General Use Policy

Statement of Purpose

The library is a public space for legal researchers. While our primary mission is to serve the scholarly and pedagogical needs of the law faculty and students, members of the bench, bar and public are welcome in the library to conduct research. Law library policies are crafted to achieve this objective.

User Conduct Guidelines

Law library users are expected to maintain decorum in the law library and refrain from interfering with other patrons’ use and enjoyment of the library.  Users who engage in disruptive behavior may be asked to leave the law library.  The Library reserves the right to define and interpret the terms used in this policy.  Anyone who violates this policy will be informed to cease the behavior and/or to leave the Library. If these guidelines are violated and requests to comply are disregarded, staff members are instructed to contact the CU Boulder Police.

Disruptive behaviors include but are not limited to:

  • Talking loudly, or snoring.
  • Making unwelcomed, inappropriate, threatening, harassing or offensive gestures or noises.
  • Causing odors that constitute a nuisance to others. Impeding others from a timely use of facilities, materials, or resources.
  • Activities that result in injury to oneself or others, or damage to library materials, building, or equipment.
  • Any activities that are intended to interfere with or disrupt computer networks, library services, or equipment.
  • Approaching students with requests for legal advice.

 

Quiet Policy

Patrons are expected to be reasonably quiet. Group study rooms are available for students who need to study together or conduct extended conversations. [See Group Study Rooms policy below]. However, patrons should expect that library staff may engage in conversation with patrons at the reference and circulation desks while providing services. 

Cell Phones

Generally, cell phone conversations are NOT permitted in the Law Library. However, library patrons may engage in brief, quiet cell phone conversations in the first-floor copy room. Please set your phone to vibrate.

Group Study Rooms

Group Study Rooms are to be used by two or more individuals needing to engage in quiet conversation.

Only law students may reserve a Group Study Room. Groups of non-law students or individual students may use a Group Study Room that is not otherwise occupied but must yield that room to a group of law students who reserve the Group Study Room at the next available time slot. Failure to yield the room to a group with a valid reservation is considered disruptive behavior and will be treated as grounds for expulsion from the library.

Groups of 2 or more law students may reserve rooms in advance for up to 2 hours. If no other group reserves the room after that time, the law students may continue to occupy the Group Study Room until another group reserves the room for the next available time slot. If a group fails to show up within 15 minutes of their reserved time, the group forfeits the room for that time slot, and another group may occupy it.

During On-Campus Interviews (OCI's), individual law students may book a Group Study Room for the purpose of conducting a remote interview. In all other circumstances, these rooms are to be used for Group Study of 2 or more law students. There is a 1-hour time limit for interview reservations. Please limit your reservation to one hour. Students who fail to follow reservation rules can be banned from making future reservations.

When finished using the room, groups must erase the blackboards, close open windows, throw away their trash, and straighten the chairs.

Reshelving

Library patrons should place library materials on one of the reshelving carts located in the law library.  Library staff will reshelve the items. 

Food and Drink

Snacks and drinks are permitted in the law library so long as neither their consumption, nor their odor interfere with other patrons' enjoyment of the library. The beverages must be in a covered container. Please clean up after yourself, and do not leave garbage on tables or carrels. Eating at library computers is strictly prohibited. The Schaden Commons located on the second floor of the law school building is an appropriate place for meals that do not fit into the library's snack and beverage policy.

Vehicles 

Bicycles and other similar transportation devices that can be locked on the outdoor bike racks are not allowed in the law library. However, library patrons may bring their skateboards into the library if they can be neatly stowed while using the library. The library will not keep vehicles at the Circulation Desk, nor be responsible for their security. Library staff may ask patrons to remove any vehicle causing disruption in the library.

Library Bulletin Boards

On the library bulletin boards, patrons can find information about equipment, policies, and other library and technology items. Only law library personnel may post items to these boards. Other items will be removed.

Arraj Reading Room Policy

The Arraj Reading Room is a restricted-use space.  The room is reserved for law student, faculty and staff use.  Users are asked to refrain from making noise that disturbs other patrons. 

Security Policy

If an issue warrants it, for either disruptive behavior, or for breaking one of the rules outlined below, CU Police assistance will be requested. Significant disruptive behavior or other infractions may result in University security enforcing a temporary or permanent ban from the library.

Law Library Rules and Regulations

  • All persons on University property must identify themselves upon request of a University official acting in performance of their duties who reasonably suspect that the person has committed, is committing, or is about to commit a crime or a violation of a University rule or regulation.
  • Users of the Libraries must comply with campus smoking, drug and alcohol policies.
  • No pets or assistance animals are allowed. ADA Service Animals are welcome.
  • No distribution of flyers, posting of events, or advertisements are permitted in the Library.
  • Damage or theft of Library’s, Campus or personal property should be reported to library staff or CU Police.
  • Only authorized personnel are allowed in areas designated for staff only.
  • Laying down of bedding, arrangement of furniture or use of furniture for the purpose of sleeping is prohibited. This does not include students who “doze off” while studying.

After Public Hours End:

  • Access is restricted to valid Buff OneCard holders exclusively and Buff OneCards are required for access. Do not prop doors or provide access to other individuals.
  • All persons in the law library must identify themselves with a Buff OneCard upon request of library personnel or other University official acting in performance of their duties.

Many of the items listed are also violations of municipal or state law and offenders may be contacted by the University of Colorado Police Department.

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