Scholarly Research

This guide contains information on researching common source types, using the library catalog, requesting interlibrary services, and more. It may be particularly useful to research assistants, journal editors, and students taking a course with a major writing assignment.

For more resources on legal research and writing, see the Law Library's Legal Research and Writing Success guide.

Use your Library Account to check due dates, renew materials, and pay fines. Log in using your BuckeyeMail username and password.

The Library Catalog is the computerized catalog of all Ohio State University Libraries, including the Law Library. It provides information about books, periodicals, government documents, audiovisuals, microforms, and other materials owned by and available through the library. It does not index articles in journals, magazines, and newspapers.

The Library Catalog is integrated with OhioLINK's Catalog. OhioLINK is a statewide academic library consortium that connects library services and print digital collections among its member institutions.

Borrowing Materials

To request an item from the Library Catalog:

1. Click the red "Request this item" button;
2. Log into your Library Account using your BuckeyeMail username and password;
3. Choose a pickup location; and
4. Click the gray "Submit" button.

You will receive an email when the item is ready. Remember to bring your BuckID when you come to pick up the item.

To check out an item that you find while browsing the Law Library, simply bring the item and your BuckID to the Circulation Desk. Note that some items are non-circulating and cannot be checked out, including reporters, statutes, periodicals, reference materials, looseleaf services, multi-volume sets, and microforms. These materials must be used within the Law Library.

Renewing and Returning Materials

Loan periods can vary depending on the type of material, but typically the loan period is 17 weeks for OSU Libraries materials, with unlimited renewals. Use your Library Account to renew items. You will be unable to renew an item if another user has requested it.

Return materials by dropping them off at any OSU Libraries circulation desk or drop box. You must return or renew materials on time to avoid late fees.

OhioLINK

The Library Catalog is integrated with OhioLINK's Catalog. OhioLINK is a statewide academic library consortium that connects library services and print digital collections among its member institutions.

When searching the Library Catalog, the item you are looking for may be checked out, missing, or simply not available through OSU Libraries. In this situation, use the item's catalog entry to see whether the item is available through OhioLINK:

1. Click the blue "OhioLINK catalog" button to see the item's availability through OhioLINK;
2. If the item is available, click the green "Request" button;
3. Select "Ohio State U" from the dropdown menu and click the gray "Submit above information" button; and
4. Enter your BuckeyeMail username and password, select a pickup location, and click the green "Submit" button.

You will receive an email when the material is available at the selected pickup location. Bring your BuckID to check out the material.

ILLiad

If the item is not available through the Library Catalog or through OhioLINK, you can request the item through Interlibrary Loan by clicking the blue "ILL request" button, logging into ILLiad and submitting an Interlibrary Loan request form. More information is included on the Interlibrary Services tab of this guide.