Policies

Access | Circulation | Collection Development | Donations | Document Delivery & Interlibrary Loan | Study Carrels

Access Policy: Using Library Spaces and Services

The Julien and Virginia Cornell Law Library is a law library primarily serving the research and educational needs of Vermont Law and Graduate School students, faculty and staff. The library also provides access to selected databases and resources for the public through the Community Legal Information Center (CLIC). Lastly, the Cornell Library is a selective depository as part of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP).
We reserve the right to restrict access to certain areas of the library for non-VLGS users during exam periods, times of increased library demand by the VLGS community, and for other reasons as required.

All library users must comply with the library code of conduct:

  • All library users must adhere to VLGS library and campus policies and standards of professional conduct. Failure to do so will result in denied access to the library and the VLGS campus.
  • Authorized service animals only – otherwise no animals allowed.

Access Policy [PDF]

Circulation Policy: Borrowing Library Materials

All current Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) students, faculty and staff are eligible to borrow material from the library.

Student guidelines for borrowing library materials

  • Locate books and journals by searching the library catalog, JULIEN.
  • Regular library materials circulate for 28 days. Up to three (3) renewals are permitted, if one else needs the item.
  • Reserve and course reserve items may be requested at the Information Desk. Reserve items circulate for 24 hours and course reserve items for 2 hours. Renewals are permitted as long as no one else needs the item.
  • Overnight checkout for course reserve material is available two hours before closing in fall/spring semesters and one hour before closing during the summer session. All material must be returned by 9:00 a.m. the following morning.
  • Items such as multi-volume sets, reference materials, and journals generally do not circulate. Use the library’s scanners or photocopiers to save short excerpts of longer works (all copying must comply with U.S. Copyright law).
  • Please ask if you need assistance or a longer borrowing time. We are always happy to review your request.

Library Fees

  • Help us keep a “no late-fee” policy. Return material by stated return or recall due date. It is a VLGS Honor Code Violation to keep material, especially hourly items, beyond the due date.
  • Borrower is responsible for lost, damaged or non-returned library material. Students will be billed through VLGS Business Office and registering for classes or access to transcripts could be affected.

Borrowing privileges for online students

  • Every effort is made to extend borrowing privileges to current VLGS off-campus users.
  • There are several delivery methods depending on material and availability. Library staff can scan small quantities of materials (such as book chapters and articles) and send via PDF. For entire volumes, we have a program to mail items with a prepaid return label.
  • If the needed item is not part of our collection, you may be able to borrow it through a local public library’s interlibrary loan program. For more information, contact library@vermontlaw.edu to discuss the items you need.

Other Related Topics

  • Any current borrower or desk staff member can place a HOLD on a print title that is checked out.
  • Unable to locate what you are looking for? Is an item is missing from the shelf? Ask the desk staff for assistance.
  • If the item is not available, we will suggest other alternatives such as interlibrary loan, requesting the library purchase a second copy or refer the borrower to reference staff.
  • Need help accessing e-books? See http://julien.vermontlaw.edu/help or ask library staff.
  • For more information about circulation, contact library@vermontlaw.edu or stop by the Information Desk.

Circulation Policy [PDF]

Collection Development Policy

Our Collection Development Policy is lengthy and detailed, covering accreditation requirements for libraries, the types of subject matter we collect, and the formats and platforms that support user access. Download a copy of the policy for more information.

Collection Development Policy [PDF]

Donation Policy

Vermont Law and Graduate School’s Cornell Library is pleased to consider book donations. Although we would like to accept every item that is so generously offered, space limitations and our collection development guidelines prevent us from accepting all items. Adherence to this donation policy will allow us to properly consider your donation to the Cornell Library.

  1. Contact the Library Director and Head of Collection Development, Jane Woldow. She oversees all proposed donations to the Cornell Library and can be reached at (802) 831-1449 or jwoldow@vermontlaw.edu. You will need to provide a list of the offered books; including the title, author, publication year, and edition, as well as your contact information. Typically, the library does not accept donations that are part of a subscription.
  2. Once received, we will carefully review the list of books you would like to donate. Should you desire, we will place a book plate on your behalf in any book we accept. If we do not receive your contact information along with the items, we will not be able to formally acknowledge your donation for personal and tax related purposes. The library does not make monetary evaluations of donations. Gifts are accepted with the understanding that once accepted, a gift becomes the property of the Vermont Law and Graduate School Cornell Library. Acceptance of a gift does not require the library to retain the gift in perpetuity.
  3. If you do not contact the Library Director and Head of Collection Development we will be unable to consider your request in the manner as outlined above. If you choose to simply drop off the books at the library please understand that the Cornell Library reserves the right to accept or dispose of such materials at our discretion. We will not be able to acknowledge receipt of the donation or attribute it to the donor.

