Harnish Law Library

General Information

Borrowing Privileges

Law Students and Law Faculty - Pepperdine School of Law

Materials which circulate may be borrowed for three (3) weeks. Reserve materials may be borrowed for use in the library for two (2) hours. Law faculty may borrow library materials for the duration of their research projects.

Pepperdine University Students and Faculty - Other than the School of Law

Materials which circulate may be borrowed for two (2) weeks. Reserve materials may be borrowed for use in the library for two (2) hours.

Pepperdine Alumni, Local Attorneys, All Other Patrons

Materials may be used in the library, but may not be checked out. A short-term "community user" card will be issued to patrons with appropriate identification wishing to use Reserve materials in the library.

Any variations of these policies must be approved by the Director of the Law Library.

Other Library Policies

Returning Books

All library materials should be returned to the circulation desk of the law library. Please do not return materials from the law library to other campus libraries.

Lost Library Materials

If the item lost is still in print and available, patrons will be charged the replacement cost of the item plus a $15.00 processing and billing fee. If the item is out of print or if the price cannot be determined, the patron will be charged a flat fee of $60.00 per item, plus the $15.00 processing and billing fee.

Problems

All circulation and overdue problems should be addressed to the Public Services Supervisor at 310-506-4643.

Interlibrary Loan

Current Pepperdine School of Law students, faculty, and staff may request materials from other libraries throughout the United States through interlibrary loan service. Current non-law Pepperdine students, faculty, and staff should use the interlibrary loan service at Payson Library. Alumni and community users may request materials through their local public library.

Reference Policies

Library reference service is provided to support the educational mission of the law school, to support faculty research, and to facilitate access to the Library collection by means of personal service to authorized users.

Faculty, students, administration and staff of Pepperdine University School of Law are the primary users of the Library. The library provides full reference service including interlibrary loan service, and suggestions for purchase to these users.

All other patrons including law school alumni, students of other Pepperdine University schools (non-law), the legal community, and the general public are secondary users. Librarians will provide limited assistance to secondary users in finding materials in the library's collection.

Librarians may provide legal information, but under no circumstances legal advice, as this would constitute the unauthorized practice of law.

A minimum of telephone reference service is provided and walk-in patrons have priority over telephone patrons. Legal material will not be read aloud over the telephone. Requests to interpret materials must also be declined.

Group Study Rooms

Group study rooms may be reserved by groups of two or more currently-enrolled Pepperdine University law students. Rooms may be reserved for two (2) two-hour blocks of time each day (four hours total - consecutive blocks ok). Reservations may be made up to one week in advance either in person or by calling the Public Services Desk at 310-506-4643.

Conference rooms may be used by other library patrons, observing the following priorities: (1) a group of Pepperdine law students that have not reserved a room; (2) individual Pepperdine law students; (3) non-law Pepperdine University students or groups; (4) other library patrons.

Reserved Carrels

Carrels may be reserved by faculty research assistants, law review and journal editors, and members of moot court teams (for the duration of the competition). Reserved carrels must be renewed each semester. Please contact the Public Services Supervisor at 310-506-4643.

Cell Phones / Quiet Study

Please help us maintain a "study-friendly" environment by keeping cell phones and pagers on inaudible alert. The third floor of the library is reserved for quiet study. Please keep conversation and noise to a minimum.

Ask A Librarian

The Law Library's Ask a Librarian service is intended for the use of students, faculty, and staff of Pepperdine University School of Law only. Please note the librarians are not permitted to give legal advice. Questions requiring detailed research in the library are outside the scope of this service.