Library Policies

Library Policies

 
Carrels around the Library are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Law Library loans materials to current students, faculty and staff of the University of Baltimore and other campuses in the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI) consortium. The consortium includes the following institutions:

  • Bowie State University (BSU)
  • Coppin State College (CSC)
  • Frostburg State University (FSU)
  • Morgan State University (MSU)
  • St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM)
  • Salisbury State University (SU)
  • Towson State University (TU)
  • University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMAB)
  • University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
  • University of Maryland, Center for Environmental Science (UMCES)
  • University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP)
  • University of Maryland, Eastern Shore (UMES)
  • University of Maryland, University College (UMUC)

Books borrowed from any USMAI library may also be returned at any USMAI library. If you are affiliated with the University of Baltimore School of Law and borrow items from other campuses, you are subject to the circulation policies and fines imposed by the lending USMAI library, not the University of Baltimore Law Library. Fines and charges must be paid to the lending USMAI library.

To become a registered borrower, you must have a USMAI I.D., validated for the current semester. Non-UB students should register at their home campus.

You need to register only once to be able to borrow at all campuses. However, the length of time your registration is valid varies from campus to campus. Registration for current UBalt Law students is valid for approximately one semester.

The Law Library extends borrowing privileges to University of Baltimore and UMBC alumni. University of Baltimore alumni should obtain an alumni card by completing this online request form. Upon receipt of your Alumni Card, please come to the 7th-floor Service Desk during normal business hours Monday-Friday so that we may activate your privileges.If you have any questions regarding your alumni bee card, call 410.837.6131 or email alumni@ubalt.edu.

 

Materials loaned to University of Baltimore and other USMAI students, as well as University of Baltimore Law adjunct faculty, are due approximately at the end of the current semester. These patrons may renew items twice.

University of Baltimore and UMBC alumni may borrow University of Baltimore Law Library items for 21 days and renew them up to three times. (University of Baltimore alumni should obtain an alumni card from the Alumni Services Offices for verification purposes.)

All borrowers may renew items either online, by phone or in person. Review your library account, renew items, or check on holds.

Circulating materials are subject to recall if requested by another patron. Borrowers are required to return recalled items within 14 days of notification.

Each library in USMAI charges overdue fines and fees in accordance with that institution's policies. The University of Baltimore Law Library maintains the following schedule of fines and charges:

Regular circulating books: $.25/day; $10 maximum per book
Lost books: $90
Reading Room Reserves: UBalt Faculty/Staff/Students only. Due: 2 hours from time of checkout, or end of day, whichever comes first (4 hours for digital / A/V materials). Fines: $2.50/hr. to a maximum of $125 per item.
7-day Loaner Laptops: $25/day; maximum of $125.  After 7 days, they’re considered lost, and the replacement fee is $500.
Overdue locker keys and laptop chargers will incur fines of $2.50/hr. After 24 hours overdue, the key will be declared lost and a replacement fine of $50 will be assessed.

There are two Student Computer Labs located on the ninth floor of the Law Library, in Rooms 910 and 911.The labs are open during 7 am to midnight. Only current faculty, students and staff may use the labs. Users must obtain a network computer account from Room 002 in the Business Center. There is currently no policy in effect for reserving time on the computers in the labs.

The library has 24 study rooms available for group study. Group study rooms are for the exclusive use of current University of Baltimore law students. Law students may reserve rooms using this URL: https://law-ubalt.libcal.com/r

Please remember to check-in when you occupy the room. You can do so via the QR code outside the room or via the above link.

 

  • Study rooms may be reserved only by current UBalt law students.
  • Rooms can be reserved only for groups of two or more, or by students who need a private place to conduct an online interview or other career-related meeting. Some of the larger rooms have a higher occupancy threshold.
  • Rooms can be reserved for up to 4 hours per day. You may not reserve more than 1 room per day.
  • Rooms can be reserved up to seven (7) days in advance.
  • There are no back-to-back reservations.
  • There are no recurring reservations.
  • Please check into your room when you arrive. Reserved rooms that are not claimed within 30 minutes are released to open availability.
  • Students may not reserve rooms on the 9th floor, AL1211, or AL1212.

The Law Library is for serious research and study. Patrons are expected to maintain a quiet atmosphere by refraining from loud conversation in all areas of the library.

The mission of the Law Library is to promote and support the scholarly, research, and curriculum needs of the students and faculty of the UBalt School of Law; and to make available law and law-related resources to the UBalt community and to the public. All library users must conform to a standard of behavior that maintains an atmosphere of quiet study and research. Behavior that causes a disturbance or interferes with library activities or patrons is not acceptable and may result in sanctions, including being barred from the library.

 

The following are examples of disruptive behaviors that could result in sanctions against the person engaging in such activities:

 

  • Excessive noise, including cell phone use and extended conversations
  • Threatening, abusive, or obscene language toward any library patron or staff member
  • Solicitation of any kind, including requests for legal advice from other patrons
  • Smoking, including use of electronic cigarettes within the library
  • Lack of proper supervision of minors accompanying the user or unaccompanied minors
  • Use of library facilities for bathing
  • Being in unauthorized areas of the library, remaining in the library after closing, or when requested to leave
  • Intoxication

Sanctions for inappropriate or unacceptable behaviors may include any or all of the following:

  • Being asked to leave library premises
  • Banning from library premises
  • Suspension or loss of library privileges
  • Referral to student or campus disciplinary process
  • Criminal prosecution

Members of the public are welcome to use the public terminals located in the atrium of the 7th floor of the Angelos Law Center.  These computers are limited to use for legal research and may be used for period of 30 minutes, which will be strictly enforced if other members of the public need to conduct legal research.

(If you have any questions please email our circulation staff: lawcirc@ubalt.edu).


What is tReference services are available to faculty, students and staff of the University of Baltimore, the Baltimore legal community, and the general public. (Reference services to faculty are described in the Library Services for Faculty Manual). Reference librarians will provide assistance in identifying and locating sources of information, but will NOT conduct actual research or provide legal advice. We can answer factual questions and questions about where to start or continue research, such as:

  • What is the phone number of the Maryland Court of Appeals?
  • Does the library own Pleading Causes of Action in Maryland?
  • What does the abbreviation “F.R.D.” stand for?
  • On the internet, where would I look for recently enacted federal legislation?
  • Where would I begin researching an issue on social security?
  • Is there a book on employment law in Maryland?

We cannot conduct actual research, provide legal advice or interpret cases and statutes. Some examples of this are:

  • What is the statute of limitations for an automobile accident?
  • What does this case mean?
  • Does this mean I can sue the bank?

For your convenience, day lockers are located on the 7th floor. They include outlets so you may charge your electronic devices. Locker keys may be checked out at the Library Service desk for 24 hours (no renewals). Overdue keys will incur fines of $2.50/hr. After 24 hours overdue, the key will be declared lost and a replacement fine of $50 will be assessed. This is to ensure that 7th-floor locker use is limited to short periods, and to cut down on missing keys. Contact Dave Matchen for more info.