allowed in the library before or after posted hours. Please plan your research or study needs accordingly.

The Law Library will hold the borrower responsible for:

1. having up-to-date registration information on file;
2. presenting the library card upon checking out books or special equipment;
3. prompt return of library materials;
4. payment of fees for lost, mutilated or overdue library materials;
5. knowing and following library policies.

The person borrowing materials is not authorized to loan or deliver borrowed materials to a third person. The person to whom material is loaned may be authorized to borrow materials for a supervising attorney or law firm associate.

All library materials should be returned via the book drop at the Library Desk during the hours that the library is open. There is a book drop outside the main library doors for returns made when the library is closed. 

The legal research stations are available for use by the legal community, students and other visitors. These workstations are for the purpose of conducting legal research. A password is required to use the workstations. L&C students and members of the legal community can get a password at the Library Desk and will need to provide identification (student ID card, Bar card, business card) before receiving the password.

Members of the general public and other visitors may use the workstations to conduct legal research during posted “General Public Hours.” Before beginning research, members of the general public must consult with a Librarian in order to be logged in to the workstation.

1. Lewis & Clark Law School and Lewis & Clark College faculty and staff shall include all full-time, part-time and visiting faculty and staff personnel.

2. Lewis & Clark Law School students are those who are enrolled in either the Day or Evening Division, are in good standing, and can show valid ID cards. The same shall apply to both undergraduate and graduate students of Lewis & Clark College who wish to use the Law Library.

3. Members of the legal community shall be defined as the following, and must be able to provide library personnel with appropriate identification:

   • alumni of Lewis & Clark Law School;

   • members of the Bars of Oregon, Washington and other state bars;

   • out-of-state law students who have been referred by their Law Librarian, or who can show valid student identification;

   • students of Willamette College of Law and University of Oregon Law School 

   • support staff of recognized law firms who need library materials or services as part of their employment; and

   • all persons connected with the Bar Review held at Lewis & Clark Law School, both examinees and examiners.

4. The general public shall be comprised of all persons who do not reasonably come under the above definitions.

Access to the Law Library by members of the general public may be revoked and the person asked to leave if:

1. students, staff or faculty of Lewis & Clark Law School and of Lewis & Clark College, or the legal community are unable to find seating; or    
2. the person abuses Library usage in the following ways:

• non-return of library materials;
• excessive noise or other disturbance of users or staff;
• unauthorized attempts to use the computer labs;
• hoarding or mis-shelving of materials or over use of services or facilities which deny other users or staff of their legitimate right to their use; or
• any other reason not covered herein as determined by the senior library staff member in charge.