Panza Maurer Law Library

Monday - Sunday
8:00 AM - 12:00 AM

Monday - Thursday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday - Sunday
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

(954) 262-6202

Monday - Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

By Phone - (954) 262-6201

By E-mail:   E-Mail a Reference Librarian

 

Click the below button to request and schedule a reference appointment.

In addition to the general facility policies of Nova Southeastern University, the following policies apply to all patrons of the Law Library.

The primary mission of the Panza Maurer Law Library is to serve faculty, students, and staff of the Law School and Nova Southeastern University.  The library also welcomes alumni, members of the Bar, and public patrons who wish to use the Library’s collection for conducting legal research. 

• In order to provide the necessary services, the library must provide an environment that is conducive to research and study, and the legitimate use of library materials and services. 

• To foster this environment, it is necessary that all patrons of the library follow the rules and be considerate of the rights of other patrons utilizing the library. Additionally, patrons should treat all library materials, equipment, and facilities with care as these must be shared and used by all patrons.

• Patrons should comply with all library staff directions and instructions.

• Patrons must comply with all posted signage, including limitations on seating, equipment usage, noise restrictions, temporary closures, and any other instructions or usage limitations.

• Any behavior or condition that disrupts the orderly use of the library, may damage or harm library materials, equipment, or furnishings, and that affects the ability of library staff to provide service is prohibited.

• Any conduct that disturbs other Library patrons or disrupts the library activities is prohibited.  This includes, but is not limited to, excessive noise (including loud conversations, noise created by audio equipment and electronic communication devices), verbal abuse, threats of violence, any type of harassment, and any other offensive behavior.

• Removing or attempting to remove library materials, equipment or property without checkout or other library authorization is prohibited.

• Damaging library materials by marking or removing pages or other destructive activities towards equipment or facilities are prohibited.

• Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult who is responsible for the child’s conduct, as well as for any damage or disturbance by the child.

• Only animals that assist patrons with disabilities are allowed in the library.

• Solicitation or selling of merchandise in the library is prohibited.

• In the period beginning two weeks prior to law school exams and continuing throughout the examination period, library study space becomes very limited and law students receive priority in seating and use of library study areas.

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The following outlines the scope of assistance that the Law Librarians and staff can provide:

• All patrons of the law library are entitled to ask assistance of Law Librarians in the use of all resources when reference librarians are available.

• Law Librarians can provide information on legal aid and local bar attorney referral services.

• Law Librarians can help you find print or electronic materials on particular areas of law to assist you with your research (e.g. statute book, case reporter, Legal encyclopedia, etc.).

• Law Librarians can show you how to use the print or electronic materials.

• Law Librarians can explain how the court system works generally. However, they cannot give you specifics of how the court system operates. (For instance, they cannot tell you which court to file a case in or which documents need to be filed in a case, etc.)

• Law Librarians cannot tell you which forms, statutes, or cases are the correct ones. Additionally, Law Librarians cannot draft, edit or check documents for patrons.

• Law Librarians, Staff, and Student Workers are not permitted to provide any type of legal advice, to conduct legal research for patrons, or provide an opinion of any kind on the law or a case.

General Access:

The Panza Maurer Law Library (PMLL) is open to all NSU Students, Faculty, Staff, Alumni, members of the bar, and the public.

Certain areas are reserved for Nova Southeastern Shepard Broad College of Law (NSU Law) students including study rooms, study carrels, and the study area behind the Circulation Desk.

Patrons should go to the PMLL website (https://www.law.nova.edu/library) for current library, circulation and reference hours.

Exam Period Access:

During NSU Law's Final Exam Period each semester, law library access is restricted to NSU Law students only.  NSU Law students must use their SharkCard to swipe for entry at the law library’s front doors during this period.

Exam period library operating hours are posted on the PMLL website (https://www.law.nova.edu/library).

Alumni Access:

PMLL welcomes all NSU Law alumni to use its materials and facilities. Some of our items are library-use only (such as our primary law and practitioner collection) due to their expense and other considerations.  The Borrowing Policy, set forth below, explains this framework in more detail.

NSU Law alumni may set up appointments with a reference librarian to consult on a research issue. For more information, please see our Reference policy.

NSU Law alumni may use the copiers with cash.

To view the electronic resources available to all NSU alumni, visit the Databases for alumni patrons (Alvin Sherman Library (ASL)) page. (it may be necessary to create an alumnus account to access.)

For free Florida CLE resources- please visit www.legalfuel.com

Bar Study Access 

NSU Law alumni preparing for the bar exam are welcome to use the law library for quiet study.

NSU Law Alumni who have graduated within the last six months have access to printing, electronic resources, the bar study collection and access to the study rooms.  

The Aspen Learning Library Bar Study Collection is available to any NSU Law alumni studying for the bar (regardless of graduation date). For information about accessing these materials, contact a reference librarian.

Community Patron Access

PMLL welcomes all community patrons to our library.

Librarians are available to assist you in showing you how to find or use a resource within the library. However, please be aware that librarians may not give legal advice and will not interpret the law for you.

