The law library subscribes to various electronic information sources, including, but not limited to: LexisNexis, WestLaw, Bloomberg, and HeinOnline.
We also subscribe to several study aid packages, including CALI, West Academic, LexisNexis Digital Library and Aspen Learning Library (formerly Wolters Kluwer Study Aids Package). All of these resources are available via the MyLaw Portal, Maine Law Quick Links. You can access many of these databases while not in the law building. In some cases you will need to enter your name and barcode from your faculty ID to gain access. Please contact a Reference Librarian at lawref@maine.edu or by calling x4351, if you need assistance or passwords.
Mariner is the portal researchers can use to access the multitude of electronic databases available via the University of Maine System. Here the researcher will find databases from the health sciences, the social sciences and much more.
There are two ways in which to access the Mariner databases. The first is via the sites One Search feature, in the Quick Search Box. Here the researcher can enter search terms and One Search will search all of the databases in the Mariner portal and retrieve relevant material from them all. The material retrieved can include both books as well as journal articles and newspaper articles.
The second way to access the Mariner databases is via the A-Z Database listing. The clicking either the "Indexes and Databases" tab in the "Quick Search" box or by clicking the "Indexes and Databases" link in the yellow box near the center of the page, the researcher will be directed to an alphabetical listing of all of the databases to which they have access. Clicking the links provided will take you directly to the database, where you can enter your search terms.
Remember, you will need to enter your last name and the bar code from your faculty ID in order to access these databases remotely from anywhere off campus or via the school's wireless network.
Below are just a few databases that may help you with your research.
URSUS is the online catalog for the Garbrecht Law Library. It is the shared catalog for the libraries in the University of Maine System, the Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library, and the Maine State Library. When doing a large research project, we recommend that you do not limit your search to just the law library's collection but take advantage of your access to all of the libraries in the system in order to find the material you need.
If you have questions about the collection or how to use the catalog, please email the reference staff at lawref@maine.edu. They are always happy to help.
All faculty receive an ID card. This card allows you to check out material from the Law Library and the other libraries in the URSUS system. It also allows you remote access to the electronic databases to which the Library subscribes. If you have any problems accessing the databases from home or with checking out material, please contact the reference staff at lawref@maine.edu or at x4351.
Search right from this guide using the search box below.
Almost all of the material in the Law Library’s collection can be checked out to faculty for the academic year, due on June 1. The exception to this is material on Faculty Reserve, which is limited to a 4 hour loan period. Your staff id is your library card. Please try to remember to bring it with you when you are checking out material.
Library Fines
The Library does not charge fines for Law Library material that has been returned after the due date.
Please note that this is limited to Law Library material ONLY. Fines or fees incurred on material from other URSUS system libraries or for interlibrary loan materials cannot be waived.
Library staff will send a letter to you at the end of the year listing the material you have checked out from the LAW LIBRARY. We ask that you review that list and return the items no longer needed. This list includes only material from the LAW LIBRARY. We encourage you to check your patron record, to keep track of the material you have checked out from the other URSUS libraries and act accordingly as to renewals and returns.
Please contact the Circulation Department at x4350 if you have any questions about material you have checked out.
If we do not have an item in the Law collection, but it is held in one of the other URSUS libraries, you can request that material yourself by using the Requestor feature in URSUS. This is done by clicking the “request” button at the top of the screen, once you are in the record for the item you want.
After clicking the "request" button, you will be asked to provide your name and your barcode from your Faculty ID. Also on that same screen you will be asked to choose your pick up location. You will select “law” from the drop down list. You will click submit when you have completed the form.
This request will be sent out by the system. When the material arrives at the law school, Megan York, our staff member in charge of ILL, will deliver it to your office.
Library Fines:
The Law Library's no fine policy is limited to Law Library material ONLY. Fines or fees incurred on material from other URSUS system libraries or for interlibrary loan materials cannot be waived. We encourage you to check your patron record, accessible from the Law Library homepage to keep track of the material you have checked out from the other URSUS libraries and act accordingly as to renewals and returns.
Please contact the Circulation Department at 207.780.4350 if you have any questions about material you have checked out.
If we do not own an item and the item is not available at any of the other libraries in the URSUS library system, the Library will attempt to borrow the item from another library for your use. In order to place an interlibrary loan request, you will need to complete one of the online forms, depending on the type of material (book or article) that you need. The Law Library’s Interlibrary loan forms and other polices can be found online. These services are managed by the Reference and Access Services Law Librarian, Megan York. She can be reached at 207-780-4818. When making an ILL request, it is important to provide as much information as possible so that we can quickly identify and locate the items you need. Once we have identified what you need, the amount of time it takes to get the material depends on the lending library. Generally, it takes two weeks to receive the material. When the materials arrive, the interlibrary loan staff will bring them to you. We will follow up with you when the material must be returned.
Library Fines:
The Law Library's no fine policy is limited to Law Library material ONLY. Fines or fees incurred on material from other libraries interlibrary loan materials cannot be waived. Our Administrative Manager for Access Services will notify you when material you have recieved via ILL is coming due. We will do our best to have that material renewed or requested from another location if you still need it. If it is material you need for a long term project or for your teaching and scholarship, the library will consider purchasing the material for you. All requests are reviewed by the Director of the Law Library for her approval.
Please contact the Reference and Access Services Law Librarian at x4818 if you have any questions about material you have checked out via ILL.
The reference staff is available to help you prepare for your classes as well as help you with your scholarly the research. Other reference services available to faculty include in-class research training and training for your research assistants. Furthermore, f you are the advisor for a student completing their upper level writing project, we will conduct research instruction sessions for students to help them choose and research their topics. Please do not hesitate to send any of the students you are supervising to us for instruction.
During the academic year, a reference librarian is available at the Reference Desk Monday- Friday 8:30 am-4:00 pm. Reference staff is NOT available on the weekends. You can also call the Reference Department at x4351 or email them at lawref@maine.edu. We look forward to helping you in with your classroom and scholarly endeavors.
You may place items on Faculty Reserve for use by your students. To do so, please email Megan York and she will assist you with this process. All requests will be processed within 24 hours from the time the request is received by the Library. If you are placing your personal copy on Reserve, please include it with the request. If the item you want on reserve is in the Library’s collection, we will pull it. You do not need to provide it with your request.
Material requested from other libraries via the URSUS requestor feature or ILL cannot be placed on Faculty Reserve. If you need the material for your class, please email lawref@maine.edu to discuss purchasing the material.
The Library routes to faculty such titles as The National Law Journal, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Maine Lawyer's Review, and Maine Bar Journal. If you wish to be added to the routing list for these titles--or any others--please contact Steve Salhany at stephen.salhany@maine.edu or at 207.780.4832. The library also provides access to SmartCILP, which is the electronic version of Current Index To Legal Periodicals, as well as BNA email alerts. If you would like to be signed up for either email service, please contact the reference staff at lawref@maine.edu or at 207.780.4351.
The library does not supervise faculty research assistants. However, the library staff is always available to help research assistants in their work for the faculty, including one on one research training.
In addition, a record in the Circulation system can be created for material checked out by research assistants on behalf of the faculty with whom they work, so as to insure the longer borrowing privileges allowed for faculty. Please email lawref@maine.edu or call 207-780-4351 if you would like a record created for your research assistants.
