Library Resources and Access

The UC Law SF Library provides a variety of services to its patrons, including research assistance and instruction, in-depth research classes, one-on-one research and teaching support to faculty, interlibrary loan, web and technology services, and more.

Launch a Virtual Law Library Tour

The Library Staff

UC Law SF library staff provide legal and law-related research services to students, faculty, and members of the UC Law SF community in support of the College’s educational, research and public service functions. Librarians select and develop research materials for immediate and future needs; ensure the accessibility and availability of research materials; advise and instruct on multi-disciplinary law-related research; develop and maintain specialized information systems, including digital archives and integrated library systems; administer and manage library personnel and services; expand available resources through cooperation with other libraries and consortia; and develop awareness of the range of ideas and possibilities for scholarly research.

Meet the Library Staff

The Collection

The UC Law SF Library, located on the fourth and fifth floors of Mary Kay Kane Hall, supports the research and educational endeavors of the students and faculty of the UC College of the Law, San Francisco. The Library’s holdings of over 450,000 volumes include an extensive collection of federal, international, and California documents. The Library is a Selective Depository for United States government documents. It is also a Selective Depository for California government documents. In addition to these government documents, the Library has an archive of Ninth Circuit Records and Briefs, US Supreme Court Records and Briefs, California Supreme Court Records and Briefs, and California Courts of Appeal Records and Briefs. Highlights include:

  • An extensive collection of bar study materials, see our California Bar Exam Research Guide for more information.
  • Significant resources on foreign, comparative and international law topics, as well as extensive research guides in various related topics such as Chinese Law, Immigration Law, International Treaties, the United Nations and more. If you need assistance with a question about this area of law, please contact FCIL Librarian Dean Deane.
  • The Library’s Archives and Special Collections include the Roger J. Traynor Collection, the UC Law SF Archives, the 65 Club Archives, the Brunetti Papers, and other materials. A few historical documents are available in the Scholarship Repository, but please contact the Library if you have questions.
  • All available final examinations from previous semesters are accessible online. Exams are password protected. UC Law SF students & faculty must login to access the exams off-campus.
  • The Library purchases one copy of each required casebook for each JD course section.  The casebooks are available for 3-hour checkout at the Circulation Desk. These are not intended to serve as a replacement for students purchasing their own copy of the required text. In addition, some superseded editions of casebooks are available in the library’s main collection.

Library Access and Policies

In order to ensure that the UC Law SF Library facilities and services are fully available to the UC Law SF College of the Law community, the Law Library observes a very limited access policy which is fully enforced at all times that the Library is open.

Excluding UC Law SF reading and exam periods, the following categories of patrons may use the Library whenever it is open:

  • UC Law SF faculty, students, and staff
  • UC Law SF alumni
  • UC Davis MSBA students
  • Current members of the California Bar with “Active” or “Inactive” status
  • Individuals in possession of current UC Law SF Unaffiliated Borrower cards
  • Federal Depository Library researchers. See the “Access to Government Documents” section below for further details.

During UC Law SF Reading and Final Exams Periods, only the following categories of patrons may use the library:

  • UC Law SF faculty, students, and staff
  • UC Law SF alumni
  • UC Davis MSBA students
  • Individuals in possession of current UC Law SF Unaffiliated Borrower cards

Non-alumni who are enrolled in a commercial bar exam prep course taught at UC Law SF during the summer may apply for a Special Access Card to study in the Law Library.

Identification Requirements

Identification will be checked at the building entrance. All Library patrons will be required to show appropriate ID at the first floor Security Desk. See the table below for more information regarding the specific ID requirements for various categories of users.

The Library is not open to members of the general public, except where there is demonstrated need to access US government documents acquired by the Law Library through its membership in the Federal Depository Library Program. Please note that as a Selective Depository Library, the Law Library receives only a small portion of federal depository materials. It is recommended that users of the depository collection call to arrange an appointment prior to coming to the Library for the first time; however, walk-in users with an articulated need to use specific materials in the Federal Depository collection will be accommodated if a Reference Librarian is available. See the “Government Documents” section below for more information about our government documents policy and instructions for making prior arrangements for access to our Federal Depository materials.

User CategoryID Requirement
UC Law SF faculty, students & staffCurrent UC Law SF-issued photo ID
UC Law SF alumniUC Law SF Alumni Unaffiliated Borrower Card or state bar card and official photo ID. The UC Law SF Alumni Office also provides a list of graduates to Security. If you do not have ID, and/or Security does not have your name on file, please contact the UC Law SF Alumni Office for access.
UC Davis MSBA studentsCurrent UC Law SF-issued photo ID
Members of the California BarAttorneys should present proof of bar membership with a membership card or print-out of their status through the California Bar’s website, along with official photo identification.
Unaffiliated BorrowersCurrent UC Law SF Unaffiliated Borrowers card and photo ID
Federal Depository Library researchersOfficial photo ID and proof of appointment.

Access to the Wireless Network

Only UC Law SF students, faculty and staff are allowed access to the secure network. A guest wireless network is available for visitors upon request.

Directions

  • The UC Law SF Library is located at the northwest corner of McAllister and Hyde Streets. Google Map of our location.
  • The UC Law SF Parking Garage is located at 376 Larkin Street, on the corner of Larkin and Golden Gate. There are also other outdoor and indoor garages in the area and metered street parking.
  • BART: Ride Bart to the Civic Center Station. Exit the station at United Nations Plaza, walk 1 block north on Hyde Street to McAllister Street.
  • MUNI: Ride MUNI Metro to Civic Center Station, exit station at United Nations Plaza, walk 1 block north on Hyde Street to McAllister Street.

Other Library Policies

Government Documents

The UC Law SF Library is a Selective Depository for United States government documents. As such, it receives only a small portion of federal depository materials. A more extensive collection of government documents is available at San Francisco Public Library’s Government Information Center, which is located one block from the Law School at 100 Larkin Street. It offers public access to one of the largest and oldest government document collections in Northern California. The collection includes census publications for all decennial censuses, economic censuses, statistics, annual reports, legislation, statutes, codes, regulations, treaties, military history, and major publications of federal departments.

Access to the Federal Depository Collection by the general public is an exception to the Law Library’s Access Policy. This exception is made in order to provide access to government information. Access to the Federal Depository Collection entitles members of the public to use those publications received through the Federal Depository Library Program and online within the FDLP only; it does not entitle use of the Law Library’s general collections, services (except reference services regarding the Federal Depository Collection), or physical space. Once the user has completed his/her use of the federal depository documents, he/she is required to leave the Law Library.

Procedures for Using the Depository Collection

Current Openings

The Circulation Department of the Law Library is accepting applications from 2Ls, 3Ls, LLMs, and MSLs to staff the Circulation Desk. Work between classes, during the evening, or on weekends. Flexible schedules. Work-Study preferred, but not required. Applications are available online. For additional information, contact the Circulation Librarian.

Virtual library internships are also available for qualified MLIS students. If you are a San Jose State MLIS student, please see our listing in the San Jose State University SLIS internship database for more information. For additional information, please contact Camilla Tubbs.

A librarian helping a student at the reference desk

How to Make a Gift to the Library

Monetary donations to improve the library or to fund a collection should be directed to the UC Law SF Alumni Center. Donations of books should be directed to Hilary Hardcastle.