Library Access & Policies

Your Hastings identification card also serves as your borrowing card in the library. Your I.D. card must be presented to check out books and course reserve items. Materials may be checked out for specified periods of time as follows:

Circulation Desk Items
Most materials kept at the Circulation Desk are loaned for 3 hours for the UC Law SF community. Circulation Desk materials include all items placed on Course Reserve by professors, study aids, academic support materials, and foreign language dictionaries. The latter are loaned for 24 hours.  Video adapters, phone and iMac chargers, laptops, and other electronic devices are also available to borrow at the Circulation Desk. Some of these materials are available for 24-hour use.

Laptops
PC laptops with power cords may be borrowed from the Circulation Desk. Laptops lend for 8 hours with the option to renew once. Regardless of when laptops are checked out, they must be returned by the time the Library closes. Laptops may leave the Library. Overdue fines for laptops are $10.00 per hour. The replacement fine for lost laptops is $600. Laptops do not circulate during exam periods.

Government Documents
Federal agency publications and congressional hearings and reports shelved in the UC Law SF Library may be borrowed for 30 days. California legislative hearings and reports may also be borrowed for 30 days.

General Book Collection
Monographs and single-volume treatises from the general book collection, shelved on the fourth and fifth floors of the library, may be borrowed for 30 days.

State and federal case reports and codes (including superseded code volumes), law reviews, multi-volume sets, loose-leaf publications, current casebooks, indexes, and microforms may not be borrowed. Materials located in the Research Alcove are also unavailable for borrowing.

Renewals
A book may be renewed by a patron if no holds have been placed on it. Patrons may view their current check-outs and renew materials online. Patrons may also renew items in person at the Circulation Desk. Renewal requests cannot be processed over the phone. No 24-hour use items can be renewed.

Recalls
All books are subject to recall one week after being checked out. Hastings students, faculty, and staff may request that a book be recalled by logging in to their library account, searching in Primo for the catalog record for the book, and clicking on the “Place a Hold” link in the record. Patrons may also place holds on books in person at the Circulation Desk.  Recalled books must be returned by the date specified in the recall notice. For reasons of privacy, the names of those who have borrowed library materials will not be revealed.

Non-UC Law SF Borrowers
The library operates an annual fee-based program for unaffiliated borrowers.  Law firms, agency libraries, and alumni may pay an annual fee to borrow materials from the library’s circulating collection.

Overdue Fines
Overdue fines are charged according to the following schedule:
3-Hour and 24-Hour circulation desk materials: $1.00 per hour during hours the library is open.
Laptops: $10.00 per hour
30-Day books: $.25 per day, per item for students, and $.50 per day, per item for non-Hastings borrowers.

Fines may be paid directly through your library account.

Lost Books
The replacement cost, plus $35.00 in processing and service charges, will be charged for each lost book.

Students graduating from UC Law SF will be notified prior to graduation of any library materials still in their possession.  If the materials are not returned or the replacement cost paid within 30 days of notification, a hold will be placed on the student’s law school record.  The same policy applies to students who withdraw from the College.

The Library places a copy of assigned casebooks for courses offered in the JD curriculum on Course Reserve. These are not intended to serve as a replacement for students purchasing their own copy of the required text.  After they are no longer assigned, all casebooks are fully cataloged and shelved by subject area in the general collection.  Faculty may place a personal copy of a casebook on Course Reserve.

Retention: The Library retains current and superseded casebooks.

Borrowing: Casebooks in the general collection on the 4th and 5th floors of the Library may be borrowed for 30 days. Casebooks on Course Reserve may be borrowed for 3 hours.

The UC Law SF Library supports the educational and research needs of the UC Law SF College of the Law community. The Library serves as a research partner with the school’s faculty and students. The Library’s print and electronic collections directly support the UC Law SF faculty, UC Law SF students, the current curriculum, and the College’s affiliated programs. The Library staff works closely with UC Law SF faculty and students to provide access to the Library’s collections and to facilitate access to other research and teaching resources. The Library aims to provide for its authorized users an environment suitable for research, study, instruction, and reading.

