(239) 687-5300
Ave Maria School of Law
Veterans Memorial Library
Access key legal databases, books, and scholarship through our law library as a member of the law school community
About the Collection
The Ave Maria School of Law Library supports the mission of the school by providing a core research collection and a research environment that includes print and electronic formats. The collection is especially strong in Legal History, Legal Ethics, Bioethics, the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, Legal Ethics and Canon Law.
Tours & Training
The Law Library staff provides tours that introduce the library’s collections and services to interested groups and individuals.
Legal Research
The Ave Maria School of Law library provides students and faculty with access to a comprehensive set of legal databases and research materials.
Library Services
We are dedicated to serving the needs of the law school community. Students and faculty will find support for their academic endeavors through the depth of the library’s collection, access to a vast array of electronic resources, and support from dedicated staff.
Library Catalog
All students, faculty, and staff may connect to their library accounts while off-campus. Go to Library Catalog and click My Account. Enter your Pbarcode from your Ave Maria I.D. card. You will now be connected to the proxy server and can access our resources.
Research Guides
Research guides provide a starting point for researching legal topics. Our librarians, faculty, and staff created these resource guides to help you locate the legal information you need.
Oxford Reference Library Collection
This popular dictionary provides a fascinating exploration of the origins and development of words in the English language. It brings to light the intriguing and often unusual stories of some of our most used words and phrases.
Gale Ebooks
Hassle-free eBook experience—anytime, anywhere, and on any device. Gale’s eBook platform partners with college and university librarians to collect, preserve, and organize rare content as part of our extensive collection of primary source archives and educational databases.
Databases A-Z
The Databases A-Z list reflects the online databases to which the Law Library subscribes so that our faculty and students have access to the most up-to-date resources possible. For assistance in using any of the options on the Databases A-Z list, contact us at librarian@avemarialaw.edu or (239) 687-5504.
The Law Library is a Teaching & Learning Center
About the Collection
The Ave Maria School of Law Library supports the mission of the school by providing a core research collection and a research environment that includes print and electronic formats. The collection is especially strong in Legal History, Legal Ethics, Bioethics, the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, Legal Ethics and Canon Law. The Library’s materials can be located and accessed via the law library online catalog.
The Library subscribes to numerous electronic resources, and the Law School community has virtually unlimited access to the Lexis and Westlaw legal resources databases. Students receive their passwords to these services as a part of their Research, Writing and Advocacy courses. The law library also subscribes to many web-based database resources. These materials can be accessed from the library’s Databases A-Z web page both from on campus, and, in most cases, from off campus using the bar code found on the front of the School-issued ID card.
Reserve Materials
The collection is split and assigned to different areas of the building. Books on Course Reserve are located behind the Circulation Desk, and due to high demand can only be checked out for four hours.
Tours & Training
The Law Library staff provides tours that introduce the library’s collections and services to interested groups and individuals.
New student tours are scheduled during the fall semester. The tours are generally 30-minute long training sessions to acquaint new students with the Library’s complex structure and to demonstrate the research potential of its electronic environment. Additionally, tours may be scheduled throughout the year but are limited in order to keep the library quiet for its primary purpose of study and research.
- Contact us at least one week in advance with your request for a tour.
- Requests for large group tours should be made well in advance to ensure that tour guides are available.
- No group tours are given during Law School final exams, generally held during the first two weeks of December and May.
For additional information or to schedule a tour, please contact us at (239)687-5504 or librarian@avemarialaw.edu.
Facility Policies
Library Catalog
All students, faculty, and staff may connect to their library accounts while off-campus. Go to Library Catalog and click My Account. Enter your Pbarcode from your Ave Maria I.D. card. You will now be connected to the proxy server and can access our resources.
Seating and Study Space
The Law Library offers a total of 100 study spaces. These include the main Reading Room, group study rooms and study carrels. Study carrels are not individually assigned and are intended for quiet study. Group study rooms can be reserved 24 hours in advance by email or at the Circulation desk. These rooms are for groups of two or more people. Please note that you must be a student at the Ave Maria School of Law in order to make a group study room reservation.
