Spring 2016 Courtesy Policies Reminder

24/6+ Library Access for Touro Law Students has begun! We encourage everyone to come and study in the library, and we hope that you'll stay and use these extended hours to your benefit. We also want everyone to feel welcome and accomplished here, so the following are just a few reminders about our courtesy policies to keep in mind during the reading period for finals:

Noise: Please be mindful that courtesy is contagious, and that noise travels. The entire library is a silent student area, except the area around the circulation desk, reference office, and the study rooms, where quiet conversation (i.e., at whisper level) is permitted. If someone asks you to stop talking or to take it down a notch, please be courteous to them. If you have a continued noise problem, please contact circulation or reference, and we will come and see if we can help. You can stop in circulation or reference at any time to talk to us. You can also email us at libraryreference@tourolaw.edu.

Unattended Items: Please do not leave items unattended to reserve a table, couch, study room, computer station, etc. Unattended items may be taken by security.

Cell phones: Cell phones are fine for texting, but talking on your cell phone really disturbs students who are studying. Please make and take your calls outside the library.

Food: Only light snacks, in snack-size portions, and drinks (non-alcoholic) with lids are allowed. Meals (e.g., sandwiches, salads, pizza, hot foods) are not permitted in the Library. As a general rule: if a reasonable person would eat the item for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or would use a knife, fork and/or spoon to eat the item, then you cannot eat the item in the library. Anything that you can order from a restaurant or drive-up window is not allowed in the library. Students who bring in food other than snacks and beverages in closed containers may eat the food in the MFMR, but will be expected to clean up after use. The MFMR may not be used for studying.

Furniture: All library furnishings, including tables, chairs and decorative wall hangings may not be moved or removed. Please no feet on furniture.

Sleeping: Air mattresses, pillows, blankets, sleeping bags, mattress pads and camping equipment are not allowed.

For complete library hours visit our Hours Webpage.

Good luck with your final exams! If there's anything we can do for you, please speak to a librarian or library staff member. We're happy to help!

Fall Semester Final Exam Study Hours

Effective Monday, November 16th through the end of final exams (Wednesday, December 23rd, 2015), The Gould Law Library will be open around the clock to Touro Law students only, except for:

• Friday afternoon-Saturday morning, in observance of the Jewish Sabbath. The library will close Fridays at 2:45 p.m. and will reopen Saturdays at 10 a.m. (Saturday access is subject to special conditions: Touro ID required, special access door, no food); and

• Thanksgiving. The Library will be closed Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26th. The Library will be open as a study hall only (no services) on Friday, November 27th from 7 a.m.- 3 p.m. 

With these exceptions, the library will remain open 24 hours a day through the end of final exams. Library services will not be available during the overnight period and on Saturdays, although a security guard will be on duty. The entire library (except for the Circulation Desk, the Reference Office, and enclosed study rooms) will be a quiet zone to maximize available study space.

Access during overnight periods is for the Library only. Students will not be permitted anywhere else in the building, except that during overnight periods, students may make brief trips to the Concourse to access their lockers or use the vending machines, but must return promptly. Use of recreational equipment in the Concourse is prohibited on overnights. No Concourse access of any kind is permitted on Saturdays.

We wish all of our students the best with their final exams!

Summer Reading for New Law Students

Welcome back for the summer semester to all of our continuing students - and welcome to all of our 1Ls starting this summer! We hope all of our students are beginning a wonderful and educational summer. We're also looking forward to welcoming 1Ls in August. We can't wait to meet you!

For our 1Ls - have you heard of the The Law School Guys?  One of the resources they offer is a list of recommended books to read when you begin law school. Two of the books on the list were written by Touro Law Center faculty, who clearly know their stuff. They are:


Mastering The Law School Exam: A Practical Blueprint For Preparing And Taking Law School Exams  - Call No. KF283 .D37 2007
By Professor and Director of Academic Development Suzanne Darrow-Kleinhaus
The law school exam can be a daunting prospect, and students can be unsure or overwhelmed in preparing for exams. Professor Kleinhaus takes the uncertainty out of the process by guiding you in “how to do it,” and “how to write it.”  Her book will help you along the way to learning how to “think like a lawyer” and also how to successfully bridge the gap from class to exam.




Bridging The Gap Between College And Law School: Strategies For Success - Call No. KF283 .S77 2014
By Touro Law Assistant Dean Charlotte D. Taylor & Ruta K. Stropus
Wondering how you can step up your game and translate your success in college to further success in law school?  Look no further.  This definitive guide will help you successfully navigate the educational terrain of law school, including how to take notes differently, prepare for class differently, and prepare for exams differently than you did in college.


We’ll post again soon.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on.

Print Library Resources for Bar Exam Study

The Gould Law Librarians have prepared a Lib Guide that provides an organized means of perusing the study aids available to you in our library. We have a page that links you to all of the print resources we have here in the library, both in the reserve room and in the main collection, to assist you in studying for the bar exam.