In order to achieve these goals, the Library has established the following Code of Conduct. The following behaviors are in conflict with the mission of the UC Law SF Library and are cause for action by the Library staff or a representative of the Library staff:

Use and Protection of the Collections:

1. Removing or attempting to remove Library materials, equipment or property without official library authorization.
2. Failing to either renew or return Library materials when due, or pay library fines.
3. Concealing or reserving, without Library authorization, materials in the Library for the exclusive use of an individual or group.
4. Mutilating Library materials by marking, underlining, removing pages or portions of pages, removing binding, removing anti-theft devices, using post-its or paper clips, or in any other way damaging or defacing Library materials.
5. Bringing in and consuming aromatic foods or beverages in public areas of the Library.
6. Spilling any food or beverage on any surface in the Library.
7. Using tobacco in the Library, including smoking cigarettes, cigars, pipes or using smokeless tobacco.
8. Not allowing search of possessions when the security gate alarm has been activated upon exit.

Use and Protection of the Building and Library Equipment:

1. Being in unauthorized areas of the Library, remaining in the Library after closing or during emergency drills or evacuations.
2. Opening emergency exits except in emergency situations.
3. Vandalizing or defacing the Library building, furniture or equipment, or engaging in any behavior that could do so.
4. Accessing without authorization (or altering or damaging) any computer system, network, computer program, or data.
5. Blocking doorways, elevators, stairways, emergency exits or aisles. Large objects such as carts, duffel bags and large pieces of luggage may not be brought into Library facilities. Personal property must be within sight of the owner.
6. Unauthorized use of student study rooms. Study rooms are for the exclusive use of current UC Law SF students.

The Library Environment:

1. Engaging in any behavior which is potentially harmful or dangerous.
2. Using portable or cellular telephones to make or receive calls.
3. Failing to present proper identification upon demand by any college official.
4. Carrying weapons of any kind unless authorized by law.
5. Bringing animals inside the Library that do not conform to the UC Law SF Policy on Animals on Campus.
6. Soliciting money, donations or signatures.
7. Unauthorized photography or filming in the Library.
8. Unreasonable use of public restrooms, including laundering and bathing.
9. Any disturbance or activity that interferes with Library user or staff comfort, safety, use or quiet and peaceful enjoyment of the Library, including but not limited to:
   • Harassing or threatening Library users or staff.
   • Staring at, following, or photographing Library users or staff.
   • Strong, pervasive odors, including odors caused by perfume or cologne.
   • Making any loud or unreasonable noise or other disturbance, including disruptive use of personal communications or entertainment devices.
10. Persons under the influence of alcohol or non-prescribed drugs are not allowed on Library property.
11. Sleeping by students beyond the usual short study nap is discouraged in the Library for safety and security reasons. Community users are reminded that the Library is open for research purposes and sleeping is not allowed.
12. Any patron who commits or attempts to commit any of the offenses listed above — or anything construed to be a disturbance — or any other behaviors illegal under the laws of the state or federal government — is subject to sanctions, including:
    • being asked to leave Library premises;
    • being reported to the police;
    • legal prosecution.

    Offenders are subject to loss of Library privileges and may be criminally prosecuted. Those who are UC Law SF students are also subject to penalties that may be imposed under the Student Conduct Code.

There are 12 group study rooms in the Library. These rooms are available for use by UC Law SF and UC Davis MSBA students for group study or shared study-space on a first-come, first-served basis during the academic year.

The following rules apply to the group study rooms:

• The rooms are for the exclusive use of UC Law SF and UC Davis MSBA students.
• The group study rooms cannot be reserved.
• No aromatic foods and beverages are permitted in the study rooms.
• Users may consume non-aromatic foods and beverages in the study rooms, but they must clean up after themselves.
• Upon leaving, users are required to remove all items brought into a group study room.
• All UC Law SF librarians are empowered to require that library patrons comply with these rules.