Leisure Reading
Popular and Catholic legal magazines and newspapers are provided on the main floor of the Reading Room for your leisure and convenience. Please see the Circulation Desk attendant for assistance.
Noise
Law Library users expect the library to be a quiet place to study. Noise is to be kept to a minimum out of respect for other patrons. This includes, but is not limited to, talking in a loud voice, audible use of technological devices (cell phones, computers, etc.), and food consumption (see below).
Food and Drink
Law Library users expect the library to be a quiet place to study. Noise is to be kept to a minimum out of respect for other patrons. This includes, but is not limited to, talking in a loud voice, audible use of technological devices (cell phones, computers, etc.).
Study Room Reservations
Study rooms in the Law Library must be reserved in advance and can be reserved 24 hours in advance for up to 4 hours. During times of high demand, such as finals, these rooms are designated for group study only. Please contact the Circulation Desk for more information.
Cell Phone Use
Because of disruption from noise, the use of cell phones is prohibited in the Law Library. Please confine cell phone use to the lobby area or areas outside the main Reading Room.
Laptop Computer Use
A wireless system is available throughout the library for laptop access to the internet.
Signage
Signs may not be posted anywhere in the Law Library. No flyers, ballots, petitions, etc., may be left on the Circulation Desk without first seeking permission from the Head of Public Services.
Smoking
Smoking and the use of all tobacco products is prohibited inside the Law Library.
Printing Account
Students can use PaperCut to check their printing account balance. Log in via the desktop gadget which appears on the screen upon login at any public site computer or at http://printers:9191.
Connecting to Databases from Off Campus
All students, faculty, and staff may connect to their library accounts while off-campus. Go to Library Catalog and click My Account. Enter your Pbarcode and Pbarcode from your Ave Maria I.D. card. You will now be connected to the proxy server and can access our resources.
Get in Touch & Ask a Librarian
Serving Your Needs
The library at Ave Maria School of Law is dedicated to serving the needs of the law school community. Students and faculty will find support for their academic endeavors through the depth of the library’s collection, access to a vast array of electronic resources, and support from dedicated staff.
Faculty Services
The Law Library provides a variety of services designed to meet the research and teaching needs of the Law School faculty. The law librarians provide updates on research interests, court holdings and noteworthy cases through a variety of current awareness services. These services include publishing the library’s Recent Acquisitions List, subscribing to Westlaw’s and Lexis’s clipping services and generally keeping faculty and staff informed of developments published through various media outlets. Interested individuals should contact the Library Director if they would like to participate in these current awareness services. In addition, faculty should make a direct request to the Library Director for book purchases, resources, or necessary services that support their academic research.
Student Services
Students are encouraged to take full advantage of the resources available to them through the Ave Maria School of Law library. Library staff are dedicated to ensuring that students learn how to conduct research utilizing both print and electronic tools. Students may seek individual assistance or attend one of the information sessions which are designed to make students aware of the rich resources available to them. In addition, the library offers students a place for quiet study. Well-lit tables in the main reading room, study carrels, comfortable soft seating, and group study rooms provide students with many options. The library also hosts a computer lab which can be used to provide instruction on legal research sources and techniques.
Quick Links
Contact Information
Circulation Desk telephone: (239) 687-5500
Circulation Desk fax: (239) 353-3172
For general inquiries (external/off campus): circulation@avemarialaw.edu
Reference Desk telephone: (239) 687-5506 or (239) 687-5500
For reference requests: librarian@avemarialaw.edu
Veterans Memorial Library Team
We can get you the information you need to succeed!
