Fall 2020 Law Library Hours, Spaces, Materials & Services

by guest authors Andy Kretschmar and Rebekah Maxwell

Sent in an email to all incoming and returning law students on July 27, 2020.

Here is some information about how the law library will be adapting services and operations this semester.

Please stay safe and healthy, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Hours & Access
  • The law library will only be accessible to law school students, staff, and faculty. Please have your Carolina Card at all times, as you’ll need it to enter the library.
  • The library will be open 8am—6pm, M-F, from August 3rd to August 20th
  • During the semester, the law library will operate under the following hours:
    • Monday—Thursday 7am-8pm
    • Friday                              7am-6pm
    • Saturday—Sunday    CLOSED (subject to change based on health & safety guidelines)
    • Any unexpected changes to hours due to unforeseen events will be announced on the law library’s Facebook page.
  • Everyone will be required to wear a face covering at all times while in the law library and on the balcony. You may remove your face covering if you are in a group study room with the door closed (see below).

 

Library Spaces
  • In order to create six feet of space between seats, as recommended by the university and the CDC, seating capacity has been reduced to 25% of normal capacity, or 89 seats.
  • Study Tables and Carrels – Seating is available on a first come, first served basis.
    • There will be 18 seats available in the Coleman Karesh Reading Room.
    • The basement will not be accessible for studying.
  • Study Rooms – Group study rooms have been reduced to 1 seat.  Rooms may be booked in advance on the law library’s room booking page. Students who are participating in a virtual class will have priority when booking study rooms. Students may use unoccupied study rooms without a reservation, but must leave when asked to do so by the student who booked the study room. Please note that some study rooms have been repurposed as storage space.
  • There will be extra signage in the library designating traffic flows, space usage, and other COVID-19 health and safety guidelines and protocols. Please follow these guidelines, and ask library personnel if you have any questions.

 

Access to Library Materials
  • For book sanitation reasons, please wash your hands before handling books, and please allow circulation or reference personnel to guide you directly to the book you need.
  • You can check out materials according to normal library policies, but items will undergo a 3-day quarantine period after use to ensure that no items are contaminated. If an item is needed while it’s in quarantine, it will only be available for copy and scanning usage, and users will be required to wear protective gloves when handling these materials.
  • Copiers and scanners will be available. Only one user will be allowed into the copy room at a time. Wearing protective gloves will be required, and users will be asked to wipe down machines before and after use (gloves and wipes will be provided by library staff). Consider using a free app such as Adobe Scan (iOS or Android) or Microsoft Office Lens (iOS or Android) to scan items with your phone.
  • All library items should be returned to the circulation desk when you have finished using them. Please don’t try to help out by reshelving books; we want to ensure that each book is sanitary before we return it to the shelf.
  • If you have questions about getting library materials, please email Andy Kretschmar at kretschm@law.sc.edu

 

Reference Services
  • Reference services will be available from 9:00am – 5:00pm, Monday – Friday.
  • The reference desk will offer a combination of in-person and virtual reference service.
  • Virtual reference service will offer the option of a video chat with a librarian in real time, using the law library’s chat program and Blackboard Collaborate.   Instructions for initiating a video chat will be posted at the reference desk, on the library’s webpage, and at other locations in the library.
  • The reference desk email (lawref@law.sc.edu) and text chat (click “Ask A Librarian” at law.sc.edu/library or SMS 803-219-2529) will also remain available as contact points.