Student Survival Kit

We have organized the information we think will be most useful to you as you begin your first semester at Boston College Law School into a list of frequently asked questions organized by topic. Find the answers you need by clicking on the relevant subject below. 

When can I study in the Library?

The library building is open according to the hours below. Note that the Lutch Learning Center on the 3rd floor is open 24 hours.

Where can I study in the Library?

There are several types of places where you can study in the library: 

• Carrels (individual desks) are located on Level 1, Level 3, and Level 4. 
• Tables are located on every floor.
• Study rooms are available for groups of 2 or more on Level 1, Level 3, and Level 4. You may book these study rooms for spans of up to two hours, up to seven days in advance.
• The Rare Book Room The Rare Book Room is open 9am-5pm as a study space for students. The large middle table can accommodate eight people, and there are four individual study tables that each have a lamp and an outlet for laptops. For the safety of the collection, food and drinks are not permitted. 
• The Lutch Learning Center has a large table and individual seats with moveable desktops, and is open 24/7 to law students.

How do I find materials available through the library?

The Boston College Library Catalog can be used to locate BC's physical library collections (books, DVDs, CDs, etc.) and to link to electronic materials (e-books, online articles, databases, BC Digital Collections, streaming video, etc.) to which BC subscribes.

Since the catalog contains the holdings of the entire BC library system, look for the word “Law” as part of the library designation or use the advanced search feature to limit to law library holdings. Materials from other BC libraries may be requested using the "request" link. You will only see the link to request an item if you are signed in to "My Account." The sign-in link is in the upper-right hand corner of the page.

To find locations of print items, use the "Find It In Library" link. This screen will give you the library and call number of the item. For items in the law library use the "locate" link to see the location of the item on the online library map. To find online items, click the "Available Online" link to see available databases.

There are mini iPads located on every level of the Law Library for quick catalog access. There is a catalog link on Law Library’s web page as well. Maps of the law library, posted on every floor next to the stair wells, will assist you in locating resources within the library. Paper maps are available at the library entrance and library floor plans are available on the library’s web page and you can find them on the Information Desk page in this Research Guide.

Once I find a book, am I allowed to check it out from the Law Library this semester?

Yes, students are allowed to check out books for 120 days. 

Can I request books for pick-up at the Law Library?

You may request any circulating book for pick-up at the Law Library using the “Request Book” button from the library catalog record and filling out the resulting form. The book should arrive within a few days; you will be notified via email when it is ready for pick-up at the front desk. Please email lawill@bc.edu with any questions!

What if the books or articles I need are unavailable at Boston College? Can I get them from other institutions?

If your item is not available at BC physically or online, you can log onto your Interlibrary Loan (ILL) account and fill out either a Loan Request (for a physical book) or a Copy Request (for scans up to ~50 pages). Make sure to confirm that we do not have access to the material at BC through the library catalog before requesting anything through ILL. Please email lawill@bc.edu with any questions!

What other materials does the library have available for check out?

The library also has other materials and items available for check out such as:

• Bookstands
• Headphones
• Laptop and Phone Chargers
• Seat Cushions
• Portable Standing Desks
• Lawn Chairs, Frisbees, & Cornhole Boards
• Snow Shovels 
• Projectors

Where do I check out books in the library?

You may check out items at the Information Desk on the second floor. It is on the right-hand side when you enter the library.

Network printing with PaperCut

All computer labs across the University manage printing using the PaperCut print management system. The Law Library PaperCut Print stations are located on each floor of the library. Please exercise social distancing procedures when retrieving print jobs. For printing questions regarding Print Bucks, quota, costs, etc., please see the BC Printing Policy. For information regarding installing printing software and retrieving your print jobs, please see the Printing Help website.

Papercut Locations in the Law Library

You can access library maps by clicking on each level.

Scanning

There are also scanners available for use in the Law Library. Two KIC Scanners are located on Level 2 next to the Information Desk, and one more is available on Level 3. Students can use the scanners at no cost. You can either send your scanned material to your email address or save it to a USB flash drive. The scanners can scan book pages or individual sheets of text.  Automatic document feed devices are attached to the scanners located near the Information Desk.

Can I print in color?

Yes, on the 3rd floor of the Law Library in the alcove of Room 375, there is a color printer. Select "bc-print-color" in the Papercut queue. Please note that color printing is $0.50 per page. 

Where can I access legal research databases available at Boston College Law School?

