The liaison program is designed to facilitate faculty use of library resources and services in teaching, research and scholarship. Each librarian acts as liaison to several faculty members. Your liaison will help ensure that your library research needs are filled. These may include requests for borrowing materials, photocopy requests, routing of periodicals and current information services, computer research training, general or specific library orientation sessions and working with your student research fellow. At the beginning of each academic year, your liaison will contact you to discuss your current research interests. Your liaison will endeavor to bring to your attention new books, articles and electronic resources relevant to your interests Direct inquiries about library services to your liaison. Questions about the liaison program should be directed to Camille Broussard, ext 2354.
Towards the start of each month, an automated search is run for each faculty member’s name across all of Westlaw’s secondary sources databases. The resulting document, sent to your NYLS email address, will contain citations to the law review article, treatise, newsletter or other secondary source in which your name appears that have been uploaded to Westlaw in the previous month. In addition, the paragraph(s) in which your name appears will be included so that you can get a better idea of why you were cited. If you have any questions, please contact your library liaison.
To help Research Fellows (RFs) get started (and to make life just a bit easier), we have put together a checklist of administrative details. The checklist appears below (and copies can be found at the Reference Desk).
MENDIK LIBRARY RESEARCH SKILLS CLASSES
The Library offers a variety of research skills training sessions. All sessions require advance registration. For a schedule of classes and to register online, go to Mendik Library Fall Research Skills Classes (RSW). Any questions should be directed to Michael McCarthy at ext. 2384 or via email michael.mccarthy@nyls.edu.
CIRCULATION PRIVILEGES
RF Accounts
RFs should not use their own library account to check out books for faculty members. Conversely, RFs should not borrow items on a faculty account that are not for actual use by a faculty member. RFs borrowing items for their own use on a faculty-assigned research project should borrow on their own account. Forms for creating RF accounts are available at the Circulation Desk. The forms must be completed, signed by the faculty member, and returned to the Circulation Desk. You may also download a copy here. Any questions about the forms should be directed to Elina Oyola at 212-431-2148 or via email Elina.Oyola@nyls.edu.
COURSE RESERVES
RFs are not allowed to check out course reserve books unless the faculty member advises us that it is for emergency use only and not for the entire semester.
FACULTY LIAISON
Each faculty member is assigned a librarian liaison who serves as a primary library contact. RFs should arrange to meet with the appropriate liaison, who will be able to assist with questions about library procedures (including things like what to do if you can’t find a book), as well as provide helpful research advice or assistance. Because they have been working with the faculty member for a while, they are likely to be generally familiar with the subject area the RF will be researching as well as the faculty member’s preferences.
PHOTOCOPYING
RFs should request (from his or her faculty member or the appropriate faculty assistant) a copy card to use with the library copiers. The cards come from the Business Operations Office. Faculty members and RFs should be aware that a copy code provided by a faculty member to the RF does not work on any of the library copy machines; a copy card, however, will work.
SUMMER ACCESS TO BLOOMBERG LAW, LEXISNEXIS AND WESTLAW
Bloomberg Law, LexisNexis and Westlaw all have summer access provisions and usage policies for continuing and graduating students. You can find the details on the Student Services Guide: Summer and Post Graduation Access to Bloomberg Law, LexisNexis, Westlaw & more.