FAULKNER UNIVERSITY
THOMAS GOODE JONES SCHOOL OF LAW
LIBRARY USER GUIDE
FOR FACULTY
WELCOME
Welcome to the Jones School of Law Library at Faulkner University. Our library staff strives to provide resources and services designed to help our faculty and other patrons meet their legal information needs. The library houses a variety of print, microform, and digital materials in a clean, attractive, functional environment. We offer both individualized and group research instruction and assistance. Most of our electronic databases are accessible from your office and remotely through use of your university computer network login. Library publications such as newsletters and research guides alert patrons to new developments and resources.
We hope that you will familiarize yourself with the Library resources and programs available to you. If you have questions, please ask a Library staff member or visit the Library web site.
LIBRARY INFORMATION
Hours
Faculty members have 24 hour access to the Library through the key-coded entry door on the first floor. If you visit the Library after hours, please do not remove materials without notifying a Library staff member.
During the academic year the Library is staffed and open to students and faculty of Faulkner University, law school alumni, and attorneys during these hours:
Sunday 1:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Monday – Thursday 7:30 am – 11:00 pm
Friday 7:30 am – 9:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
The Library operates on reduced hours on holidays and during semester breaks, and typically offers extended hours during final exam periods.
Members of the general public (i.e., persons who are not affiliated with the university, alumni, or attorneys) are welcome to use the Library between 7:30 am and 6:00 pm, Monday-Friday. These patrons are asked to sign in upon entering the Library.
Library Collection
The library staff welcomes your suggestions for additions or changes to our collection. Please contact your Liaison Librarian (see the discussion of the Faculty-Librarian Liaison Program, below) or Library Director Tim Chinaris.
The Library has developed its collection in a variety of formats. The Library owns or provides reliable access t federal and state primary law (constitutions, statutes, and cases); secondary resources such as legal encyclopedias and journals; practice aids such as treatises and form books; and selected non-legal reference tools. A core collection of print materials is maintained, with valuable retrospective materials available in microform. An increasing array of online databases may be accessed on-campus or remotely via the Internet by members of the JSL community (access is limited to on-campus use for persons who are not current students or faculty of the university). Finding aids and citators help users locate needed information and update their research results.
The collection is built and arranged around the curricular and research interests of the law school community, in accordance with the Information Resources Development Policy.
The first floor of the Library contains the Alabama section, Contiguous State Collection, Reserve materials, Reference collection, federal statutes, federal case law, and substantial microform collection. The second floor houses the general collection (including both other US state-specific materials, and international materials) and print law journals. Maps and guides are available in the Library and on the Library web site.
Library Facility
The Library occupies 22,500 square feet spread throughout two floors of the law school building. Near the Circulation Desk is a spacious atrium-type reading area. Study tables and carrels are scattered throughout both floors. The second floor is designated for quiet study. More than thirty computers are available for patron use, including twelve computers in the first-floor Training Lab, which houses Library workshops and legal research presentations. Additionally, more than 125 ports in the Library enable law school patrons with laptop computers to connect to the university’s network. A wireless network enables faculty and students to access the library’s sizeable collection of electronic resources from any seat in the law school building.
On the first floor are the Circulation Desk (including the Reserve collection), the atrium reading area with low shelving for casual reading materials, open-stack shelving, a microform area with two reader-printers, carrels and tables, the Computer Training Lab, a conference room, and staff offices. The second floor contains group study rooms, study carrels and tables, open-stack shelving, and historical displays.
Library Staff Contacts
Current staff contacts are listed below. Because this list may change, please consult the Library web site for updates. While in the Library, please contact the Circulation Desk with general questions or concerns, and the Research Office for reference and research assistance. Of course, please feel free to contact your Liaison Librarian at any time.