The Law Library's website provides links to the major legal research platforms, like Westlaw, Lexis, and Bloomberg Law, which require personal passwords. In addition to the three major legal research databases, the Library has subscriptions to hundreds of other specialized legal research databases, such as HeinOnline or study aids available through West Academic and Wolters Kluwer. You can access all available Law Library databases through the All Law Library Databases link on the law library website. Once you access the list you can search or browse for relevant databases.

How do I register my Lexis password?

Start at the Lexis Law School Sign In page.

1. Click on “Register for Lexis+.” 
2. Enter your name, BC email, and the Lexis+ activation code you received in an email from lawresearchhelp@bc.edu.
3. Complete your personal and sign-in profiles.
4. Be sure to write down the username and password you’ve created. You can use “Remember Me” the next time you sign in on your own computer.

How do I register my Westlaw password?

Start at the Westlaw Law School Portal.

1. Click on “Register Law School Key.” 
2. Enter your First Name, Last Name, and Email in the spaces provided.
3. Enter the Westlaw registration key you received in an email from lawresearchhelp@bc.edu and click “Start Registration.”
4. Confirm your email and click “Continue.”
5. You will be prompted to create a permanent username and password following the requirements for each. Be sure to write down your permanent username and password, as we will not be able to get them for you.

Additional Registration Information from Westlaw

       OnePass Registration - Video

How do I register my Bloomberg Law password?

Start at the Bloomberg Law link.

1. On the Bloomberg Law page click “Sign in”.
2. Click on “Register for a Student Account." 
3. Enter the Bloomberg Law Activation Code you received in an email from lawresearchhelp@bc.edu.
4. Complete the form, making sure to use your bc.edu email address.
5. Click both “I agree with the terms and conditions” and “I am not a robot.”
6. Click “submit”
7. Bloomberg will issue a username and password to you via email. This sometimes takes a day or two.

How do I get a CALI login?

CALI is the acronym for Center for Computer Assisted Legal Instruction. BC Law is a member of this organization whose mission is to improve legal education through the use of technology tools. Your faculty may be assigning CALI lessons during the semester, so register for access now.  Registration is free for BC Law students. To register:

1. Go to http://www.cali.org
2. Click on the link: "Register” on the top right portion of the screen.
3. Complete the registration form. Register using your BC e-mail address.
4. At the end of the registration form, you will be prompted to enter an authorization code. For the BC authorization code contact a lawresearchhelp@bc.edu. 
5. Choose your own unique password. You only need to register once; for subsequent log-ins, use your BC e-mail and chosen password. Cookies must be enabled on your browser for the site to function properly.
6.  Problems logging in? Try clearing your browser cookies.

How do I get help conducting legal research?

For assistance conducting legal research on any of the Law Library databases, please contact a reference librarian in whatever way works best for you (chat, email, Zoom consult, etc.)!  They are available to provide basic training on using the various databases and running and efficient search.

What is Res Ipsa Loquitur, and other obscure terms I hear in class?!?

When you encounter a new legal term and want to find a good definition, take a look at Black’s Law Dictionary on Westlaw and search for your term of interest. Black’s, first published in 1890 and now in its 11th edition, is the preeminent American legal dictionary, with Editor in Chief Bryan A. Garner, the world's leading legal lexicographer, at the helm. 

The major legal dictionary on Lexis is Ballentine's Law Dictionary.

If you want to learn more about the history of law dictionaries (in fact, the first English-language ever was a law dictionary!), check out our recent Rare Book Room exhibit, Dictionaries and the Law.

BTW, as summarized from Black's, res ipsa loquitur is Latin phrase meaning “the thing speaks for itself.” In tort law, it is a doctrine providing that "in some circumstances, the mere fact of an accident's occurrence raises an inference of negligence." For example, if a barrel of flour falls out of a warehouse window and lands on someone's head, the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur would mean that, simply by virtue of the facts, the plaintiff would be able to establish (if not ultimately win) the basic elements of a negligence claim. 

How do I cite this case?

The Bluebook is the most widely-used style guide for legal citation (cases, statutes, etc.). You may have used style manuals like Chicago, APA, or MLA for papers in your undergraduate studies; The Bluebook is typically what is used for law school papers and briefs. For more information on The BlueBook legal citations, see our Research Guide on Reading Legal Citations.

How do I get it? We have 6 copies of the current edition (21st ed.) available for up to four-day checkouts at the Information Desk. Additional copies of the 20th edition, which likely will suffice for 1L coursework (check with your professor!), are available in the stacks (click the Locate button for a map). If you’d like to purchase your own print or digital copy, check out The Bluebook online.