Policies and Access
The Access Services Department is responsible for circulating Library materials, borrowing and loaning materials through library consortia and interlibrary loan, and maintaining the collection for the easy access of faculty, staff, and students.
Borrowing from the Earle Mack School of Law Library
- Drexel University Faculty, Staff and Students: Upon presentation of an active DragonCard, Drexel University’s official identification card, faculty members, University staff and Drexel students may use the Earle Mack School of Law Library.
- Alumni: Upon presentation of a Drexel University Alumni Card, Drexel alumni and alumnae may use the Earle Mack School of Law Library.
- Attorneys and judges: Upon presentation of a current bar card or business card any attorney or judge may use the Earle Mack School of Law Library.
- Other individuals not covered in the above categories who wish to use specific library resources during the hours of 9-5, Monday through Friday, must make prior arrangements by contacting the Head of Public Services at 215-571-4726.
Borrowing privileges are based on status (e.g., student, faculty, staff, etc.) and types of library materials.
- Books: 28 days
- Circulates to faculty for 180 days, subject to recall after 28 days if requested by another patron.
- Periodicals: Non Circulating
- Circulates to faculty for 3 days, subject to recall if requested by another patron.
- Reference: Non Circulating
- Circulates to faculty for 3 days, subject to recall if requested by another patron.
- Reserve Materials: 2 hours
- Interlibrary Loan materials: determined by lending library
Loan periods may be adjusted for special reasons- e.g., faculty requests for reserve.
- Except for reserve items, items may be renewed online at any time by using your University email ID and password to view your library record. This method of renewal is recommended.
- Patrons can also renew items by calling the Circulation Desk:
- 215-571-4772
- The limit is 2 consecutive renewals per book.
- Items for which there is an outstanding request may not be renewed.
- Items may not be renewed by a patron whose borrowing privileges are blocked.
A total of 20 items may be checked out at one time. (Interlibrary Loan and E-Z Borrow items are not included in this total.) Law Faculty have no borrowing limit.
- A due date receipt is printed at checkout. However, your online record will more accurately reflect due dates if items have been recalled or renewed.
- Non-reserve items: $.25 per day
- Reserve items: $1.00 per hour, plus $10.00 if not returned to the SAME library from which they were borrowed.
- Recalled items: $1.00 per day for items not returned within the recall period.
- Borrowing privileges and remote access to the libraries' online resources will be suspended for patrons owing $20.00 or more in fines.
- DragonCard Funds or checks must be used to pay fines or lost book fees.
Recalling Items that are checked out
- Materials are subject to recall after they have been in circulation for 28 days.
- Failure to return a recalled item within 5 days of the email recall notice will result fines of $1.00 per day.
- If faculty recall items for reserve use, the loan period may be shortened and the item will be due within 5 days of the new due date.
- Use EZ Borrow to quickly obtain another copy of a book that is checked out.
- Checked-out non-reserve materials may be placed on hold, using the Request function of the Library Catalog; books from any of the Drexel University Libraries may be requested, and may be picked up, at any Drexel University Library.
- Books that are currently available will be placed on hold the following business day; please allow 3-5 days for books to be transported between libraries. Items will be kept on hold for 5 days.
- Patrons will be notified via email when the item is available for pick up.
- Only 5 items may be placed on hold at any one time, although faculty may request more than 5 for research, reserves, etc.
- When returning items, if possible, ask an attendant to check in your items immediately to clear your record and to avoid "claims returned" problems.
- The attendant will give a receipt for all library transactions. You should hold on to the receipt in case of any problems.
- Please only return books to the Law Library Circulation Desk.
If you are notified that an item you returned is overdue or subject to billing, please ask the circulation staff to check the shelves for that item. Please be sure to show your check-in receipt to avoid any complications. If the item is not on the shelf, normal lost fines will be incurred.
- Please report lost library items immediately.
- Generally, the charge for a lost book will be the cost of the book, plus a processing fee. If a specific price cannot be determined, the charge will be $90 ($70 for the book and a $20 processing fee).
- Patrons will be billed for the loss of or damage to library materials through the Comptroller's Office.
