Using the Law Library’s Website to Find

Books and Articles

Stacy Etheredge, JD, MLIS

Reference Librarian

Coleman Karesh Law Library

University of South Carolina

What You Need to Know

How to find them

How to get them once they’re found

Sounds simple, but there’s a little more to it than that ….

How to Find Them

We’ll Focus on Secondary Sources

Books and Treatises

Journal Articles

How Do We Find Books?

The answer is …

… the Law Library’s online catalog

So where is this online catalog? …

… it all starts with the Law Library’s main webpage …

Using the Law School’s Catalog

www.law.sc.edu/library

“Law Library Catalog”

“Columbia Law Library”

(or “Columbia Campus Libraries”)

The Different Search Methods

Keyword

Title

Author

Subject

Advanced Keyword

Keyword Searches

Great for when you are just starting your research

Don’t need to use “and” as a connector; the search engine will do it for you

Words will be searched across the entire catalog record, but, keep in mind that catalog records are not meant to be a description of the book

Law Library Catalog

Title Searches

When you are looking for a specific book and you know the title

The most important thing to remember –

It operates as a “string search”, i.e., what you type in is exactly

what it looks for!!

Law Library Catalog

Author Searches

When you are looking for a specific book and you know the author’s name

When you want to see other books written by an author

Names need to be entered in a certain order (last name, first name); however, the catalog will usually suggest an alternative

Law Library Catalog

Subject Searches

Best to avoid this unless you’re a licensed library professional …

Except – it’s great when you “go in through the back door” (i.e., do a “subject search” after you have search results from a previous search)

Law Library Catalog

Advanced Keyword Searches

More options are available

Can do combinations of options

The only place where can do “keyword” type searches within the title, author, and subject fields (i.e., are not string searches)

Thus, searching is much more powerful

Law Library Catalog

Important!

Always remember …

the law library catalog does not include individual articles from journals and law reviews

All you can do is check to see if the library has a specific law review

How to Find Them

Secondary Sources:

Books and Treatises

Journal Articles

Important! (in case you forgot)

Always remember …

the law library catalog does not include individual articles from journals and law reviews

All you can do is check to see if the library has a specific law review

How Do We Find Articles?

Need to use databases of articles

p.s. print indexes for articles are also in the Law Library,

(just in case anyone cares … )

Index to Legal Periodicals (ILP)

Current Law Index (CLI)

Databases of Articles on the Law Library’s Website

LegalTrac (an indexing service)

HeinOnline (a fulltext service)

(There are also databases of non-legal articles

on the USC Libraries Website)

Where are These Databases of Articles?

Once again, all roads lead to the Law Library’s website …

Finding LegalTrac

www.law.sc.edu/library/

“Online Resources”

“Electronic Indexes”

Choose “Law” as a subject

“View Sources”

“LegalTrac”

LegalTrac

Pros• Search screen is easy to use• Searching is fast• Subject classifications available for “back door

subject searches”

Cons• Usually just citations and sometimes abstracts;

almost no full-text content in LegalTrac itself (although often links to the articles in other USC

Libraries databases)• Doesn’t go back very far in coverage (1980)

Finding HeinOnline

www.law.sc.edu/library

“Online Resources”

“Online Research – Limited Access”

“HeinOnline”

“Subscribers, Please Click Here to Enter”

“Law Journal Library”

“Search”

HeinOnline

Pros• Over 600 law journals• Coverage back to their starting dates• Articles are .pdf files (thus, includes official

pagination, photos, graphics)

Cons• Searching is a little slow (.pdf files)• Navigation is not always intuitive

(caveat - it keeps getting better and better)

What You Need to Know

How to find them

How to get them once they’re found

How To Get Them Once They’re Found

There are specific procedures to follow when

The materials are located in our Libraries

The materials are not located in our Libraries

(Please consult handout)

The End

Remember to ask the Reference Librarians for help if you need assistance

(You may also contact the reference desk via e-mail at lawref@gwm.sc.edu.)