Reference Assistance

The Reference Desk should be your first stop if you have questions about using items in the library. The Reference Desk is staffed with librarians and upper-level student assistants who are familiar with the types of questions in your assignments.

Reference hours vary by semester, but when classes are in session reference assistance is available in the evenings.

Request remote assistance

Reference Request Form

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Do you have a question about divorce, custody, guardianship, probate, or any other domestic relations issue?(Required)

Briefly explain your reference question.(Required)

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Appointment with a librarian

This service is only available to Bowen students.

Sometimes a quick chat won’t answer your questions. If you need assistance developing a research strategy, narrowing your sources, or finding the best research, it may be helpful to make an appointment with a librarian. During your appointment, you can discuss your research project in detail.

Faculty research support

The law library, through its Faculty Liaison Program, provides Bowen faculty with legal and interdisciplinary research support for faculty teaching, scholarship, and service activities. Types of research support available include, among other activities: pulling, printing, copying, and organizing documents; cite checking; topical case and statutory research; performing literature reviews; and tracking legal issues.

Research projects are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. The timeline for completion of the projects depends on the nature and complexity of the project and how many other projects are already in the queue. Extensive projects that will take longer than 20 hours must be divided into smaller modules that can be completed in 20 hours or less. Each successive module of the larger request will be viewed as a new request and will be accommodated as time allows. The liaison has the discretion to prioritize rush projects if there is a clear need.

Generally, your liaison will provide the research support requested. However, he or she may refer projects to the Library Research Assistant (LRA), an upper-division law student supervised by Professor Melissa Serfass. As appropriate, she will contact you to ensure that the research results provided are satisfactory. You may contact her at any time to check on the status of a project. Any changes to an LRA project must be cleared through Professor Serfass. No assignments will be given to the LRA during reading period or finals.

Direct all requests for research support to your liaison. Provide as much information as possible about the project, including the context and scope of the research and pending deadlines, as this will help the liaison better serve you. If it is not possible for the Library to complete the research project, either because of the scope of the project or because of time constraints, your liaison will let you know at the time the request is made.

Reference Assistance