The Cornell Law Library serves the education and research needs of its students, faculty, and staff. Visitors with research needs are allowed to use the library's collections, providing use does not conflict with its primary responsibility to members of the Cornell community. As a federal depository library, the Law Library is open to the public to use federal documents and online information available here.
General Use:
Food and smoking are not allowed in the Law Library. Drinks are allowed in covered containers.
The Reading Room is a quiet study area, as are the carrel areas throughout the library. Please keep noise to a minimum. Teaching tours and legal research classes are periodically held in the Reading Room. At those times, students who need quiet should study in carrel areas.
Reading Room materials should be re-shelved when you are finished with them. Return Reserve materials to the Circulation Desk.
The fourth floor is the laptop-free zone. Laptops may be used on all others floors of the library. Wireless access is available throughout the library, except for the fourth floor.
Access to Online Resources:
Many resources of the Cornell University Library are available to individuals not affiliated with Cornell. Anyone visiting the Law Library may fully utilize the networked electronic resources available through the Library Gateway at kiosk workstations. Because of licensing restrictions, access to selected databases may be limited. Remote users still have access to many of the Gateway's features.
Access to the Library:
The Law Library is open seven days a week when classes are in session. During final exam periods, access to the Law Library by non-law school individuals is available until 5:00 pm each day.
All of the services are provided by library staff from the third floor of the library. The Gould Reading Room on the third floor has the Circulation Desk, the Reference Desk, the Reserve Collection, and the Rare Book Room. Administrative offices and Technical Services are also on the third floor.
There are two doors open to enter the building on weekends and in the evenings: one from the west side parking lot area by the Hughes Hall breezeway, and the other on the east side from the College Avenue entrance nearest Cascadilla Creek. The west entrance is handicapped accessible.
Access for Persons with Disabilities:
The Cornell Law Library is committed to providing all members of the law school community with the best possible access to library materials and services and will make every effort, within the limits of available resources, to meet the library needs of those who have disabilities. Questions regarding disability services for library users can be directed to Janet Gillespie, the primary contact person for disability services (e-mail: jmg32@cornell.edu; phone: 607/255-5854). Additional information is available from the CUL Policy on Services to Persons with Disabilities.