Please view our borrowing policies for information on loan periods and requirements.

Borrowing Requirements

All patrons need a library card to check out materials. Your patron status determines the type of card that is needed:

1. NSU Students, Faculty, and Staff- NSU ID (Shark Card)
2. NSU Law Alumni- Photo ID [alumni may be required to update their NSU account]
3. Community Patrons- ASL Card [Visit ASL to obtain a community library card]

Check Out:

Materials are checked out at the Circulation Desk on the 2nd floor at the entrance of the library using one of the forms of library card described above. Loan privileges, loan periods, and renewal privileges vary by patron type and are listed below.

Loan Period:

Below are the loan periods, renewals allowed, and maximum number of items allowed for each patron type and library collection of the law library. We welcome all patrons to use our collection within the library, but they may only borrow the items listed under the corresponding patron type below.

NSU College of Law Students 

(1L, 2L, 3L, 4L, MSL, LLM, BS in Law, BS in Paralegal Studies, and NSU Law alumni who have graduated within the previous 6 months)

Collection	Loan Period	Renewals	Max Allowed
General	21 Days	Yes (1x)	10
Burris	21 Days	Yes (1x)	10
Law & Popular Culture	21Days	Yes (1x)	10
DVDs	7 Days	No	3
Course & Faculty Reserve	3 Hours	Yes (1x)	1
Student	7 Days	Yes (1x)	3
Study Rooms	6 Hours	No	N/A
Study Carrels	3 Hours	Yes (1x)	1

 

NSU College of Law Faculty & Staff

Collection	Loan Period	Renewals	Max Allowed
General	6 mos	No	20
Burris	6 mos	No	20
Law & Popular Culture	21Days	Yes (1x)	10
DVDs	7 Days	No	3
Student	14 Days	No	5

 

NSU College of Law Alumni 

(Graduates more than 6 months)

Collection	Loan Period	Renewals	Max Allowed
General	21 Days	Yes (1x)	5
Burris	21 Days	Yes (1x)	5
Law & Popular Culture	21Days	Yes (1x)	5
DVDs	7 Days	No	3

 

NSU Faculty & Staff

(Outside the College of Law)

Collection	Loan Period	Renewals	Max Allowed
General	21 Days	No	10
Burris	21 Days	No	10
Law & Popular Culture	21Days	Yes (1x)	10
DVDs	7 Days	No	3

 

NSU Students

(Outside the College of Law)

Collection	Loan Period	Renewals	Max Allowed
General	21 Days	Yes (1x)	10
Burris	21 Days	Yes (1x)	10
Law & Popular Culture	21Days	Yes (1x)	10
DVDs	7 Days	No	3

 

Community Patrons

Collection	Loan Period	Renewals	Max Allowed
General	21 Days	Yes (1x)	5
Burris	21 Days	Yes (1x)	5
Law & Popular Culture	21Days	Yes (1x)	5
DVDs	7 Days	No	3

 

Renewals

Extensions of the default borrowing period of an item are available if:

1. the borrower’s patron type allows renewal;
2. there is no hold on the item; and
3. the item is not overdue.

Patrons can renew an item by calling the Circulation Desk, visiting the Circulation Desk, or electronically via  their library account.

Holds

Holds can be placed online through the library catalog. Patrons placing a hold on an item will receive an email when the item is ready for pickup. Held items will live behind the Circulation Desk for five (5) days and then returned to the shelf if not checked out.

Holds may be placed on items currently on loan to another patron. The hold will prevent any renewals, but does not require return before the expiration of the loan period.

Returns

Items can be returned to the Circulation Desk or deposited into the return box outside of PMLL’s main entrance. If the item has been damaged or otherwise needs attention (for example, if the binding is failing, pages are missing, DVD is unplayable, etc.), patrons are asked to please inform library staff.

Fines

To minimize barriers to patron research and study, PMLL does not charge fines. However, if a patron fails to return or renew an item by the specified due date, the patron’s library account will be blocked. A block will prevent a patron from borrowing other materials or checking out study rooms until the past due materials are returned. Patrons are responsible for replacement costs (plus a processing fee) if they lose or damage library materials that make them unusable for others. Please contact the Associate Director, Operations & Collection with any questions.

Please note that “fine free” policy applies to PMLL patrons checking out library materials. For information about the Fines and Fees charged by the ASL, please see their fines and fees policy.

• Study Rooms are available to NSU College of Law Students and may be reserved at: https://law-nova.libcal.com/reserve/
• Students may reserve study rooms for up to 6 hours per day. Students must use their own NSU email to make their reservations.
• The last reservation will start 30 minutes before the circulation desk closes and keys will be available up until 15 minutes before circulation desk closure.
• Due to the demand of study room use, students should pick up their key no later than 15 mins after the start of the reservation time or the reservation will be cancelled.
• Students will need their Shark Card to check out the study room key.
• Study room keys should be left in the “break box” at the circulation desk if the student needs to leave the library.
• Students should return keys to circulation at the end of reservation.
• If a key is lost, the student will be responsible for the cost of replacement.
• PMLL reserves the right to cancel or change reservations at any time.

