Faculty Services:
Ask A Research Question
General Research Assistance
The Law Library's Reference staff consists of eleven librarians and two reference assistants who provide research assistance at the main Reference Desk in Langdell and in the ILS Reading Room. All reference librarians hold masters degrees in library science, and all full-time reference librarians also hold law degrees or other advanced subject degrees.
Faculty members may telephone the Langdell Reference Desk, (617) 496-0567 for immediate assistance with research in U.S., Irish, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand law topics, or on law-related research topics. For more in-depth assistance with a research project, office consultations with reference librarians are available. To make an appointment for a research consultation, contact Karen Storin Linitz, Head of Langdell Reference, (617) 496-2129.
Questions specifically about all other foreign, comparative, or international law should be directed to the ILS Reference Desk, (617) 495-9001.
Assistance with Electronic Resources and Services
Reference librarians can provide instruction and assistance in using HOLLIS Catalog, the union catalog of the Harvard libraries, and the Harvard Libraries portal, which provides access to a wide array of online periodical indexes, e-journals, data sources, e-books and more. The Reference staff can help identify materials that are not available in the Library by searching bibliographic databases containing the holdings of libraries across the country.
Faculty members are encouraged to discuss online research questions with a reference librarian, who can provide search strategy advice or conduct the search. For advice on the best electronic resources available for your topic, or to request an online search or search strategy advice, call the Langdell Reference Desk at (617) 496-4516, or the ILS Reference Desk at (617) 495-9001.
To request a LexisNexis or Westlaw password, or for information about access to other restricted services, contact Michael Jimenez, Reference Librarian and Coordinator of Electronic Information Services.
To request configuration of a personal computer for database research or to request office or home access to HOLLIS, the Internet or e-mail, contact Information Technology Services (ITS), (617) 495-0722.
Research Refreshers
The Reference department offers faculty members individual sessions to introduce new Library resources or to refresh research skills. To request a session in Anglo-American legal research or in general research skills, contact Karen Storin Linitz, Head of Langdell Reference, (617) 496-2129. To request a session in international, foreign, or comparative legal research, contact Jeanette Yackle, Head of ILS Reference Services, (617) 495-9001.
Research Assistant Training
The Reference Department offers research instruction training for faculty research assistants (RAs). After meeting with a faculty member and his or her RAs, a reference librarian will design a course of instruction suited to the faculty member's research requirements and the skills and experience of the RAs. Specialized instruction saves RAs time and ensures that faculty members receive the results of thorough bibliographic research. Contact Janet Katz, Senior Reference Librarian and Faculty Services Coordinator, (617) 496-2126 to request research assistant instruction.