This policy has been developed to best serve each individual donor and the Vermont Law and Graduate School community. We thank you very much for your support and cooperation.

Donation Policy [PDF]

Document Delivery & Interlibrary Loan Policy: Requesting Books and Articles

General Guidelines

  • The library accepts borrowing requests from all current Vermont Law and Graduate School students, faculty, and staff for materials related to academic work (teaching, learning, and research).
  • Before making a request, check the JULIEN library catalog first to make sure we don’t already have the item in the collection. If you are are searching for an article, look up the journal or publication title in the catalog (not the article or chapter title) to get accurate results.
  • Generally, articles and book chapters are made available electronically as a PDF. These are available to download for 30 days. These documents are for you, the borrower, to keep, and you are responsible for “fair use” (private study, scholarship, and research) of the reproduced material. Be sure to download and save your documents before the 30-day window has ended.
  • On-campus VLGS borrowers will pick up their loans at the VLGS Cornell Library Information Desk during our staffed hours. Physical books and other media may be returned anytime in one of the library book drops.
  • To renew a physical book borrowed from another library, submit a renewal request through the ILL system. Not all lending libraries offer renewals, and occasionally borrowing restrictions are specified. Borrowers are expected to honor these conditions and to make a renewal request before the due date. Please help us maintain excellent relationships with our lending library partners by returning all loans on time. Renewal requests for items owned by the VLGS Cornell Library can also be made through the ILL system. One renewal is usually permitted.
  • The VLGS library follows federal copyright law (17 U.S.C. § 108).

Online Students

  • Non-residential faculty and students enrolled in online classes through VLGS can submit requests for items owned by the VLGS Cornell Library, as well as scanned book chapters and articles owned by VLGS or by other libraries in our borrowing network.
  • Requests for articles and book chapters will be filled via electronic delivery (PDF).
  • Physical items owned by the VLGS Cornell Library, such as a book, will be mailed to non-residential borrowers through the U.S. Postal Service and should be returned via USPS.
  • Non-residential VLGS borrowers will return the borrowed item(s), using the envelope with pre-paid postage provided. It is the borrower’s responsibility to return the material to the VLGS Library by the due date. If a borrower loses their return envelope it is their responsibility to pay for return postage.

Restrictions

  • There is no limit on the number of ILL requests borrowers can make, but please use sound judgment when requesting a large amount, as every item incurs a cost to the library.
  • The library is unable to borrow textbooks, casebooks, and other assigned reading materials for classes. Students are expected to rent or purchase their own textbooks. Faculty may be able to request a review copy of texts directly from the publisher.
  • The library does not charge for borrowing books or articles. However, we reserve the right to review the cost of purchased articles, chapters, or lending fees from other institutions, and to suggest alternative sources.
  • Not all materials are available to borrow. Some rare or out-of-print materials, or unpublished items such as white papers and dissertations may be difficult to acquire.
  • VLGS alumni and members of the public should submit interlibrary loan requests through their local public library or other affiliated institution.
  • Student borrowers are responsible for lost or damaged materials, and will be billed accordingly.

Interlibrary Loan Policy [PDF]

Study Carrel Policy: Reserving and Using Study Space

General Guidelines

  • Current VLGS students, recent graduates studying for the bar exam, and VLGS community library users with special circumstances may apply to reserve a library study carrel for quiet study each academic term.
  • Reservations are first come first served, as space allows, for the duration of the current semester, upon successful completion of the online application.
  • The library permits food and drinks in carrels, with users being responsible for cleaning up spills, disposing of leftover food and removing open containers to maintain a healthy and sanitary environment. For safety reasons we cannot allow appliances with a heating element in carrels; library staff will remove any such appliance.
  • Library users must remove all items from carrels by the last day of the academic term. Library staff will remove any remaining items and dispose of them as the library sees fit.

Additional Notes

  • The number of library study carrels is limited. Lockers are available in Oakes Hall (through Student Services) for storage of books and materials.
  • Study carrels are for eligible library users who will research, write and study at a carrel regularly throughout the week.
  • The library user may not change locations without the direct permission of the Coordinator.
  • The library is not responsible for lost or stolen personal items left in carrels.
  • Library users must properly check out any library materials kept in carrels.
  • The library reserves the right to: reassign vacant reserved study carrels to students on the waiting list; cancel authorization of assigned carrel due to library needs; rescind reservation for failure to abide by guidelines.

Study Carrel Policy [PDF]