Library Policies
The William A. Wise Law Library is an essential resource for the University of Colorado Law School's students, faculty, and staff as well as the entire state of Colorado, offering a comprehensive collection of legal research, open and inviting facilities, and expert research assistance. Whether you're conducting in-depth legal research, preparing for class, or seeking a quiet study space, the Law Library is designed to support your academic, professional, and legal research needs.
Learn more about how to use the Law Library through the policies below.
Law Library Policies
Purpose & Scope
The William A. Wise Law Library is committed to supporting the research, scholarship, and learning needs of the University of Colorado Boulder community. This policy establishes the guidelines for access and use of law library facilities, collections, and resources by both university-affiliated and non-affiliated users.
Access & Eligibility
University-Affiliated Users
- The library is open to currently enrolled students, faculty, and staff of the University of Colorado Boulder.
- University users generally have access to library spaces, materials, and services during posted library hours of operation.
- A valid university ID may be required for entry during certain hours or to access specific resources.
Non-University Affiliated Users
- During public access hours, members of the public, including attorneys, researchers, and other non-affiliated individuals, are welcome to use the library for research and collection purposes only.
- Non-affiliated users may access general library spaces, legal research materials, and designated public computer terminals during public access hours.
- Library staff reserves the right to limit access to certain resources, such as licensed electronic databases, in accordance with contractual agreements.
Restricted Access Spaces
Some areas of the library are strictly reserved for designated users and must not be accessed by unauthorized individuals.
Law Student & Journal-Only Spaces
- Group Study Rooms – Available only to currently enrolled law students and must be reserved according to the law library’s study room policy.
- Council for Racial Justice & Equity Suite (“Solidarity Suite”) – Designated exclusively for law student use.
- Law Journal Offices – Reserved for members of the Colorado Law Review, the Colorado Environmental Law Journal, and the Colorado Technology Law Journal.
- Law Journal Kitchen – Designated for use by members of Colorado Law’s 3 student journals.
Staff-Only Spaces
- Library staff rooms, including offices, workrooms, and storage rooms, may not be accessed by unauthorized persons without express authorization by library staff.
- The area behind the circulation desk is restricted to library staff only. Patrons are not permitted behind the circulation desk or to enter workspaces designated for library operations.
- Technical services and administrative offices are for library staff use only. Unauthorized entry may result in removal from the premises.
- If patrons need assistance, they should request help from a staff member at the circulation or reference desks – they should not enter staff areas or reach behind service counters.
Library staff reserves the right to enforce access restrictions and may ask unauthorized users to leaves restricted areas. Failure to comply may result in the loss of library privileges.
Public Hours & Exit Requirements
- The library maintains distinct hours for university-affiliated and non-affiliated users.
- Non-affiliated users are permitted in the library only during posted public hours, as indicated on the library website and at the library entrance.
- Once public hours have ended for the day, all non-affiliated users must exit the library and the law school building promptly.
- · Library staff and campus security may enforce exit requirements and request identification if necessary.
Conduct & Compliance
- All library users must comply with the library’s Code of Conduct, including policies on noise levels, appropriate use of space, and respectful behavior.
- Non-affiliated users who fail to adhere to this policy, enter restricted spaces without authorization, or refuse to leave after public hours may be subject to removal from the premises and potential restrictions on future access.
- The library reserves the right to adjust public access hours based on university policies, security concerns, or operational needs.
Policy Updates & Questions
This policy is subject to periodic review and updates. Any changes will be posted on the law library’s website. For questions regarding access or library hours please contact the Associate Director of Public Services.
Updated 2/24/2025.
