Student Guide to LRC Resources & Services
The Pardee Legal Research Center (LRC) offers special services to support students in their study and research of the law. To save time and get the answers you need, ask a Law Librarian for research help! Email lrcref@sandiego.edu or call 619-260-4612 (dial x4612 if on campus).
- Study Aids & Class Resources: course reserves, past exams, course guides, CALI
- Electronic & Computer Services: computers & wireless, printing in the lab
- Database Access: LEXIS/Westlaw, Hein-Online, Legaltrac, etc.
- Reference Services: research guides, RA trainings
- Finding Materials: SALLY, CIRCUIT, ILL
- Sail Into Success
Course Reserves
Professors may put materials on course reserve at the LRC for their classes. Books placed on reserve can be found in the LRC's Reserve Room (along the eastern wall), while handouts and articles can be found at the Circulation Desk. Click here to search SALLY (USD's online catalog) for any materials placed on course reserve by your professor.
Past Exams
Ask at the Circulation Desk to view copies of past exams kept on file. Some exams are also available off of the LRC's website at: http://www.sandiego.edu/lrc/exams/index.php. You will be asked to enter your UNET username and password to view them. Be sure to check both the print and online versions since coverage is not identical.
CALI
Exercises to increase knowledge of an area of legal study performed over the Internet or downloaded and performed on a computer. Please click here to obtain password and username information. You will be asked to supply your USD e-mail log-in and password. The LRC also has the exercises on a CD-Rom at the Reference Desk.
AudioCaseFiles
AudioCaseFiles is a database of audio recordings of cases students can download. You must use your USD email address to register. Please contact the Reference Desk at 619-260-4612 if you have questions.
Course Guides
LRC librarians have prepared brief guides for USD law school elective courses that list the best LRC print and online resources to start your research with. The can be accessed off of the LRC website at: http://www.sandiego.edu/lrc/student/course.php
Electronic & Computer Services
Computers & Wireless Access
The Computer Lab in LRC 122 is open the same hours as the library and offers 28 PCs, networked printing, Microsoft© Office, WordPerfect©, and access to LexisNexis©, Westlaw©, and other electronic legal research tools. The Computer Lab in LRC 207 has 10 PCs. These computers have the same features as the computers in LRC 122. Wireless access to the Internet is available to current students throughout the LRC, and ethernet cables are available for check out at the Circulation Desk.
Printing in the Lab
You can use Campus Cash to print in the Computer Lab. To put Campus Cash on your student id, click here and follow the instructions. Printers are located in the east end of the Lab in LRC 122.
LEXIS / Westlaw
1L's generally receive their Westlaw & LEXIS logins at orientation or in their Lawyering Skills class. If you did not receive one, or if you are a transfer or LLM student, stop by the LRC Reference Desk for your logins.
The LRC also subscribes to a number of electronic databases (besides LEXIS & Westlaw) that contain tax materials, treaty materials, law review articles, and other resources that can help you conduct your research. Click here to what's available to you.
Reference Services to Help you Do Research
Research Guides & Information Series
Our reference librarians have prepared numerous research guides to help you with your Lawyering Skills assignments, find and research your paper topic, or just further your understanding of legal research methods and to answer questions about specific research topics and sources. Click here to see a list of all the guides.
Research Assistant Training
The LRC offers training to faculty research assistants to help you more effectively find what you need. The trainings are tailored to the specific subject area you and your professor are researching and can cover everything from how to search LEXIS/Westlaw more effectively to find government information on the WEB. Contact Judith Lihosit at (619) 260-4752 or at jlihosit@sandiego.edu to set up a training or to get more information. Also, if you are a faculty research assistant, be sure to stop by the Circulation Desk and fill out an RA card so that you can get check-out and copying privileges for faculty work.
Finding materials
SALLY is USD's
online library catalog and is the gateway to finding materials located within the LRC and the main university library (Copley). SALLY can be used to find not just materials in our print collection, but it also provides direct access to materials in our subscription databases, and it also links to websites. SALLY is accessible via the LRC webpage or at http://sally.sandiego.edu/.
Circuit
Another two million library titles are available to USD researchers through the San Diego Circuit Library Consortium (“the Circuit”). If a title is not found on SALLY, follow the on-screen directions to repeat the search in the Circuit catalog, which combines library holdings at UCSD, SDSU, Cal State San Marcos, the San Diego County Library system, and USD. To request a Circuit book, follow the on-screen directions. The barcode number on your USD identification card is your borrower authorization. Expect 24 hour delivery in most instances. For all questions about using SALLY and the Circuit, contact the Reference Desk at x4612. Click here to search the Circuit catalog.
ILL
The Interlibrary Loan department will help you borrow materials that are not in our collection from other libraries. Click here to view more information about ILL procedures and charges, or to order an item (form is located at the bottom of the ILL info page). If you are a cite-checker for the SDLR or the ILJ, please click here first.
Each spring, LRC librarians, with Lawyering Skills and Career Services, present Sail Into Success, a program intended to help second and third year students brush up their research and presentation skills in preparation for their jobs. This year's program will be held on April 8 (noon-1 p.m. in WH 2A) and on April 9 (4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. in WH 2B). Questions? Contact the Reference Desk at x 4612 or at lrcref@sandiego.edu.
Links to San Diego's fifty largest law firms will assist students in networking with potential future employers.