Law Review: Law Library Support for Members of the Boston College Law Review

First, determine if Boston College owns the book you need by searching the BC Library Catalog.

If the book is available at the BC Law Library:

• BC Law Library books can be checked out to the Law Review
• The Law Library is open 9AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday during the summer.  See the BC Law Library webpage for update hours and summer holidays.
• Request the item (not a scan) using the link from the catalog record.
• Add a note in the "comment" section of the request form that the book is for BCLR.
• It will be delivered to the BCLR office in Stuart.
• See below, Summer Book Delivery.

If the book is available at another BC Library:

• Non-Law Library books much be requested through the BC Library Catalog
• Books from other BC Libraries must be checked out in the name of the student (books from outside the Law Library cannot be checked out to the Law Review).
• Request the item (not a scan) using the link from the catalog record.
• Add the pick up location "Law Library".
• Add a note in the "comment" section of the request form that the book is for BCLR.
• When the book arrives at the Law Library, it will be delivered to the BCLR office in Stuart.

For books, scans of book sections or articles not available at Boston College, use Inter Library Loan (ILL) to request materials.

• Books and articles requested through ILL must be borrowed in the name of a student.
• Use the "Loan Request" ILL form to request a physical book.
• To minimize the number of duplicate requests, which will be cancelled, communicate with other staff working on your article.
• If you only need a scan of pages from a book, not the entire book, you can request pages through "Copy Request" on the ILL form.  The requested pages will be emailed to you as a PDF.
• Scan requests cannot exceed one chapter or 40 total pages due to copyright law.  Libraries will decline requests which exceed copyright permissions.
• Be as precise as possible with the page numbers.  Verify the page numbers, sections or article titles to ensure that you will get the materials you need.
• ILL requests will be cancelled if BC owns the book or article you request, which slows down your work.  Check the BC Library Catalog before placing an ILL request.
• Reach out to the Teaching & Research Librarians for citation help or lawill@bc.edu for questions about ILL procedures.

Over the summer, books requested from the BC Law Library, other BC libraries and Inter Library Loan (ILL) by BCLR staff will be delivered to the Law Review Office (Room 521).  Journal staff can then access the books when it is convenient for them.

In order for library staff to deliver books to the Law Review Office (Room 521), note on BC Law Library, other BC libraries and ILL material requests that the items are for BCLR.  Otherwise, your materials will be at the Law Library Information Desk for pick up.

What if you are not in the Boston area this summer?  Visit a law school library which is close to you.  You can access most law school libraries using your BC ID. 

• Check this list of ABA Approved Law Schools to determine which libraries are close to you.
• Visit the law library's website, and check that the library owns a copy of the book you need to scan.  (HINT: if you have the BC Law Library call number (ex. KF 1159.5 .C622) , try a search by call number because the numbers are often the same.
• Contact the law library you wish to visit to confirm summer hours and your access.
• Questions?  Contact lawresearchhelp@bc.edu.