SIU Law Library: Services

Reference service for law students will usually take the form of research instruction.

NOTE: Law students are encouraged to follow the Ten Minute Rule when determining if they need research help:

Ten Minute Rule: If it takes longer than ten minutes to determine your next research step--ask a law librarian for assistance.*  

Services for Law Students include:

• Reference Assistance (usually this will take the form of legal research training).
• Borrowing 
• Interlibrary Loan 

Please send requests for service to Candle Wester.

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* NOTE: Law librarians love to teach law students how to do legal research, you are not bothering us, we literally get paid to help you. So please, justify our salaries by consulting the law librarians early and often.

To those with legal issues:

Law Librarians cannot provide non-attorney* patrons with information relating specific facts in your life to the current law. This would constitute the practice of law. We can help you find resources that may help you with such problems but cannot provide you with legal advice of any kind.

Additionally, law students are not permitted to assist non-attorneys with legal problems.  

If you have legal issues or problems you are attempting to solve without the aid of an attorney, please consult the Legal Self Help tab for more information. 

Services for community members include:

• Reference Assistance 
• Borrowing (see circulation staff for details)

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* Attorney is defined as someone who is licensed to practice law in any jurisdiction in the United States.

There are limitations on the services the Law Library staff is able to provide to persons not currently affiliated with the College of Law.  These limitations are based both on College of Law Library internal policies and state regulations.

For all library patrons who are not current College of Law students, faculty, emeritus faculty, faculty associates, or staff, the following general provisions apply:

The law library staff will:

• Assist patrons in locating print or online resources
• Instruct patrons as to how to use these resources

The law library staff will not:

• Do legal research on behalf of patrons;
• advise any patron as to what the text of a law, regulation or legal opinion means, or what the law is on any issue;
• advise any patron on legal procedures, court rules, or jurisdictions;
• recommend the use of any particular legal form for any particular purpose, or assist in filling out legal forms;
• review any document drafted by a patron or by any other person;
• read textual material (including, but not limited to, definitions, laws, cases, or rules) over the phone;
• provide advice or instruction concerning the creation and/or formatting of legal citations;
• recommend any particular attorney or law firm; or
• perform any other action that could be construed as providing legal advice.