Law Library Borrowing Privileges

In order to obtain Law Library borrowing privileges, Visiting Scholars must present their yellow Visiting Scholar form to the Patron Services Manager. Visiting Scholars can register during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.).

Borrowing privileges in the Law Library are for circulating material only. Circulating material is checked out to patrons for a 4-week period of time. Visiting Scholars may not check out law journals, case reporters, statutes, or any other non-circulating material for use outside the Law Library. The library has a number of self-service copiers that can be used with either coins or a debit copy card. An over-the-counter copying service, where patrons can leave material for an attendant to copy, is also available.

The Law Library registration covers borrowing privileges for the Law Library only. For borrowing privileges at all other campus libraries, Visiting Scholars should go to the Main Library circulation desk to register.

Because of space limitations, the library cannot provide carrels or offices for visiting Scholars. Any books left in library carrels or on library tables will be reshelved.

Lexis and Westlaw Access

Who is eligible for Lexis and Westlaw passwords?

Law School Visiting Scholars are eligible for Lexis and Westlaw passwords during their stay at Boalt. Visiting Scholars from other UCB departments are not eligible for passwords from the Law School.

How can I apply for my Lexis and Westlaw passwords?

Please contact either Lauren Webb (Director of Visiting Scholars Program and Administrator of the ICLC, exchange program) or Rosann Greenspan (Executive Director, Center for the Study of Law and Society), who will submit a request for Lexis and Westlaw passwords.

What computers can I use for Lexis and Westlaw?

Lexis and Westlaw are Internet-based systems. They can be accessed from any computer with a web browser and an Internet connection at the following URLs: http://www.lexisnexis.com/lawschool/ and http://lawschool.westlaw.com.

At the Law Library, the public service terminals located in the lobby, the Main Reading Room and the North Addition Reading Rooms can be used for Lexis and Westlaw. (For information on using your laptop, see the "Laptops" section below.)

The computers in the Library's computer labs are password-protected and are limited to Boalt student use. These computers may not be used by Visiting Scholars.

How do I register my Lexis and Westlaw passwords to keep them active?

You must register your Westlaw password on the Westlaw website and click on the "Register Password Now!" link to keep it active. Your password should be registered as a FACULTY password. Be sure to register your Westlaw password immediately or it will be deactivated.

You must register your Lexis password on the Lexis website and click on the "Register your Activation Code" link. Lexis now requires all users to set up a Custom ID/Password for access, and does not allow access to the database with just the 7-digit alphanumeric listed you received.

Where will my Lexis and Westlaw printouts be delivered?

You can send documents to yourself via email, or documents can be printed to an attached printer or to the stand-alone printers provided by Lexis and Westlaw.

The stand-alone printers are located in the Library's student computer labs. There is no charge for printing to these printers, but please limit printing to what is reasonably needed. The reference librarians can direct you to paper copies of most documents found on Lexis and Westlaw for easy reading.

How can I learn to use Lexis and Westlaw?

Some instructional pamphlets are available on the websites for both Lexis and Westlaw.

If my time at Boalt is extended, how can I request that my Lexis and Westlaw passwords stay active?

Please contact either Lauren Webb (Director of Visiting Scholars Program and Administrator of the ICLC, exchange program) or Rosann Greenspan (Executive Director, Center for the Study of Law and Society), who will submit a request for extension of your Lexis and Westlaw passwords.

Computer Labs / Public Computers / Printing

The Law Library's computer labs are for Boalt students only. Unfortunately these facilities are not available to Visiting Scholars. Visiting Scholars can use the Library's public terminals for Internet access but they will not be able to use email, word processing, spreadsheets, or other software programs on these machines. To print from the public terminals, Visiting Scholars will need to purchase a Canon copy card from the Copy Center and print to the shared public printer located in the Copy Center on level 2 of the Law Library. For information on printing from Lexis and Westlaw to their dedicated printers, see the section above on Lexis and Westlaw.

Setting up a Berkeley Email Account

For a Visiting Scholar to set up an email account, he or she must have a Visiting Scholar identification number to enter at the Calmail website. This is obtained by going (with your Visiting Scholar card) to:

IS&T's User and Account Services
2195 Hearst Avenue, Room 111
Phone: 642-7355
Fax: 643-3114
Email: accounts@berkeley.edu
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday - Friday

N.B.: If you are at Boalt through the official International Legal Studies Exchange Program, Lauren Webb, (Director of Visiting Scholars Program and Administrator of the ICLC, exchange program 353 Boalt), will be able to provide you with a visiting scholar identification number. All other Visiting Scholars must go to the above address to obtain an ID number.

Once you have your visiting scholar identification number, you can use a public access PC in the library to sign up for your email account by going to the CalMail website and choosing the "email" link under "Set Up Your Account."

Laptop Use and Support

There is wireless Internet access to the campus network throughout the Law School. This is part of the campus AirBears project. You will need a wireless ethernet card for this service. No registration is necessary, simply go to a wireless coverage point and open up a web browser window. This will automatically take you to an AirBears identification authentication window, where you will need to enter your Calnet ID and passphrase.

We have instructions for setting up your wireless connection on our Wireless page. This should be the first place you go if you are experience technical issues. If you are then unable to configure your laptop, you can contact the lab staff.

If you are using an English-language version of Windows, the lab staff can also work with you to diagnose virus- and spyware-related issues. You may also send problems to studentcomputing@law.berkeley.edu.

Other Computing Facilities

Visiting Scholars have access to many of the computer labs supported by the UC Berkeley campus. Facilities are available at:

  • Dwinelle Microcomputer Facility, B-3 Dwinelle Hall
  • Evans Microcomputer Facility, Evans Hall Basement
  • Life Sciences Microcomputer Facility, 2105 Valley Life Sciences Building (inside the Bio Sciences Library)
  • Moffitt Microcomputer Facility, Moffitt Library (First Floor North)
  • Tan Microcomputer Facility, 175 Tan Hall
  • Wheeler Microcomputer Facility, 211 Wheeler Hall

For current schedules, go to http://facility.berkeley.edu/facilities.html.