Topic Contact
Administration Tim Chinaris, x7214
Collection additions Tim Chinaris, x7214
Gigi Panagotacos, x7559
Circulation Desk Robb Farmer, x7521
Guest lectures in class Tim Chinaris, x7214
Robb Farmer, x 7521
Interlibrary loan Robb Farmer, x 7521
Library catalog DeDe Bradsher, x7911
Library tours Robb Farmer, x 7521
Library web site Ned Swanner, x7138
Research assistance Gigi Panagotacos, x7559
Robb Farmer, x 7521
Ned Swanner, x 7138
Reserve materials Robb Farmer, x 7521
Routing of materials DeDe Bradsher, x7911
LIBRARY SERVICES
The Library’s holdings are listed in its Innovative Interfaces Millennium OPAC (online public access catalog). Virtually all library holdings are cataloged in this system. The catalog contains links to many of the Library’s electronic databases, allowing a searcher to click and launch directly to the database. Research assistance is available to faculty members by contacting their Liaison Librarian, visiting the Research Office on the first floor of the Library, or electronically through a link on the Library web site. Similarly, the web site contains a link to the Library’s interlibrary loan service for use by law school students and faculty. The Library’s use of the Innovative system is a cooperative endeavor with the main campus library, so patrons can search the catalog and find items held by either library.
The Library offers access to a growing collection of legal periodical databases. The E-Journal Portal allows searches for available journals; provides coverage dates and bibliographic information; and offers hyperlinks to requested titles. The Library offers a variety of legal and interdisciplinary databases, both on campus and off. The Research Vortex provides a convenient web portal from which these databases can be accessed. Features of the Vortex include an alphabetical directory of databases, sources arranged by topic, and up-to-date feeds of legal news and Library announcements.
Reserve materials are kept behind the Circulation Desk. Students may check out these materials for two hours. Some heavily-used materials are kept on Reserve. Faculty members may request that certain course materials be placed on Reserve. Please complete a Reserve Request form. (A copy of the form is appended to this User Guide and is available on the Library web site.)
Faculty-Librarian Liaison Program (“FLLP”)
At the beginning of each academic year every librarian is assigned to work closely with several specific faculty members. The FLLP program is designed to build effective working relationships. Librarians keep their faculty members updated on Library news and developments, and faculty have a specific contact librarian for questions or concerns that may arise. The current list of faculty members and their liaison librarians is updated and distributed at the beginning of each school year.
Research and Instructional Assistance
Faculty members may request individualized research assistance at any time by contacting their Liaison Librarian or visiting the Research Office on the first floor of the Library. Research assistance is available from a librarian at the Research Office on the first floor of the Library 65 hours per week (8a-9p Monday-Tuesday, 8a-8p Wednesday-Thursday, 8a-6p Friday, and 1p-6p Sunday). Law school faculty and students receive priority on research services, although librarians will assist public patrons as time permits. JSL faculty and students also may obtain assistance either telephonically at (334) 386-7533, or by email at jslreference@faulkner.edu.
Librarians regularly offer informal small-group refresher workshops, called “Databasics,” on various research topics. Some of the Databasics sessions are timed to coincide with topics covered in LRW (Legal Research and Writing) and other courses. Librarians are happy to assist faculty by making in-class research presentations upon request. Faculty are asked to provide reasonable notice. Additionally, librarians coordinate the visits of representatives from Lexis, Westlaw, and other electronic databases. Faculty members who wish to schedule an individual visit from a vendor trainer should contact their Liaison Librarian.
Computer Training Lab
A modern Training Lab on the first floor of the Library houses twelve computers and an LCD projector. The Lab is used for small-group electronic research instruction. When not being used for classes or workshops, the machines in the Lab are available to patrons for general use.
Interlibrary Loan
If the Library does not own an item needed by a patron, that item often can be obtained in a timely manner by borrowing it from another library through the Library’s interlibrary loan (ILL) service. ILL service is available to JSL faculty, students, and staff. Requests may be placed in person at the Circulation Desk or the Research Office, or digitally via a link to an ILL request form on the Library web site.
Library Publications
The Library authors several informational publications such as a newsletter, user guides, and legal research guides. The Library web site contains general information, policies, useful links to databases and other resources, and copies of Library publications. Bibliographies for various academic courses are created at the instructor’s request or in conjunction with in-class presentations.
LIBRARY POLICIES
The Library endeavors to maintain an inviting atmosphere. In order to efficiently serve its various constituencies, the Library has promulgated policies designed to maximize the effectiveness of its resources. The Library’s most recent compilation of General Policies is available on the Library web site.
Last revised: March 19, 2008