The Pardee Legal Research Center (LRC) at the University of San Diego School of Law is a premier academic law library supporting the USD Law community’s research needs with an extensive collection of print materials and digital databases. The building offers areas for quiet study and collaborative work, as well as group study rooms available for reservation. Our highly skilled and experienced team of librarians and staff are here to help students, faculty, and other researchers find the resources they need.
Mission Statement
The mission of the University of San Diego Legal Research Center is to support the curriculum and programs of the law school, support the university in the pursuit of its mission, promote the advancement of legal scholarship and meet the legal information needs of the university community. As a partner in the law school's goals of preparing a diverse community of competent and ethical lawyers and improving the law, we strive for excellence in the collection, methods of access and preservation and teaching and service program offerings. The LRC provides leadership in the creative use of technology for accessing information resources. As a depository of federal and state documents, we accept the responsibility to make documents selected for the collection available to the public. The Legal Research Center also safeguards patron privacy and champions the right to read.
In furtherance of its mission, the Legal Research Center allocates resources and sets service priorities to serve patrons in the following order:
- USD law students and law faculty;
- Non-law USD faculty and students;
- The San Diego legal community; and
- Members of the public.
Adopted by the LRC Library Council on September 17, 1998, and updated on June 29, 2011.
A Look Inside
Pardee Legal Research Center
Library Policies and Guidelines
Review the LRC's policies below for circulating materials, the collection of specific types of materials, its computer lab policy, food and drink rules, information on interlibrary loan, and the availability of checking out computers.
LRC Building Access:
All USD law and grad students, faculty, and staff can access the LRC anytime with a valid campus ID card. Contact Campus Card Services for any issues with your campus ID card at UC 127 or (619) 260-5999.
During public building hours, the LRC’s building and collection (including the Federal Depository Library Program collection) is accessible to other members of the USD community and the general public. Our full list of hours lists the hours of our Circulation and Reference desks. The LRC’s public building hours are the same as the Circulation desk hours except during law school finals. To ensure that law school patrons have access to the space and services they need, access to the LRC is limited to law school patrons during law school final exams. Users of the FDLP collection may request access to those materials during the hours the Circulation desk is open.
Please help us maintain a safe and secure environment by not propping open doors. Security cameras have been installed throughout the building for your safety and the safety of the entire USD community. Call Public Safety at (619) 260-2222 if you see any suspicious activity or have any safety concerns.
Study Rooms and Student Lounge Access:
Current USD Law and Paralegal students and recent USD Law School graduates are able to access LRC study rooms and the student lounge with a valid campus ID card. Study rooms can be reserved during the Circulation open hours and are self-serve after hours and on weekends.
The LRC Circulation Policies cover borrowing privileges, open reserves, fines, circulation accessories, and laptops.
For further information, please contact the circulation desk at (619) 260-4542 or by e-mail at lrccirc@sandiego.edu.
The LRC Collection Policy aims to be a comprehensive statement of collection policy for the University of San Diego Legal Research Center. In addition to setting out the scope of collection contents, it addresses broader issues of collection access and maintenance. Download the complete Collection Policy (PDF).
Adopted by the LRC Library Council on Sept. 17, 1998. Revised December 2011.
A valid USD ID is required to use LRC labs. Food and drinks are strongly discouraged. This lab is covered by:
- USD's Policy on Responsible Use of University Computing Resources (PDF).
- USD LRC's Computer Lab Policy.
- The first floor instructional computer lab (LRC 122) may be reserved for a class by emailing LRC Electronic Services. Current reservations may be viewed on the Library Training Calendar.
As a federal depository since 1967, we accept the responsibility to make documents selected for the collection available to the public. The LRC receives a variety of government documents from the U.S. Government Publishing Office as part of the Federal Depository Library Program.
Items selected are approximately 11% of the materials distributed by the U.S. Government Publishing Office. Collection strengths include: law and jurisprudence, legislative and regulatory materials, court and judicial administration, international trade, public finance and taxation. In addition to receiving U.S. documents, the LRC collects state documents as a California selective depository library. The LRC is open to the public for the use of the federal and California documents during our public building hours. Documents chosen for the LRC are cataloged and integrated into the general collection.
Food is allowed in the LRC as long as it does not make a mess or bother other patrons. Beverages must have a secure lid. Please take your trash with you or dispose of it before you leave. If you spill or see a mess left behind, let a staff member know right away. Food and drink, however, are not allowed in the LRC Computer Labs. The LRC reserves the right to interpret this policy on a case-by-case basis.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) provides users with access to materials not available in the Legal Research Center, Copley Library, or the San Diego Circuit. ILL depends entirely upon the cooperation and generosity of other libraries. Patrons of the LRC must abide by the rules and policies of the lending library when borrowing items and obtaining photocopies. ILL services are available at the LRC for currently enrolled USD law students, law faculty, and staff. Non-law USD students, faculty, and staff can obtain ILL services at Copley Library. View more information on Interlibrary Loan policies. View more information on the San Diego Circuit.
The LRC reference librarians are knowledgeable about finding legal materials and resources and conducting legal research. In keeping with the mission of the LRC, reference services are prioritized for current USD law students and law faculty. However, reference librarians can assist members of the San Diego legal community and the general public to locate specific legal materials and to develop legal research strategies. The reference librarians cannot do legal research for others, interpret the law, or give legal advice. Patrons looking for legal research assistance related to the representation of a client should keep in mind their duty of confidentiality under Rule 1.6 of the California Rules of Professional Conduct or the equivalent in other jurisdictions when asking for help from the reference librarians.
Contact Us
For more information about USD School of Law’s Legal Research Center, please call the LRC at (619)-260-4612 or email at lrcrefer@sandiego.edu.