On behalf of the entire staff of the Mendik Library, I want to extend my welcome and congratulations to the entering classes of 2012/13.  The library staff is looking forward to meeting you.  You are about to begin a challenging and exciting journey.   For most law students, the law library quickly becomes a constant feature of their lives. We welcome the opportunity to work with you throughout your law school career.

You are entering NYLS at a special time for us. You are the first class to join us in the new law school building and the new Library. 185 W. Broadway is our permanent new home. Although we are not settled completely in our new space, you can be assured that you are already getting the benefit of an outstanding library collection, an extensive package of services, and an excellent library staff.

We describe our collections and our services in great detail on our web pages and numerous handouts.  What you might not realize from these publications is the outstanding quality of each and every person on the staff of the Mendik Library, and why that is important to you.  Our staff of twenty-two includes fourteen professionals with master’s degrees, eight of whom also have J.D. degrees from law schools both in the region and around the country.  They all have many years of experience working in law libraries and teaching legal research. Most of our librarians have been at New York Law School for several years.  They can all help you with your library and research needs, of course, but their value to you goes far beyond that.  Do not hesitate to ask your librarians questions about the law school, particular courses, or any of the extracurricular activities available.  We can help you, or we will direct you to the best person to give you the help you need.

We all realize that law school is a new experience for each of you, and we are committed to making that experience a rewarding one.

 

Sincerely,

Professor Camille Broussard

Library Director

Until further notice, access to lab computers in Rooms 714-716 at 40 Worth St. will be limited.  All but four of the lab computers are in the process of being relocated to the Electronic Research Classrooms at 185 West Broadway.  Alumni access to Westlaw remains available from one of the remaining computers, with access instructions posted nearby.  Printing from all four computers also remains available. We will provide notice to the community once the Electronic Research Classrooms at 185 WB become available.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

The Brooklyn Law School Library has just informed us that they will be suspending general access to NYLS students beginning today (May 1, 2009), due to the start of Brooklyn’s exam/reading period.  If you need to access the BLS library for specific materials, you may still do so by obtaining a “green letter” from the NYLS Reference Desk.  Regular access to the BLS library should resume after the conclusion of final exams.

In these tight financial times, many law firms are asking researchers to use free/inexpensive sources before heading to Westlaw/Lexis. Georgetown Law Library’s guide to Free & Low Cost
Legal Research shows you how it’s done.

Keep in mind that print is always an option, too!

It’s that time of year again!! Are you looking for tax forms?  You can find federal forms at the IRS site at www.irs.gov.  If you are looking for New York forms, go to  www.tax.state.ny.us/forms/default.htm.  There is also a handy site for all state tax forms at www.50states.com/tax

Are you taking any tax classes this semester?  Do you ever need to quickly find a tax “reg” or private letter ruling, or even a section of the Internal Revenue Code which is not in your class supplement?  If so, take a look at the new edition of Tax Research Resources on the Library’s site. This website is a guide to both print and electronic resources available from the NYLS Library.

You may access most of the electronic resources from offsite, and the guide explains exactly what to do to use them.  If you need help beyond this guide, send a note to the reference desk at reference@nyls.edu, call us at (212) 431-2332, IM us at nylslib or stop by and see us in person in the library on the 4th floor at 40 Worth St.

The Library has designated room 1417 at 40 Worth Street for the use of NYLS graduates who are studying for the Bar Exam, scheduled for February 24 – 25.  We ask that users of this room maintain the strictest silence.

OVER INTERSESSION the Library is open Reduced Hours, and from 12/20 to 1/19 the Library space on the 14^th Floor is CLOSED.

 

Friday, December 19 (last finals day) . . . . . . . . . . . . open 9 am to 6 pm

Saturday & Sunday, December 20 – 21 . . . . . . . . . . . LIBRARY CLOSED

Monday & Tuesday, December 22 – 23 . . .  . . .  . . . . open 9 am to 6 pm

Wednesday – Sunday, December 24 – 28 . . . . .  . . . . LIBRARY CLOSED

Monday & Tuesday, December 29 – 30 . . . . . . .  .  .  open 9 am to 6 pm

Wednesday – Sunday, December 31 – January 4 . .  .  LIBRARY CLOSED

Monday – Friday, January 5 – 9 . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .  open 9 am to 6 pm

Saturday & Sunday, January 10 – 11 . . . . . . . . . . .  LIBRARY CLOSED

Monday – Friday, January 12 – 16 . .  . . . . .  . . . . . . open 9 am to 8 pm

Saturday & Sunday, January 17 – 18  . . . . .  . . . . . .. open noon to 8 pm

Monday, January 19 (Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Day) . .LIBRARY CLOSED

On autumn days when the outdoor temperature becomes unseasonably warm, it may be difficult to keep the indoor temperature comfortable in library study areas at 40 Worth St. This is because 40 Worth St. does not have year-round air conditioning.  In mid-October the building’s central air conditioning system is turned off for the season, and cannot be turned back on. Once the central air conditioning is off, the only way to cool our study areas is to open windows and turn down radiators.  And these tactics are not always completely effective, particularly on warm autumn days.

If the area where you are studying becomes uncomfortably warm, you should report this to the library staff (in person or at ext. 2332) or to NYLS maintenance (at ext. 2820.) But please keep in mind that, under the circumstances, we do not have complete control of the situation. There are a few library areas that have window air conditioners, and there are some parts of the library that are simply cooler than others.  You may wish to move your studying to a more comfortable part of the library, at least until the temperature outside becomes more seasonal.

Please remember to abide by the Quiet Study Rules in Mendik Library reading rooms.  Even if you are the type of student who can study well in noise and commotion, remember that not everyone else feels the same way.  Note that all reading rooms and stack areas in the Library are Quiet Study Zones.  The only exception is the reading area next to the 4th floor Reference Desk.  Within Quiet Study Zones:

• Never engage in conversation.  A few words at a whisper should always suffice.  If you must engage in conversation, take it to the Library stairwells or outside.

• Don’t ever use your cell phone, and don’t put it on vibrate – mute it completely or turn it off.  Even a humming cell phone can disrupt your neighbor’s study.  If you’re waiting for an important call, you can study someplace else until you receive it.

• Cell phones aren’t the only electronics that make noise.  If your laptop has a sound card, don’t forget to mute it.  If you’ve got an IPod, make sure to keep the volume at a level that others can’t hear.

• When you enter or leave a Group Study Room, remember to close the door behind you.

• If you become aware of a noisy facilities condition – a squeaky door, a thumping photocopier, a rumbling equipment room – report it immediately to the Library staff at ext. 2332; on AIM at nylslib, or to Maintenance at ext. 2820.

As the bar exam approaches, the Library gets more crowded, and tensions can mount.  The only way to maintain an appropriate study atmosphere is through student cooperation under these simple rules.