The study carrels in the PMLL are available on a first come first served basis and may be checked out for up to three (3) hours.

Students must present their Shark Card to check out study carrels (in accordance with the NSU Law Library Borrowing Policy). Keys to the study carrels may not leave the library for any reason. If a student needs to leave the library, the student must lock their study carrel and place the key in the “break box” on the circulation desk before leaving the library.

PMLL is not responsible for any belongings left unattended in the study carrels. At the end of the checkout period, students must return the key to the circulation desk to check it back in. Failure to return the key at the end of the checkout period will result in the student’s account being locked.

If, for any reason, the key is lost, the student who last checked out the key will be responsible for the cost of the replacement of the key.

Reference appointments can be requested through the PMLL’s online appointment system (https://law-nova.libcal.com/appointments/).

Reference appointments are available to NSU students, faculty, staff, and NSU College of Law Alumni.

A reference appointment should be requested where an individual requires assistance with more complex or involved reference requests, or cannot otherwise meet with a reference librarian during designated reference hours.

During reference appointments, librarians can assist with the following:

• Learning about resources for in-depth research
• Learning how to use specific electronic or print resources 
• Learning more about what tools are available for research
• Finding resources to choose a topic
• Learning how to do research on an unfamiliar area of law
• Assistance with identifying study guides and academic success resources
• Provision of instruction on citation formatting

Subject to any applicable Nova Southeastern University (NSU) policies, NSU students, faculty and staff may request materials that are not available in the NSU print or electronic collection via Interlibrary Loan (ILL) using their NSU library card.  

Those patrons who have ILL privileges can initiate an ILL request for themselves by using their ILLiad account. Alternatively, they may ask a reference librarian for assistance.

General information:

Timeline: 

Turnaround time is dependent upon several external factors, including actual availability of the item requested, and shipping/ delivery time from the institution owning the item being borrowed.  Accordingly, patrons submitting ILL requests should plan for an average ILL turnaround time of between seven (7) and fourteen (14) business days.

Request Status 

Patrons can track the status of their ILL requests directly through ILLiad.

Alternatively, patrons may send an inquiry to the Law Library’s interlibrary loan inbox.

Pick-up 

Patrons will be notified via e-mail when their item is available.

• Print items requested via ILL are picked up at the law library circulation desk.
• Electronic items are available for download within the ILLiad system.

Returning & Renewing Print Materials 

• The due-dates of ILL print books are specified in the materials provided to patrons when they pick them up.  Please return print materials (including the accompanying circulation/ loan materials) by that date to avoid fines. Repeated failure to abide by this policy may result in corrective actions taken against the patron (including suspension of library privileges, holds placed on a student’s academic record and/or other disciplinary action consistent with Shepard Broad College of Law policy). 
• Renewals are subject to availability and permission of the original lending library.  Requests for renewal must be submitted via ILLiad not later than three (3) days prior to the due date. Please refer to complete renewal instructions on the circulation/ loan materials accompanying the item.

PMLL provides access to printers in the library for use by NSU Law students only.  These printers are located in the copy/print rooms on the second and third floors of the library.

Funds

NSU Law provides each student with $125 dollars on their individual printing accounts every academic year. Black and White pages cost 5 cents a page. Color pages (available at the ASL) cost 10 cents per page. A 25% discount is given for printing double sided.

NSU Law students can add funds to their account online using Sharkfunds through Shark Card services or through the self-service vending machines available at the ASL.

Printing Setup

NSU Law students are responsible for configuring their computers to print from the library’s printers. Please visit MyNSUPrint for instructions.

NSU Law students should contact OIIT with any problems or questions involving printer set up/configuration.

Printer Issues

NSU Law students having issues with the printers (I.e., paper jams, no paper, no toner, error messages) should contact a circulation staff member for assistance.

If a print job fails, or a patron believes that they have been charged incorrectly, the patron should file a refund request through SharkCard Services. The NSU Law student should then contact OIIT to expedite the request.

Scanning

PMLL has two high quality scanners located in the area behind the Circulation Desk that are available to all patrons. For information or instructions on how to use these scanners, please ask for assistance at the Circulation Desk.

Copying

PMLL has multiple black-and-white copiers available to all of its patrons, including two behind the Circulation Desk, and two in each of the copy/print rooms on the second and third floors of the library.  The copiers are cash only. The per-page cost is indicated on each copier.  Patrons needing assistance with copying or having difficulties with the copiers should contact the Circulation Desk staff.

Any personal belongings left in the library, study rooms, or study carrels will be placed in the lost and found behind the circulation desk for 72 hours and then turned over to Public Safety.  Laptops, Cell Phones, Keys, and other items of value will be kept until 15 minutes before the close of the Circulation Desk, and then turned over to Public Safety.

The PMLL accepts small physical gifts at the sole discretion of the Director and the Associate Director, Operations and Collections. Monetary gifts or large physical gifts should be negotiated through the College of Law's Development Office.