PMLL Library Policies

Table of Contents:

Reference services are provided during the hours specified on the law library’s website (https://www.law.nova.edu/library).

Reference librarians are available during these hours to consult with patrons with short (10-15 minute) reference, directional and informational questions during the Reference Desk hours specified on the law library’s website. Patrons should be aware that reference librarians are prohibited from providing legal advice.

For longer, more involved reference requests or for requests to meet with a reference librarian outside of designated reference hours, please refer to the Reference Appointment Policy. 

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

The Reference Desk schedule is managed by the Associate Director for Research and Reference Services or an alternate designee.

On-Call Reference Services:

While specific coverage hours may be adjusted to respond to changing needs of the law library’s patrons and availability of staff, all reference librarians are “on call” for patron reference support during those hours. That is, patrons may be directed to any reference librarian for assistance. In addition, on-call reference services will be available during Reading Days, Final Exams, and other times when classes are not scheduled for the College of Law, as well as any other period as determined by Library Administration.

Core Reference Hours:

In addition to being available generally on an “on call” basis, each reference librarian will be scheduled for core reference hours – i.e. specific blocks of time during which patrons will first be directed to them for assistance.

If a request for reference assistance is received while the designated librarian is already engaged with a patron, that request will be directed to the next available reference librarian on an “on call” basis.

Reference Appointments

Appointments for lengthier, more in-depth reference interactions are available to specific patrons of the law library (law school students, faculty, staff and alumni).  

The reference librarian receiving the request (i.e. if they are monitoring the PMLL reference inbox when the e-mail request comes in, or if the patron e-mails them directly) should be the librarian scheduling the appointment. 

While most of the appointments should and will take place during normal reference service hours, it may be necessary, from time to time, to schedule the requested appointment outside of these hours (for example, the night-division students may not be able to come into the library during reference service hours).  Reference librarians should feel free to schedule such after-hours appointments at a time convenient to both the patron and the librarian.  If no such time can be arrived at such that the patron can meet with the reference librarian within a reasonable period after the request, the reference librarian should advise and request assistance from the Associate Director of Research and Reference Services.

Publication of Reference Schedule:

The Reference Desk staffing schedule outlining the core reference times assigned to each reference librarian is issued at the beginning of each academic term.

A copy of the Reference Desk schedule is sent to the library staff and the Supervisor of Administrative Services (Faculty Support). In addition, a print copy of the schedule will be posted at the circulation desk as a guide for circulation desk staff and student workers.

Once the schedule has been issued, librarians are expected to cover their assigned shifts. In the event a reference librarian is unable to work their scheduled shift, or has requested time off that includes the day(s) on which they are scheduled to work core reference hours, it is the reference librarian’s responsibility to 1) find another reference librarian to cover that shift and 2) confirm which reference librarian will be handling that shift to the Associate Director of Research and Reference Services and the circulation manager. Once a shift has been swapped, the reference librarian covering the shift becomes responsible for working that shift as if it were their regular shift, including finding other coverage if that becomes necessary.

If a librarian cannot pre-arrange for coverage (such as in an emergency situation), or has difficulty finding coverage, the Associate Director for Research and Reference Services will assist to assign coverage. In the event no specific coverage is available, then on-call services will be offered until the next designated reference librarian’s shift begins.

In addition to providing “on call” reference assistance, librarians should make themselves available to assist the student employees working at the Circulation Desk. Librarians should inform the Assistant Circulation Manager and/or the Associate Director of Operations and Collections of any non-routine issues that may arise. These may include complaints, personnel issues, bibliographic records in need of editing, study room problems, or any other incident that comes to the librarian’s attention.

The PMLL tracks directional / informational, reference, scholarship, service, faculty support and teaching activity for both statistical and knowledge management purposes. 

Librarians should log all reference, teaching, and faculty support interactions in the designated knowledge-base platform. As of the date of the drafting of this policy, PMLL uses the Gimlet platform.

Librarians should periodically review the knowledge database together to assess which particular issues or questions are raised frequently and whether the response to those issues/questions should be provided as a FAQ on the library’s website or even addressed in a libguide on the topic

PMLL follows NSU College of Law, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and ABA accreditation standards that require tracking library complaints. 

Patron complaints may come in via phone, in person, or via e-mail, and should be handled by a librarian. Student workers and other non-librarian PMLL staff should be trained to communicate any complaints they receive to a librarian for appropriate assessment, documentation and dissemination.

When a librarian receives a complaint, they:

1. Must log the complaint into the PMLL complaint database.  As of the date of the drafting of this policy, PMLL uses the Gimlet platform.
2. Should respond to or address the complaint, or, as appropriate, forward the complaint to an Associate Director for handling.