Access Materials

Library users with valid UT Austin ID cards may borrow circulating materials from the Library. 

• Law Students - Law students, upon presenting a valid UT ID to Circulation staff, may check out any of the Library's circulating materials.  Additionally, law students may also check out laptop computers.
• Law Faculty and Staff - Law faculty and staff may check out most of the Library’s materials. Faculty members who wish to have research assistants check out Library materials on their behalf must first notify the Library by e-mailing circ@law.utexas.edu with the authorized research assistants' names.
• Current UT Faculty, Staff, and Students - With the exception of certain materials reserved for use by law students, faculty and staff, current members of the UT Austin community may check out any of the Library's circulating materials. A valid UT Austin ID is required in order to check out Library materials. The law school building and library are currently restricted to UT Law faculty, staff, and students.  UT Austin faculty, staff, and students, outside of the law school community, should contact the Library’s Circulation Desk (circ@law.utexas.edu, 512-471-7726) to arrange to pick up materials. 
• Members of the Public – Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, borrowing for TexShare card holders is temporarily unavailable.  Tarlton Guest Borrower cards are also temporarily unavailable.  We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause. 

Most Library materials may be renewed by logging in to the Library's online catalog.   When renewing online, patrons are encouraged to check the screen for information on the success or failure of the renewal.  If an item cannot be renewed, a 'Not all renewals were successful' message will appear on the screen. If the renewal is successful, a new due date will appear in the ‘STATUS’ column.   Materials may also be renewed in person at the Circulation Desk. To avoid late fees, materials should be renewed before the due date.

Law students may checkout laptop computers from the Library’s Circulation Desk.  AC adapters, headphones and other technology is temporarily unavailable for borrowing.  Dell laptops and Apple MacBooks are available for 24-hour loan to law students. Because the Library is unable to guarantee problem-free operation with any software not installed by the Library, Library-owned laptops cannot be used for Law School examinations.

Primary source materials, digests, loose leaf binders, microforms, periodicals, and reference resources do not generally circulate outside the Library, but most other materials may be checked out by Library users with valid UT Austin ID cards.
 

Loan periods for circulating materials vary based on the type of material and the borrower's status, as follows:

• Books generally circulate for 3 weeks and can be renewed.
• Materials from the Hyder Popular Reading Room circulate for 3 days. Renewals are not allowed. These materials only circulate to UT Law affiliated patrons (students, faculty, and staff employed at the Law School).
• Laptops circulate for 24 hours and only to law students. Renewals are not allowed.

Tarlton Guest Borrower Cards are temporarily unavailable. 

Overdue fines are assessed when materials are renewed after the due date or returned late to the Library.  Replacement charges are assessed for overdue materials not returned to the Library within a reasonable time.

Late fees and replacement charges are assessed as follows:

• 3 week items
  • $0.75/day for 28 days
  • Item is declared lost after 28 days
  • Minimum replacement cost for lost items is $100
• Hyder Popular Reading Room Material (3 day circulation period)
  • $3.50/day for 7 days
  • Item is declared lost after 7 days
  • Minimum replacement cost for lost items is $100
• LPOP DVDs (7 day circulation period)
  • $2.00/day for 14 days
  • Item is declared lost after 14 days
  • Minimum replacement cost for lost item is $75
• Reserve and Course Reserve Items (2-hour and 24-hour circulation periods)
  • $0.75/hour for 2 days
  • Item is declared lost after 2 days
  • Minimum replacement cost for lost items is $100
• Laptops, power cords and computer hardware (24-hour circulation period)
  • $0.75/hour for 4 days
  • Item is declared lost after 4 days
  • Minimum replacement cost for lost laptop computers is $1525

Replacement costs include a billing and processing fee.  The replacement charge may be refunded in some instances if items declared lost are subsequently returned, but the billing and processing fee ($25.00) will not be waived.  The Library may increase replacement costs or processing fees based on the actual costs associated with replacing a particular missing item.   

Patrons can check their Library patron record or What I Owe to determine how much is owed for renewed, returned or lost materials.  Fines for overdue materials not yet returned can be calculated based on the fee schedule above.

Payment of late fees can be made:

• online through What I Owe.
• by cash, check, or money order at the Cashiers Office, Main Building (MAI on campus map) , Room 8, Monday through Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm.
• at the Library's Circulation Desk (guest borrowers or TexShare borrowers only), with exact cash or a check made payable to The University of Texas.

Patrons who have questions about late fees can email the Library at circ@law.utexas.edu

Patrons are encouraged to update their Library patron record if e-mail or mailing addresses change. As a courtesy, the Library sends e-mail reminders and overdue notices to patrons, but the Library is not responsible for misdirected notices sent to patrons who have not verified or updated their Library patron records. Patrons may also update their patron records in person at the Circulation Desk.

Library users can place a “hold” on items that are checked out by other users.  A hold is a request to get an item after the current borrower returns it.  Law Faculty and Staff can place a hold on items by clicking the “Law Faculty Request” button in the TALLONS library catalog or by contacting the Circulation Desk.  All other library users should contact the Circulation Desk to place holds on items. 

In some cases, library users can “recall” an item which is currently checked out to another user.  A recall is a request to get an item back from another users as soon as possible, and, in some cases, may modify the due date for the item.  Library users should contact the Circulation Desk to if they are interested in recalling at item.