Guide to Columbia Law Library Services and Policies

Law Library Circulation and Reference services are available in William and June Warren Hall, Room 101. 

There is dedicated quiet study space (carrels, tables, study pods) for Columbia Law School students in the Big Warren Feldberg Space (WJW 105) available 24/7.

There are reservable study rooms on the second and third floors in Big Warren.

In Jerome Greene Hall, Drapkin Lounge (on the Mezzanine level--take the stairs from the lobby up one floor or the elevator to 3) has been converted to student study space, with many study pods and soft seating. Additional tables and chairs have been added on the Mezzanine level.

The other Columbia University Libraries are also available to you. We've created a guide to Recommended Study Spaces for Law Students with recommendations for other library spaces on campus.

For Columbia Law School Affiliates, Columbia University Students enrolled in a Law School class, and Columbia University Faculty, Researchers, and Staff: Just tap your CUID at the front door (if red) and at the entrance gates to access William and June Warren Hall. 

For Columbia University Students: During the 2024-2025 academic year, access to William and June Warren Hall is available Monday-Thursday 7am-11pm and Friday 7am-8pm. (Please note that the Circulation Desk opens at 8am.)

Study space is limited to Columbia Law School students. Access is only for the purposes of picking up or returning Law Library materials, consulting with a reference librarian, or using the Westlaw or Bloomberg terminals.

Before arrival, you must fill out this form, so that you can show the confirmation email to the security guard at the building's entrance. If you are signed in to any other non-Columbia Google product, you may have to sign out first in order to fill out the form. If your school does not use LionMail, please email referencedesk@law.columbia.edu to prearrange access.

For Columbia University (including Law School) Alumni:  Alumni should obtain Alumni CUIDs from the Library Information Office in Butler Library. Please note, during the 2024-2025 Academic Year, access to William and June Warren Hall for alumni is available Monday-Thursday 7am-11pm and Friday 7am-8pm. You may access William and June Warren Hall for the purposes of consulting Law Library materials, using the Westlaw and/or Bloomberg terminals, or consulting a reference librarian. Please consult our online catalog, as books must be requested via email in advance of your visit. Access is subject to Public Safety restrictions -- currently, Alumni Library IDs are temporarily suspended.

We are unable to offer reciprocal access for NYU Law or Fordham Law students during this Law Library renovation period. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Use our Law Library catalog, Pegasus, to search for a book, journal, or electronic resource by title, author, or keyword. Use post-search filters to narrow your list of results. Advanced search with more functionality is available.

Once you have found a particular book or item, click to see its catalog record. Make sure you are logged in. When logged in, next to many books you'll see an option to "Request Pickup." Fill out the linked Google Form. Our Circulation staff will then retrieve the book from our closed stacks area and email you when it's ready to be picked up from WJW 101. If
"Request Pickup" is not an option, email the Reference Desk. If a book is stored in an offsite facility, we'll request retrieval of it for you. If a book is not available, we'll discuss other options, like electronic availability or InterLibrary Loan.

Casebooks and other required texts may be placed on Course Reserves at the request of the instructor. If a required text for your class is not on Course Reserves, ask your professor to fill out the Google Form emailed by the Law Library. 

Course Reserves may be available electronically, in print, or both.

Print Course Reserves are available to checkout from the Circulation Desk in William and June Warren Hall Room 101 during our service hours.  You may borrow a Course Reserve book for a five hour loan period.

Westlaw, Lexis+, and Bloomberg Law all use individual usernames and passwords for access. 1Ls and LL.M.s receive instructions for how to set up their accounts at the time of orientation or during the first week of classes. Transfer students or students who need assistance may email referencedesk@law.columbia.edu.

Westlaw Patron Access and Bloomberg terminals are available for use by all CU affiliates on the 2nd Floor of WJW Hall.

You may access other Law Library databases from the Law Library's Databases and Indexes A-Z webpage or by searching Pegasus for the name of the database. In most cases you will be prompted to log in with your UNI and password for access.

For assistance using or locating material in one of the Law Library databases, you may contact a reference librarian.

Law students are welcome to both study in and use the materials of the other libraries on campus. CLIO, the Columbia University Libraries' catalog, allows you to search for physical materials as well as by article title for articles contained in many of the various databases CUL subscribes to.

For information on the various services provided by the other libraries on campus, how to obtain materials from them, and much more, visit the Columbia University Libraries News webpage.

Law Library reference librarians are available to assist law students with navigating CLIO and the Columbia University Libraries' collections and services, although we may refer you to other subject specialist librarians on campus where appropriate.