Visit our Circulation Desk – our Circulation Staff can help you find review books and outlines to assist with your bar preparation.

Our very own Professor Suzanne Darrow-Kleinhaus, Director of Academic Development and Bar Programs, has written two comprehensive, practical, and enormously helpful guides to the bar exam, which are available to you in our library:

ACING THE BAR EXAM : A CHECKLIST APPROACH TO TAKING THE BAR EXAM 

This book offers guidance on how to plan for your bar exam preparation while taking into consideration your lifestyle and your study goals. It further deconstructs the bar exam and the bar review course for you, providing helpful tips on how to practice both the essay questions and the multiple choice questions that you will face on the bar exam. There’s even advice on what to do when it’s all over.



THE NEW YORK BAR EXAM BY THE ISSUES 
Co-Authored with Associate Dean Myra Berman & John J. Cooney

This guide offers advice and counsel as to taking the New York Bar Exam, so that you pass the exam the first time. Helpful study plans, real advice about reading and writing the New York essays, and detailed preparation techniques for the New York State multiple choice are provided.


PASS THE BAR EXAM – AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION
By Sara J. Berman

While not authored by Professor Darrow-Kleinhaus, this is also a very popular and helpful book to guide you through your preparation for the bar exam.




An upcoming post will provide you with resources on taking care of yourself during this intense study period – the home stretch before you are a practicing, professional attorney.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on.

Online Library Resources for Bar Exam Study

If you are a graduate of Touro Law who is preparing to sit for the Bar Exam at the end of July, the Gould Law Library offers a variety of current resources that may be useful to you as you begin your formal study program. 

The Gould Law Librarians have prepared a Lib Guide that provides an organized means of perusing the study aids available to you in our library. For those of you who like to study on the go, we have lists of our West subscription study aids and Bar Exam prep apps that you may want to use. 

You may also want to check out these online articles, which offer useful tips about preparing to study for the bar exam in a way that makes your studying work for you:   

One of Many Firsts…The First Day of Bar Prep 

Retrieved from Law School Academic Support LawProfs Blog 

Dated May 26, 2014.

       Start Bar Prep Right 

by Matt Racine, Author of Bar Exam Mind 

Retrieved from the Bar Exam Mind Blog  

Dated May 2015.

Bar Exam Study 101: Study Tips for Passing the Bar 

by Gabriella Khorasanee 

Retrieved from Findlaw Greedy Associates Blog  

Dated November 25, 2013.

Our next post highlights print resources to use to get organized and get ready for the most intense study period of your life - the penultimate task before becoming a practicing attorney.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on. 

Library Access Policy for Bar Exam Study – Summer 2015

Congratulations to all our students who have completed their legal education and graduated this past weekend! We know you are off and away to great things.

Throughout the rest of May, we’ll be posting about all the resources we have and things you need to know in order to pass the bar exam!

   

We’ll start with the following, which is the access policy for persons who wish to use our library as they prepare to sit for the July 2015 Bar Exam:

Touro Law Alumni

Touro Law Alumni are welcome to study for the 2015 bar exam in the library, and may stay for the extended hours that are offered to current Touro Law Center students. Touro Law Center ID is required.

Please visit our Library Hours page before you visit to be certain of our hours for bar study.

Snacks and drinks with lids are permitted. Cell phone conversations are not permitted. Meals are not permitted. Any violation of the noise or food policy will result in library access being revoked.  

Non-Touro Law Graduates 

Students from other law schools who have graduated in 2015 and are taking a bar review course at Touro Law Center will be permitted to use the library, beginning May 18th. They are welcome to stay during regular library hours, which are listed below. 

They must have their student ID and proof of enrollment in the bar study course with them at all times. Wireless access is available. Computer labs and enclosed study rooms are for Touro Law Center Students only.

Students must follow all rules of the library and the school and are considered to be visitors of the school. See the Library website for policies. Snacks and drinks with lids are permitted. Cell phone conversations are not permitted. Meals are not permitted. Any violation of the noise or food policy will result in library access being revoked.

Library Hours

Library Hours are subject to change, so please check our website to be certain of hours. Visitors are given access during regular Library hours only. Extended study hall hours are for Touro Law Center Students/Recent Graduates only and are listed on our Library Hours page.

If you are not a TLC graduate or are not a recent law school grad studying for the bar exam, but you would like to visit our Library, please visit our Access Policy page for further information. 

If you have any questions, please email libraryreference@tourolaw.edu or call 761-7160.

We’ll keep posting this month about things you need to know as you prepare for the Bar Exam this summer.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on.

Alumni Library Access for Graduating Students

We wish to extend our sincere congratulations and our loudest cheers for our graduating class of 2015!  Enjoy every moment this weekend – what an accomplishment!

As an (almost) alumnus of Touro Law, please consider joining the Alumni Association. Practicing attorneys who are Alumni Association members have special privileges to use our library and consult with our outstanding law librarians!

