Fall 2020 Law Library Access, Hours & Changes

[Assoc Dir Law Lib]

Hi everyone,
I hope you all had a great summer! As we approach the Fall Semester, I would like to share a few announcements with you regarding the Law Library:
First, since the library will essentially be closed to everyone but J.D. & LL.M. students (attorneys, the public, and other students must book appointments to conduct in-person research), we are asking everyone to enter and exit through the entrance in the 5th floor faculty hallway only. The door now has a 9 3/4 sign on it rather than one that says "Law Student Entrance" since we are trying not to advertise to people outside the law school that you all have access. *For those of you who did not read/see Harry Potter as kids, Harry and his wizard friends boarded the train to Hogwarts on Platform 9 3/4 at London's King's Cross Station . . . apologies for the librarian humor : ) **Obviously if there is a fire or other emergency, please exit through the closest exit regardless of your location in the library!
Second, while the Law Library is open, the Service Desk will be staffed for your assistance, and J.D. and LL.M. students will have access to floors 2-3, and 5-7. (The 4th floor is closed indefinitely.) Our opening hours this semester will be Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM. Outside of those hours, law students may not use floors 2-4 or 6; however, you have 24/7 access to the 5th and 7th floors. You may check out library materials from the Service Desk when we are open, or you can use the self-checkout system in the student lounge or the self-checkout app, anytime: https://library.buffalo.edu/borrowing/s ... ckout.html.
Reference Librarians will be available Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM to help you with questions about legal research, citations, etc. To submit questions outside of those hours, please email asklaw@buffalo.edu.
Lastly, there are a few additional changes in response to COVID-19: In order to maintain proper social distancing, we have removed most of our chairs and can only utilize ever other study carrel. All tables and conference rooms are limited to one student at a time. Also, due to the fact we need to quarantine or sanitize anything we lend out, we can provide laptop and cell phone chargers on an emergency basis only. We also cannot lend out headphones as we have in previous years due to sanitation concerns.
In terms of our Course Reserve Collection, all of our copies will be placed on the 5th floor, and are for in-library use only. We will make disposable gloves available for you on an adjacent shelf and ask that you use them whenever handling Course Reserve titles due to their heavy use.
Lastly, as with other buildings on campus, masks will be required whenever you are in the Law Library unless you are actively eating or drinking.
We are all looking forward to seeing you again, and are hoping for a safe, happy, and healthy semester for you all!
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out!
All the best,
Brian