A public entity may be considered in compliance with 8 CCR 1501-11 Technology Accessibility Rules if it:
- Provide reasonable accommodations or modifications and
- Has a published accessibility statement and
- Can provide evidence of making good faith progress on their plan to remove accessibility barriers
Below is the William A. Wise Law Library’s Accessibility Statement as it pertains to their website (/law-library):
The William A. Wise Law Library is committed to providing equitable access to our services for all Coloradans.ĚýOur ongoing accessibility effort works toward being in line with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1, level AA criteria. These guidelines not only help make technology accessible to users with sensory, cognitive, and mobility disabilities, but ultimately all users, regardless of ability or disability.ĚýOur efforts are just part of a meaningful change in making all State of Colorado and University of Colorado Boulder services inclusive and accessible. We welcome comments on how to improve our website’s accessibility for users with disabilities and for requests for accommodations to any William A. Wise Law Library Services.
Feedback and Support
The William A. Wise Law Library welcomes your feedback about the accessibility of its website and Digital Archive.Ěý Please let us know if you encounter accessibility barriers.Ěý The Law Library is committed to providing an initial response within 5 business days of your feedback.ĚýFeedback Form:
Updated on 2/21/2025
Mission Statement
As the intellectual heart of the University of Colorado Law School, the Law Library provides a collaborative environment for faculty and students to access legal resources in all formats, and expertise in using them. We also serve the legal information needs of the University of Colorado community, the Colorado bench and bar, and the people of Colorado.
What we collect
To support Faculty research, student course work and public services we collect:
- Books (print and electronic)
- Databases
- Study Aids (print and electronic)
The Law Library acquires materials in a very wide range of subject areas of law. In accordance with its mission, the Law Library places emphasis on subjects taught in School of Law courses, content areas in which the School of Law faculty conduct research, or which are the focus of publications of the School of Law.
The Law Library collects materials in support of the research centers, law clinics, and the programs in areas of academic excellence of the School.
The Research Centers include:
- The Byron R. White Center for the Study of American Constitutional Law,
- Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment, and
- the Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship.
The LLM, Master’s and Certificate Programs include:
- Entrepreneurship and Business Law:
- Indigenous Peoples Law:
- Intellectual Property, Technology, and Telecommunications Law
- International Law and Human Rights:
- Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law:
- US Law for Foreign Lawyers:
Clinics
- American Indian Law Clinic
- Civil Practice Clinic
- Criminal Defense Clinic
- Criminal/Immigration Defense Clinic
- Entrepreneurial Law Clinic
- Juvenile and Family Law Clinic
- Natural Resources, Energy & Environmental Law Clinic
- Sustainable Community Development Clinic
- Technology Law and Policy Clinic
Audiences and Selection
In addition to our faculty and students, as a publicly supported institution, the Law Library makes its resources available to legal researchers, lawyers, scholars, and the general public. The Law Library strives to meet the basic legal information needs of these audiences.
Our objective is to develop a collection and systems of access to resources that will support the curriculum and research needs of its primary audience, and will meet the standards of both the American Bar Association and the Association of American Law Schools. The collection development policy of the Law Library focuses on acquiring and providing access to materials that are relevant to the instructional and research programs of this audience.
In general, the Law Library collection will not include non-law materials.
Textbooks/Casebooks
The Law Library will purchase 2 copies of required textbooks and 1 copy of optional materials assigned for law classes to be put on Course Reserve at the Circulation Desk. These may be checked out for two (2) hours.
Online access to materials
The Law Library provides limited online access to study aids and primary and secondary materials.
Languages
The Law Library generally prefers to collect English language materials if available.
Gifts
The Law Library appreciates the donation of gift materials. As a general rule, the Law Library only accepts donations that are without conditions on their use or disposal. The Associate Director for Resource Access and Discovery, and the Collection Services and Research Librarian, in consultation with the Law Library Director, determines the disposition of all gift materials based on the evaluation criteria used for all other acquisitions. The Law Library will determine the classification, housing, and circulation of all gift items, and retains the right to dispose of gifts at any time and in any manner deemed appropriate.
The Law Library always collects primary Federal and Colorado State law materials and rarely acquires duplicate copies of primary materials.
Government Documents
The main campus library is the regional repository for government documents.
The Law Library also relies on Proquest Legislative Insight, ProQuest Congressional, ProQuest’s Supreme Court Records & Briefs, and Nexis UNI for information for U.S. federal statutes.
