Law Library Policies: Circulation Policies

Much of the law library print collection is for Reference Use Only. Reference Use Only materials may be taken from the library only with the authorization of law library staff. If you have any questions about our circulation policy please call the Library Desk at (503) 768-6676 or email lawcirculation@lclark.edu.

The barcode on the student I.D. card is used as the library card. In order to expedite check out procedures, please have your I.D. card with you when you check out material. 

Attorneys and Law School alumni may be issued a library card after registering at the Library Desk and paying an annual fee based on the following schedule:

• Lewis & Clark Law School alumni: Free
• Non-alumni attorneys: $40.00
• Attorneys may renew their Library card each year upon payment of the annual fee. 

Online payments can be made at https://payit.nelnet.net/form/Pmx9EgKi (please note, when making a payment, you must enter the payment amount)

Library materials may not be taken out of the Boley building without a library card. Library users other than Lewis & Clark Law School students may use a driver’s license to check out Reserve materials for use in the law library. Reserve materials are behind the Library Desk and are available on a three (3) hour basis. Borrowing privileges may be suspended for failure to observe library policies.

All library materials must be checked out before leaving the law library. 

Circulating materials from the Watzek Library can be requested through the library catalog and can be picked up at the Boley Library Desk daily by 3:00pm. Requests made on the weekends will be retrieved on Monday. The patron will receive an email when the book is ready for pickup at the law library. Photocopy requests will be fulfilled for law faculty only.

1. Reserve materials may be checked out from the Library Desk for a period of three hours. Reserve materials may be checked out overnight beginning 3 hours before closing time. These materials are due back within one hour of the library opening (i.e., at 9:00am Monday - Friday, 11:00am Saturday and Sunday.) Failure to return Reserve materials promptly will result in the user’s loss of library privileges. A fine of $1.00 per hour will be assessed after the material is one hour overdue. This fine doubles during reading period and finals period. The borrower may be billed the replacement cost of the item and the overdue charges if the material is not returned within 24 hours. 

2. General circulating materials may be checked out by Lewis & Clark students for 12 weeks with a maximum of one 6-week renewal. L&C law students may check out reference use only materials for 3 hours. They accrue the same fines as reserve materials. L&C Law Alumni and Attorney Borrowers may check out generally circulating items for 2 weeks with a maximum of two 2-week renewals.

3. Media items may be checked out by all L&C students, L&C Law Alumni, and Attorney Borrowers for 6 days with a maximum of two 6-day renewals. Overdue fees for media items are $2 per day for L&C Undergrad and Grad students and $1 per day for L&C Law students, Law Alumni, and Attorney Borrowers.

4. In the event circulating materials are not returned by the stated due date, the overdue process will be initiated. For L&C law students, there is no fine for general circulating material until the item is 5 weeks overdue. At that time the book is declared lost, and a fine of $15 in overdues and a book replacement charge will be assessed against the student account.  Attorney Borrowers, Law Alumni, L&C College students will be assessed $.20 per day. An overdue notice will be initiated every seventh day, with the fines accruing at the rate of $.20 per day. On the 5th week, the same billing amounts will be assessed as for L&C law students.

5. Summit books borrowed by L&C law students, faculty, and staff circulate for 12 weeks, and can be renewed one time for an additional 6 weeks.  These items incur a fine of $.50 per day and if lost, are billed at $75 for the replacement cost + a $15 processing fee.

6. Lost books are replaced as needed after 6 months.  Any replacement charges incurred will not be refunded if a book is returned after the library has purchased a replacement copy.

Reserve materials may be renewed at the discretion of library staff. General circulation materials may be renewed for an additional loan period unless the material has been requested by another person. Renewals may be made in person, by telephone at (503) 768-6676 or (503) 768-6776, or by emailing lawcirculation@lclark.edu. Attorney Borrowers and Law Alumni may renew materials for a 2 week period, with a maximum of 2 renewal periods.