- Phone: (239) 687-5501
- librarian@avemarialaw.edu
Education
- M.L.I.S. Master’s in Library and Information Sciences
- J.D. Juris Doctorate
- M.P.A. Master’s in Public Administration
- B.S. Business Administration
Areas of Expertise
- Advanced Legal Research, Elder Law, and Immigration Law at Ave Maria School of Law. Director of the Law Library at Ave Maria School of Law
Professional Experience
Ulysses N. Jaen is our Library Director. He joined the Law School on August 1, 2012, bringing over 30 years of experience to the School. He has worked as an entrepreneur, business manager and legal professional and has presented at numerous conferences, and for various organizations and agencies. Prior to joining the Law School, he worked for the Law Offices of Angotti & Straface from 2006 to 2009 and Hamstead, Williams & Shook from 2009 to 2012. He worked at the West Virginia University College of Law Library from 2005 to 2012 and lectured on a variety of Advanced Legal Research topics. He also taught at the WVU Master’s in Legal Studies and the WVU Master’s in Public Administration Programs. Professor Jaen was a Court appointed mediator and is a Special Advocate for abused and neglected children. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the National Hispanic Bar Association, the Southeastern Chapter of the American Association of Law Libraries and the American Association of Law Libraries where he served as chair of the Diversity Committee Executive Board.
Honors and Professional Affiliations
- President of the Board of Directors for the Southwest Florida Library Network
- Member of American Association of Law Librarians (Chair of AALL Latino Caucus 2010) Diversity Committee 2012-2014
- President of Student Association of Public Administrators (SAPA), 2007-2008
- Member of South Eastern Association of Law Librarians
- Member of the American Bar Association
- Member of the American Libraries Association
- Member of West Virginia Library Association
- Member of National Hispanic Bar Association
Key Works
Publications
- West Virginia State Bar Preparation Materials, 2012, http://ssrn.com/abstract=2020514
- West Virginia Legal Materials Pathfinder, 2011, http://ssrn.com/abstract=2020519
- Legislative Research Guide, 2012, http://ssrn.com/abstract=2020525
- WVU Law Library Welcome Guide, 2012, http://ssrn.com/abstract=2020538
Published Research Guides
- http://avemarialaw.libguides.com/
- Jaen, Ulysses N, West Virginia State Bar Preparation Materials (March, 12 2012). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2020514
- Jaen, Ulysses N, West Virginia Legal Materials Pathfinder (April 12, 2011). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2020519
- Jaen, Ulysses N, Legislative Research Guide (March, 12 2012). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2020525
- Jaen, Ulysses N, WVU Law Library Welcome Guide (March, 12 2012). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2020538
- Business Entrepreneurship Law
- Criminal Law
- Energy Law
- Legislative Process
- West Virginia Legal Research
- Scholarship
- “THE LOTUS FLOWER CHILDREN: A FOCUS ON A WORST FORM OF CHILD LABOR AND THE REFUSAL OF THE U.S. TO COMPLY WITH CONVENTION NO. 182.” Co-authored with Margarita Alfaro, article in the Journal of Gender, Race & Justice at the University of Iowa College of Law.
- Buyer Beware, or Caveat Emptor Answering the following question: does the subversive influence attorney referral services have obtained over the past few years serve the public and the legal profession well?
- Tort Trial And Insurance Practice, AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION YOUNG LAWYERS DIVISION
- Committee Letter / Spring 2017 By Director of the Library and Assistant Professor Ulysses Jaen, J.D., M.P.A., M.I.L.S., & Rebekah Skiba, J.D. Emerging Technologies Reference Librarian, Ave Maria School of Law.
- Ave Maria Law School: The “Magic” of Integrating More Practice-Ready Programs into the Curriculum
- Contributor with Katie Walter July 13, 2017, Legal Executive Institute.
- “The Immigration Dilemma,” Ulysses Jaen. “The Immigration Dilemma” Ave Maria School of Law Moot Court Board Journal Vol. 7 Iss. 2 (2016) p. 1 – 24 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/ulysses-jaen/1/
- “Florida lawmakers must avoid constitutional clash with bills aimed at punishing undocumented immigrants.” Contributor with Perez, Maria. Naples Daily News Nov. 21, 2015.
