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Law Faculty Guide to Library Services

This guide is intended for law faculty to understand key services and resources available to them via the UMass Law Library.

Find Articles

Faculty have access to a number of great databases via the Law Library. Each of the below resources is linked at the bottom of this box. If you'd like additional help finding or using any of these resources, please contact us. 

HeinOnline: 

  • Database with both primary and secondary sources of legal information. Its Law Journal Library includes over 3,000 online academic journals and its additional specialized libraries examine both contemporary and historically significant legal topics including civil rights, legislative history, prestatehood legal materials, and many more. 
  • Journal coverage begins at the first volume, making HeinOnline a great source for articles both old and new. 

Westlaw:

  • A legal database with both primary and secondary materials. Contains over 600 law reviews and journals. 

Lexis:

  • A legal database with a concise journal library as well as a legal news hub through which one may sign up for topical email alerts.

SSRN:

  • The Social Science Research Network includes a Legal Scholarship Network where faculty can be among the first to access new publications. UMass Law has fifty site licenses -- if you are not signed up and would like to be, reach out to your liaison librarian.

New York Times:

  • UMass Law faculty & students have complimentary access to the New York Times online. To claim, follow these instructions:
    • Go to NYTimes.com/grouppass from a library computer (or if you are plugged into the internet at the law school using an ethernet cable).
    • Create an account using your UMass email. 
    • You may then log into this account from any location to enjoy access to the New York Times.

Resources For Teaching

The law library provides students with access to many of the most commonly used (and suggested) legal study resources across law schools. The below resources offer study aids and supplements for law students in a digital format. Links to each resource are at the bottom of this box.

West Academic

  • The West Academic Study Aids Collection provides UMass Law students with access to hundreds of the most widely-used legal study aids and supplements across the U.S., spanning across over 100 legal subject areas and including academic success titles.
  • Includes series such as Exam Pro, Gilbert Law Summaries, Nutshells, Short & Happy Guides, and more! 

Lexis Digital Library

  • Collection provides UMass Law students with access to legal studies series such as:
    • the Understanding _____ series
    • Q & A
  • Collection also contains annotated laws of Massachusetts and various text & case books in digital format

 

Many webinars are offered by various publishers and database vendors to help faculty and student understand how to use them. If you'd like more help using Lexis or Westlaw, reach out to your liaison or get in touch with our representatives. These other resources for tutorials and webinars are useful to help students understand legal topics:

CALI:

  • The Center for Computer Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI) is available for faculty to assign to students or suggest if a student is struggling with a particular topic. 
  • Subscription includes customizable lesson links for faculty, access to CAL's library of Open Educational Resources, and QuizWright, a new platform you can use to create interactive quizzes for students. 
  • To sign up, go to CALI.org and click "Register" at the top right-hand corner of the webpage.
    • Faculty must use the code SOUNEWfac195
    • Students must use the code SOUNEWstu195

MCLE: 

  • The UMass Law Library provides complimentary access to Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education OnlinePass. This subscription includes:
    • Recorded webinars for a wide variety of topics
    • eBooks
    • Practice area podcasts
    • Comprehensive professional development programming 

Open Educational Resources (OER) refers to educational resources made freely available to all people via the OER Commons, a freely accessible online library. Over 150 graduate-level law books are available via OERcommons.org and they can be accessed at no charge to yourself or to your students. 

Librarian

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Katelyn Golsby
Contact:
kgolsby@umassd.edu
Law Library
Room 102
333 Faunce Corner Road,
Dartmouth, MA 02747
508-910-9596
Subjects: Law

Access Services & Library Information: 508-999-8750
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