Rare Books
The Law Library maintains a small collection of rare legal titles in the Rare Books Room, as well as a collection of historical materials, primarily from Colorado, and a few archival collections.
The acquisition of rare books will not be a priority, except, for example, for purchases in honor of faculty appointed to endowed chairs or professorships in the Law School.
Purpose & Scope
The William A. Wise Law Library provides public computer access to support legal research and academic inquiry. This policy establishes guidelines for the use of public computers to ensure fair access, appropriate use, and compliance with library and university policies.
Eligibility & Access
- Public computer terminals are available for use by non-university affiliated users (public patrons) and university-affiliated users who need access to legal research resources.
- Computers are designated for research purposes only. Permitted uses include:
- Conducting legal, academic, or professional research.
- Accessing legal databases, government websites, and library-provided electronic resources.
- Viewing court dockets, statutes, regulations, and legal scholarship.
- Prohibited uses include, but are not limited to:
- Personal entertainment (e.g., streaming videos, gaming, and social media unrelated to research).
- Commercial or business transactions (e.g., running a business, job applications).
- Viewing or downloading offensive, obscene, or illegal material.
- Attempting to bypass security settings or installing software.
Time Limits & Availability
- Public computer use is limited to 30 minutes per session when others are waiting.
- If no one is waiting, users may continue their session until another patron needs to use the computer.
- Users must immediately relinquish the computer when asked by library staff.
- Reservations and priority use:
- Computers operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Library staff reserves the right to prioritize use for legal research needs.
- Users may not leave a computer unattended for more than five minutes. An unattended session may be ended by library staff to make the computer available to others.
Notice of Assumed Risks
- Users access library computers and associated software at their own risk. The library is not responsible for equipment malfunction, damage to storage devices, loss of data, transmission of data (secure or otherwise), data saved on a library computer or for personal computers, laptops, or other devices such as smartphones. Users should save work to personal storage devices or cloud services, as files saved on library computers will be deleted when the session ends.
- The University of Colorado Boulder’s wireless network is not secure. Information sent from your wireless device could be captured within or near the library. The library assumes no responsibility for your equipment, or any alterations or loss of configurations, security, or data (captured or otherwise) resulting from connection to the university’s wireless network. If you need to use university WiFi but are concerned about data privacy, we recommend using a third-party VPN to encrypt your traffic.
Compliance & Enforcement
- Users must follow all library policies, university IT policies, and applicable laws when using public computers.
- Library staff may monitor computer usage to ensure compliance.
- Violation of this policy may result in:
- Termination of the computer session.
- Temporary or permanent loss of library privileges.
- Referral to campus security for serious or repeated violations.
Policy Updates & Questions
This policy is subject to periodic review and updates. Any changes will be posted on the law library’s website. For questions regarding public computer access, please contact theĚýAssociate Director of Public Services.
Purpose & Scope
The purpose of this policy is to outline the guidelines and procedures for Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services provided by the William A. Wise Law Library. This policy establishes the guidelines for access and use of Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services to ensure the effective and timely availability of resources for University of Colorado Law School students, faculty, and staff.
Eligibility & Usage
- ILL services are available only to current students, faculty, and staff affiliated with University of Colorado Law School.
- Other ĂŰĚŇ´«Ă˝ĆĆ˝â°ćĎÂÔŘ affiliated individuals should contact the Interlibrary Loan department at University Libraries.
- Public patrons should contact the interlibrary loan department at their local public library.
Guidelines for Borrowing
- CU Law School-affiliated patrons must verify the availability of requested materials in the CU University Libraries catalog before placing an ILL request. Materials already held by any library on the ĂŰĚŇ´«Ă˝ĆĆ˝â°ćĎÂÔŘ campus will not be ordered through ILL.
- CU Law School-affiliated users are encouraged to request scans of articles, book chapters, or specific pages whenever possible. These items are typically delivered more quickly and do not have due dates.
- The library cannot guarantee the timely procurement of new releases or current editions of legal casebooks due to their limited availability.