- “Judicial Misinterpretation,” May 20, 2016 available in Social Science Research Network
Briefs & Legislation letters
- “Sanctuary” Cities is Unconstitutional – University of Houston Law Center
https://www.law.uh.edu/news/faculty-news/spring2017/G.Hoffman3.pdf
Mar 13, 2017 – Ulysses Jaen. Director & Asst. Prof. Ave Maria School of Law. - Law Professor Letter in Support of CA Values Act – ndlon
www.ndlon.org/en/resources/item/…/22_c5364afc7f5d24bc0189b9fa60aec57b
May 17, 2017 – Ulysses Jaen. Director & Professor Ave Maria School of Law.
News appearances/contributions
- “Essential policing or racial profiling? NBC2 Investigates 287(g)” NBC2 News-Mar 30, 2017 When asked if 287(g) is unconstitutional, Ulysses Jaen, a law professor … puts our officers in the shoes of the immigration officials,” said Jaen.
- “Florida lawmakers must avoid constitutional clash with bills aimed at …”Naples Daily News-Nov 21, 2015 Ulysses Jaen, professor at Ave Maria School of Law, said the enhancement of prison terms proposed by the Florida bills for federal offenses …
- “Lo Que Preocupa de la 287(g)” El Hispano News-Aug 5, 2017 “¿A cuántos están parando para pedirle sus papeles? Ulysses Jaen, …
- “Centenar de profesores de leyes de EE.UU. envían carta a Trump sobre legalidad de DACA”
El Hispano News-Aug 16, 2017 - “Collier renews program that some argue unfairly punishes arrested …”
Naples Daily News-Jul 4, 2016
Jaen Ulysses, professor at Ave Maria School of Law, said once the immigrants are in ICE custody, they aren’t entitled to an attorney if they can’t … - “Las claves de 287(g), el programa para aumentar las detenciones …”
Univision-Feb 18, 2017
se queja Ulysses Jaen, profesor de Derecho en Ave Maria Law School, en el condado de Collier, donde se aplica el programa …
- Phone: (239) 687-5500
- astarcher@avemarialaw.edu
Abigail Starcher is our Access Services Librarian. She earned her B.A. in History from Ave Maria University. She is earning her M.L.I.S. at the University of South Florida. Prior to joining Ave Maria School of Law, she worked as a Public Services Librarian for five years and taught elementary school on the Zuni Pueblo Indian Reservation in New Mexico. Her library experience includes working in circulation, inter-library loan, digitization, reference, and archives.
- Phone: (239) 687-5503
- bmarino@avemarialaw.edu
Brenda Marino is our Technical Services Librarian. She earned her B.A. in Spanish from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. While working as a Librarian at Brandeis University Library in Waltham, Massachusetts, she earned her M.L.S. at Simmons College in Boston. Prior to joining Ave Maria School of Law, she worked as a Librarian for three years at Ave Maria University. Her library experience includes cataloging, acquisitions, circulation, and archives.
- Phone: (239) 687-5509
- reskiba@avemarialaw.edu
- Ask a Librarian
Rebekah Miller is our Faculty Liaison Librarian. She earned her B.A. from Christendom College and her J.D. from Ave Maria School of Law, graduating in May of 2015. She has several years of library experience and joined the Ave Maria Law Library staff full-time in August 2015. Her focus is in reference and legal research as well as technology.
- Phone: (239) 687-5506
- gcgonzalez@avemarialaw.edu
- Ask a Librarian
Giancarlo Gonzalez is our Law Practice and Technology Librarian. He earned his B.S. in Political Science and Philosophy from Florida State University and his J.D. from Stetson College of Law. Prior to joining Ave Maria School of Law he worked in the legal field committing to research and public service for 2 years at St. Peterburg. Giancarlo joined our library staff in November 2023.
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