Library Information

Library Hours during Intersession

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

Temperature Control in Library Study Areas

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.

Reminder: Quiet Study Rules in the Library

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. 

Summer Extension of Westlaw Passwords

Students have the option of extending full access to Westlaw over the summer if they meet one or more of the following criteria (see Westlaw’s web site for specific restrictions):

– Enrolled in summer law school
– On law journal or moot court
– Working as a research assistant for a faculty member
– Working at an unpaid, non-profit, public interest internship/externship or doing pro bono work required for graduation

In order to take advantage of this extension, you must complete the summer extension request form at: http://lawschool.westlaw.com/registration/summerextension.asp

For those continuing students not entitled to a summer extension, full access passwords will deactivate on May 31, 2008, and will automatically reactivate on August 1, 2008.

If you do not extend your password, you will have full access to Westlaw for only two hours in June and two hours in July. New law school graduates are entitled to ten hours of access total for June and July 2008 to assist them in their bar review studies; any non-academic use of this time is prohibited.

Last Chance to Win a NYLS T-Shirt

All you have to do is suggest the winning name for the Library’s website on Law and Law Schools at http://www.nyls.edu/pages/6353.asp.   This website is a multimedia listing of books and films about law school, social justice and the law.  There are serious works like A Civil Action as well as light works, such as Legally Blond.  There are books about succeeding in law school, and books about finding a job.

So, go to http://www.nyls.edu/pages/6353.asp , take a look, and then click to enter the contest.  Contest ends Monday, May 12 at 5 pm.

Reminder: Quiet Study Rules in the Library

During the final exam period, please take care 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.  At this time of year, the volume of student noise complaints always rises dramatically.  Making noise – even a little noise for a short time – around your fellow students who are trying to study for finals is the height of rude behavior.

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.

During the finals period the Library gets very crowded, and tensions can mount.  The only way to maintain an appropriate study atmosphere is through student cooperation under these simple rules.  Please keep this in mind always, and especially at this time of year.

Service Interruption to Subscription Databases

The Mendik Library is experiencing technical difficulties with the Online Journals, Databases and Indexes that we make available through our Home Page and through links from the NYLS Library’s Online Catalog.  These problems will result in service interruptions that will persist through this weekend (Oct. 20 – 21) and into early next week.  When you click on the links to access these services, you will get either a page with an error message or a page that asks for a username and password that you do not have.

Please note that these problems are NOT effecting Lexis or Westlaw for users with NYLS passwords.  Both Lexis and Westlaw are functioning properly.

We on the Mendik Library staff apologize for the inconvenience caused to our users by these service disruptions.  We are working hard with our vendors to correct the technical problems, and we will send a follow-up message when the problems are resolved.