Touro Law Center alumni may obtain certain library privileges through membership in the Alumni Association, which is handled through the Office of Development at 631.761.7066. You can learn more about the many benefits of joining here. 

Membership is $25 annually – free for the first year to new graduates – and includes access to the following Law Library services:

• Access to our print collection;
• Computer Lab (without printing capabilities);
• Public Access Westlaw;
• Library Databases (on campus only); and
• WiFi capability. 

A valid Alumni Association membership card must be presented in order to access these services. You can view our Alumni Access Policy at our website.  

Of course, as an alum, you may also consult a reference librarian should you encounter any legal research queries as you begin your practice of the law – we can assist you with locating books in our collection, tracking down hard-to-find resources, and formulating search queries.  Email us, call us at 631-761-7160, chat with us, or visit us in the reference office. We're here to help.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on.

Legal Research Database Access for Graduating Students – May 2015

We know for our all of our students, the end of finals is a major accomplishment. Hang in there – your last round of finals is almost complete.

If you are graduating from Touro Law School in May 2015, first, we must say: Congratulations! We know you are off and away to great things.

Second, did you know that you have continuing access to all the legal research benefits of Bloomberg Law, Lexis Advance and Westlaw Next for a period of time after you graduate? You actually do. Below are the rules and guidelines for 2015 post-graduate access to legal research databases:

Bloomberg Law:

Graduating students have full access to their Bloomberg Law accounts for six months after their graduation date. Your access is preserved automatically – no additional action is required. 

Lexis Advance:

Lexis Advance offers six months of access to their database after graduation. Your access is preserved automatically – no additional action is required. Graduates who obtain employment with a non-profit organization may be eligible for the Lexis ASPIRE access program. For more information about either program, please use the following link: https://www.lexisnexis.com/grad-access/

Westlaw:

Westlaw offers a program called “Grad Elite.” After registering with the program, students are granted limited access to Westlaw for six months after graduation. To enroll in graduate elite, please use the following link: https://lawschool.westlaw.com/registration/gradelite.aspx

-- Written by Isaac Samuels, Reference Librarian

We’ll keep posting this month about things you need to know as graduate this month.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on.

 

Summer 2015 Database Access Policies

Whether you're off to a summer class, an externship, studying abroad, or working a summer employment position, it's important to know how and when you can use your student access to legal research databases.  Here's the information you need to know before you go this summer:

Bloomberg Law:

Students may use their Bloomberg Law accounts as normal throughout the summer. There are no restrictions based on the nature of your summer placement (private firm, government, study abroad, etc.) and no special steps to enable summer access. Please remember that, while you are able to use your Bloomberg Law account, your employer may prefer that you use their organization’s account for billing purposes.

Lexis Advance:

Students may use their Lexis Advance accounts as normal throughout the summer. There are no restrictions based on the nature of your summer placement (private firm, government, study abroad, etc.) and no special steps to enable summer access. Please remember that, while you are able to use your law school Lexis Advance ID, your employer may prefer that you use a Lexis Advance ID issued by the organization. Please defer to your employer.

Westlaw:

In order to use your Westlaw account over the summer, you must request permission from West to “extend” your password. Additionally, you may only use your Westlaw account for “Academic Purposes.” This includes, but is not limited to, summer law school classes, Law Review/Journal/Moot Court, projects for professors, and some not for profit/pro bono internships. For detailed information, and to request a password extension, please go to: http://lawschool.westlaw.com/registration/summerextension.aspx

We''ll be back soon to post more information that you need to know before you go.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on.

-- Written by Isaac Samuels, Reference Librarian

Library Open 24/6+ for Finals!

24/6+ Hours Begin April 13th!

In order to maximize your opportunities for quiet study, Gould Law Library will be open as a study hall almost around the clock beginning Monday, April 13th, through the end of final exams (Friday, May 15th). These special hours are for Law Center Students ONLY. 

There are only a few exceptions to this round the clock availability through the end of finals, which are:

EVERY Friday from 6:00 p.m. to Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m.: 
This closure is in observance of the Jewish Sabbath. Saturday access is subject to special conditions: You may use the 1st floor only; you must have your Touro ID and use the special access door to enter; and you cannot bring any food. 

Please note that library services will not be available during the overnight periods and on Saturdays, although a security guard will be on duty. Students using the library during this time must sign in and out at security. 

The entire library (except for the Circulation Desk, the Reference Office, and enclosed study rooms) will soon be a quiet zone during the 24/6+ period in to maximize available study space. Once the silent study period goes into effect, in order to keep the quiet zone as quiet as possible, please take care to remember:

* No cell phone use is allowed in the library at any time.

* Conversation should be taken outside the library to the atrium.

* If you encounter any noise issues, please see a member of the library staff, or during overnight periods, a member of the security staff.

If you are not a TLC student and would like to visit our Library, please visit our Access Policy page to learn when you may visit the Gould Law Library. Admitted Guests are subject to our Regular Hours and policies.


We’ll be back to post again soon.

In the meantime, keep calm and read on.