Guide to the Law Library at UH Manoa : Circulation Policies

Circulation of Law Library Materials

1. Non-circulating Materials: Most of the materials in the Library are for LIBRARY USE ONLY. These include statutes, reporters, digests, citators, loose-leaf publications, periodicals, encyclopedias, archives, and materials with Reference or Reserve in the call number or in microform format. These materials are heavily used by library patrons and must be readily accessible at all times. Special permission may be granted under limited circumstances only. For further information on circulation of specific materials (Reserve, Reference, Microform, Audiovisual, etc.), see the section titled “Library Collection.”
2. Circulating Materials: All law students may charge out circulating materials for 91 days only, including weekends and holidays, subject to recall by library staff or other library patrons. Five renewals per item are allowed if no one else requests the items. Renewals may be done online. There is no grace period. All overdue items are subject to library sanctions. The borrower is responsible for knowing when books are due to be returned, irregardless of whether he or she receives notification of overdue materials from the library.

All faculty members (full-time and adjunct) may charge out circulating materials for 182 days only, including weekends and holidays, subject to recall by library staff or other library patrons. 99 renewals per item are allowed if no one else requests the items.

Students and faculty may access their account anytime using their UH student barcode number on Hawai`i Voyager “My Account” link. Information on the standardized loan periods, fines and fees may be found in Appendix I of the Libraries of the University of Hawai`i System Circulation Policy, p. 7 of the revised August 2, 2021 available at https://law-hawaii.libguides.com/ld.php?content_id=44126055.

Visiting scholars/practitioners: Loan periods depend on the length of their stay here and on their status (faculty or student) at the University. A UH Student barcode is required to establish an account at the Law Library.

Student Registration Process

1. Full-time and Part-time Students: All students must be registered with the Law Library in order to borrow library materials. You must present a validated University of Hawai`i at Mānoa ID card and provide a hawaii.edu email address for notification of library-related matters.
2. Visiting Students: Temporary library privileges are available for visitors. You must present a validated University of Hawai`i ID card and provide a hawaii.edu email address for notification of library-related matters. All borrower registrations are done at the Circulation Desk in the Law Library.
3. Moot Court/ Law Review Members, Research Assistants: All members have the same borrowing privileges and loan periods as regular law students. In addition, they may borrow non-circulating materials with special permission from Library staff. Research assistants must have the Proxy Borrower Registration form (available at the Circulation Desk) completed and signed by his or her professor.

Faculty Registration Process

Permanent full-time Faculty/Lecturers in Law/Adjunct Faculty: All faculty members must register with the Law Library in order to borrow library materials. You must present a validated University of Hawai'i ID card and provide a hawaii.edu email address for notification of library-related matters. Use of hawaii.edu email address is UH System policy.

Lecturers in Law/Adjunct Faculty may use a current Hawai`i State Bar Association membership card to register but it allows a shorter loan period.

Visiting Scholars/Practitioners must be verified by the Law School administration (Dean’s Office) before they can be registered and granted temporary library privileges. Other faculty privileges may be granted after consultation with the Law Library Director.

Non-Law School Borrower Details & Registration Process

The Law Library is not a participant of the UH Community Borrowers Program.  Circulation of library materials to non-law school affiliated individuals and groups is limited to the following people who may apply for borrowing privileges:

• Members of the School of Law University of Hawai`i System (UHS) faculty, staff and students
• Hawai`i State Bar Association (HSBA) active-status members
• Law Firms
• East-West Center scholars

All others may use materials in the library, including most Reserve materials, but may not check them out of the library. A photo ID is required when checking out Reserve materials.

• Patrons who are eligible to apply for borrowing privileges must complete a library registration form. The Law Library reserves the right to withhold this privilege to anyone not affiliated with the University of Hawai`i System.
• HSBA patrons must complete a form that requires the patron's signed authorization that he/she will be responsible for any fines and fees accrued for lost and/or overdue items.  Upon submitting the form, the HSBA patron will receive a 1 year borrowing card that can be renewed annually.
• Law Firms must complete another type of form that requires the law firm director to sign and authorize that the firm will be responsible for any fine and fees accrued for lost and/or overdue items. A maximum of three people can be registered under one firm.
• Most of the materials in the library are for library use only. These items include statutes, reporters, digests, citators, multi-volume sets, loose-leaf publications, periodicals, encyclopedias, and anything with Reference or Reserve in its call number or anything in microform format.
• Qualified non-Law School patrons can borrow eligible, physical library items for 14 day, with one possibility for renewal. There is a 10 item borrowing limit.
• Reserve materials are for library use only and may be borrowed to read in the library for a period of two hours.