The Dee J. Kelly Law Library reference desk is open over 60 hours each week. During these hours the Law Library's Reference Librarians are available to answer questions and provide limited research assistance. Please read our reference policies, reproduced below, to see what kind of reference services the Law Library offers. If you wish to contact a Reference Librarian, please call 817-212-3805 or email reference@law.txwes.edu.
Reference Desk Hours
Unauthorized Practice of Law
Law librarians are under binding legal and ethical obligations that forbid the unauthorized practice of law. These obligations prohibit giving research assistance, legal advice or interpretation, or any other aid that may be construed as the professional judgment of a legal expert. In order to comply with these requirements, the Reference Librarians cannot give more than basic directional reference to members of the public, bench or bar. The Reference Librarians may not give legal or detailed research advice to any patrons. None of the services offered by the information professionals, acting
within their capacity as reference service providers, shall be
construed as legal services or the practice of law.
In addition, please note that the Circulation Clerks are law students. They are not licensed attorneys or librarians and may not under any circumstances provide legal or reference advice to any patron.
On-Site Reference Services for Faculty, Students, Alumni and Staff of the Texas Wesleyan University School of Law
The first priority of the Reference
Librarians is to meet the reference needs of the faculty and students of the Texas Wesleyan University School of Law. The Law Librarians may assist
faculty, students, and alumni of the School of Law in academic or scholarly
research. The Law Librarians may
provide research assistance to staff of the School of Law if the request is
directly related to law school business.
The Law Librarians will provide instructional reference services in the
use of legal information resources.
Remote Reference Services for Faculty, Students, Alumni and Staff of the Texas Wesleyan University School of Law
Remote reference requests are those that originate from patrons who are not physically present in the Law Library. Such requests include, but are not limited to, requests made by telephone, letter, fax, or e-mail.
Remote reference services to students, staff and alumni are limited exclusively to providing bibliographic collection information. The Reference Librarians will not engage in substantive or procedural research on behalf of any student.
The Reference Librarians provide the faculty of the School of Law the same remote reference service as their on-site reference service. Faculty should contact a Faculty
Services Librarian for remote reference assistance. Texas Wesleyan law faculty visiting at other institutions should use the reference resources of their host institution's library.
On-Site Reference Services for Members of the Public, Bench and Bar
The Dee J. Kelly Law Library is open until 6:00 p.m. daily for members of the public, bench and bar, who may use, on the premises only, legal information resources owned by the Dee J. Kelly Law Library. Neither Interlibrary Loan nor access to any restricted electronic service will be provided to any member of the public, bench or bar.
The
Law Librarians will provide directional reference help but will not engage in
research for any member of the bench, bar, or general public. Minimal
instruction in the use of legal information resources
may be provided at the discretion of the Reference Librarian.
Remote Reference Services for Members of the Public, Bench and Bar
Members of the bench, bar and general public needing bibliographic collection information should search the Dee J. Kelly Law Library's Online Catalog. The Reference Librarians will not engage in remote instructional reference, substantive research, or procedural research on behalf of members of the bench, bar or general public and will not give advice on any matters of law or legal interpretation.