- ILL requests for personal purposes will not be fulfilled. Students seeking materials for non-academic use should contact the Interlibrary Loan department at their local public library.
Lending Guidelines
- The law library can lend many materials to other domestic libraries upon request.
- Loaned items circulate for four weeks and may be renewed once for an additional two weeks unless requested by a law library patron.
- The law library can also provide scans of many articles and chapters through ILL.
- Borrowing libraries are responsible for the safety of borrowed materials from the time the material leaves the law library until it is returned.
- If damage or loss occurs, the borrowing library must meet all costs of repair or replacement as specified by the law library.
- The law library does not lend non-circulating materials such as periodicals, looseleafs, reference books, reserve materials, or media resources.
- Interlibrary loan requests may be made electronically through OCLC or via email.
Interlibrary Loan Lending Charges
Loans | |
Borrower | Cost |
AMBC & NLEX | Free |
All Others (domestic only) | $20.00 per item |
Copies | ||
Borrower | # of Pages | Cost |
AMBC & NLEX | 1-50 | Free |
AMBC & NLEX | 51+ | $0.50 per page over 50 |
All Others | 1-10 | $15.00 per item |
All Others | 11+ | $15.00 per item + $0.50 per page over 10 |
Rush / Special Handling Fee | |
All Borrowers | $20.00 per item |
Rush/Special Handling Fee
All borrowers incur a $20.00 rush/special handling fee.
Note: express shipping may be available at borrower's expense. A current account number must be provided with the request.
Invoices sent with requested materials will incur a $10 service fee. Payment is due no later than 30 days after the invoice date. Overdue accounts may result in the suspension of borrowing privileges.
Contact Information
For assistance with Interlibrary Loan services please contact a Research Librarian using the Contact Us information on our home page.
Policy last revised February 2025
The William A. Wise Law Library has designated noise zones to accommodate patrons' needs for silent study, group collaboration, and the necessary work of the library. Law Library users are expected to adhere to the acceptable noise levels for each floor. During exam periods, all floors of the library will be quiet floors (see Red Zone below) to accommodate the need for more individual study space.
Generally, cell phone conversations are NOT permitted in the Law Library. However, library patrons may engage in brief, quiet cell phone conversations in the sitting area outside the Library’s second floor entrance or in the vestibule outside the Library’s garden-level entrance.
Law Library Noise Zones
Green Zone: Garden Level – Moderate Conversational Noise
The Law Library’s garden level (basement) includes spaces for collaboration and individual study. Users of the collaborative spaces are expected to keep conversations to a moderate noise level to avoid disturbing others using the space for individual study.
Events, classes, and meetings are held throughout the semester on this floor, which will impact its noise level. Please visit the first floor for a quiet study environment during these times.
Yellow Zone: Second Floor – Low Conversational Noise
The Law Library’s circulation and reference desks are located on this floor, so users can expect to hear a low level of conversational noise necessary to assist patrons.
Study groups are strongly encouraged to meet in one of the Law Library’s group study rooms. Please reserve a study room online in advance of group study sessions.
Red Zone: First Floor – Quiet Floor
The Law Library’s first floor is for quiet individual study. Conversations and cell phone usage are strictly prohibited.
Law School Final Exams
During the law school final exam periods in December and May, all floors in the law library become Red Zones for quiet individual study. Cell phone usage is strictly prohibited.
Reporting Noise Complaints
Library patrons are encouraged to address loud or disruptive behavior by politely asking the individual to stop. If the behavior persists, please report it to the main circulation desk on the second floor or lawlibnoisecomplaint@colorado.edu. Library staff will address the matter promptly and fairly.[1]
Individuals who fail to comply with requests to stop disruptive behavior will be asked to leave the library.
[1] Librarians will respond to noise complaints Monday-Friday from 9-5pm.
Library Hours
Contact Us
lawref@colorado.edu
Phone: 303-492-7534
Chat:
Acquisitions: lawlibacq@colorado.edu
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