- Fines and lost book fees can be paid for using DragonCard funds or checks.
- Circulation privileges are automatically blocked for borrowers who owe fines or fees that exceed $10. In extraordinary cases off-campus access to the libraries' online resources may be blocked as well.
- Borrowing privileges will be temporarily suspended until the Libraries' bill is paid in full.
- Suspended privileges
- ALL PRIVILEGES will be temporarily suspended when a Hold is placed on a student record. To identify the reason for the hold, check Bannerweb through the DrexelOne portal. Once the Hold is cleared, privileges will be restored promptly.
- DragonCard Funds or checks must be used to pay fines or lost book fees.
Faculty assistants will be able to borrow library materials for faculty provided they present all of the following items:
- Faculty Drexel ID
- The student's validated Drexel ID
- An authorization form for the current academic year, or equivalent letter.
Although the assistant's name will be recorded, (s)he should never take out materials for faculty with his/her own Drexel IDs; this is because students have different borrowing periods than faculty. Authorization letters from faculty are valid for one academic year.
Borrowers are responsible for supplying correct and current addresses. Students must notify Student Administrative Services of address changes or make changes themselves in BannerWeb via the DrexelOne portal. All others should notify the Libraries of home and email address changes.
Note: Library notices and communications to Drexel students, faculty, and staff are sent to the official Drexel University email address. IRT offers an option for forwarding email from a Drexel University email address to another email address. See https://accounts.drexel.edu.
The Earle Mack School of Law provides memberships for all law faculty and students to the Jenkins Law Library.
Many other academic and special libraries in the Philadelphia area are open to the public, although sometimes public access hours are restricted. While few allow direct borrowing by non-affiliated individuals, most allow use and photocopying of material within the library. The Free Library of Philadelphia, with its extensive system of branch and regional libraries, grants borrowing privileges to anyone who lives, works or attends school in Philadelphia.
Through E-Z Borrow and other cooperative agreements, materials can be borrowed from other libraries on behalf of students, staff and faculty, through Interlibrary Loan Services.
Interlibrary Loan Services
Earle Mack School of Law faculty, students, and staff can borrow books via E-Z Borrow from cooperating academic libraries (PALCI). Most E-Z Borrow requests are filled within 4 days and Patrons are notified by email when their book is available for pickup.
ILLiad interlibrary loan service can be used to borrow books not available through E-Z Borrow and/or journal articles and other materials not owned by Drexel University Libraries, or not currently available. E-Z Borrow is only available to Drexel students, faculty and staff.
The Law Library exists to serve the Earle Mack School of Law faculty, staff, and students in conducting research and information-gathering for their curricular or individual needs. In order to create a positive and pleasant atmosphere, we ask that those using the Library observe the following courtesies:
Cell Phone Use
The Libraries' policy regarding the use of cellular telephones attempts to strike a balance between the maintenance of a library environment conducive to research and study on the one hand while, on the other, accommodating the increasing ubiquity of cellular telephones on campus. Common sense and courtesy is the order of the day.
Owners of cell phones are expected to turn telephone ringers off, or to the lowest volume level while in the library. If cell phone use is required, users will be expected to move to a location away from fellow students so conversations will not disturb others. Loud conversation is both unnecessary and unacceptable. Extensive cell phone conversation while in the library is discouraged.
Designated Quiet Area
The rear third floor area in the law library is a designated quiet area and off-limits to cell phone use and conversation. Failure to comply may result in loss of library privileges and the implementation of a more stringent cell phone use policy.
Food and Drink
Please try to keep your area clean and use the requisite receptacles. Please report any spills that occur to the Library Staff so that the spills can be cleaned as quickly as possible.
What food and drink ARE allowed:
- Beverages in sturdy, spill-proof containers, including glass or plastics bottles with screw-on caps or "sports-type" tops and spill-proof plastic or metallic cups.
- Snack food, such as candy bars, nuts, pretzels, pastry, and cookies is permitted.
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Earle Mack School of Law • 3320 Market Street • Philadelphia, PA 19104 • 215.895.1LAW |