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.

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.

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.

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.

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.