General Statement of Policy
Brooklyn Law School is a private law school. Brooklyn Law School faculty, students, and staff with valid identification cards are permitted to use the library without restriction. Alumni with current membership cards have unlimited access to the library’s print resources and limited access to certain digital resources for research purposes. When asked, visitors must present valid identification to the lobby guard or to any member of the library staff. If a visitor does not have proper identification, access to the library will be denied.
U.S. Government Depository
The Brooklyn Law School library is a member of the Federal Depository Library Program, serving as a selective depository for U.S. government documents. This collection is accessible to the public during regular library hours. Patrons who need access to the collection must request specific assistance at the reference desk in order to be directed to the appropriate depository resources.
Students/Faculty from Other Law Schools
Individuals from local law schools may use the library by presenting their identification card or the appropriate pass as listed below:
- New York Law School and CUNY Law School students with valid law school identification cards.
- Full-time faculty members and law students of other New York metropolitan area law schools with valid Academic Law Library Directors of Greater New York (ALLDGNY) passes that request specific materials unavailable in their own library collections and with a valid date for access.
- Full-time faculty members and a limited number of law students of other New York metropolitan area law schools may also use the library for a semester by presenting a letter of introduction from their library to a reference librarian. Upon receipt of this letter, the student or faculty member will be issued a visitor’s pass for the semester.
METRO Referral Card Holders
Members of the public who need to use specific material from our collection must first obtain a yellow METRO referral card from their public or academic library. METRO referral patrons are restricted to one card per user per week. METRO referrals are valid from Monday through Saturday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. METRO referral cards are not accepted during the BLS reading and examination periods. METRO referral patrons do not have access to our e-resources.
Attorneys Affiliated with Non–Profit Organizations
The Library will provide access to a limited number of attorneys working for non-profit organizations, for limited periods of time. To request such access, an individual attorney must send or fax a letter, in advance, on his/her organization’s letterhead. Please include the name of the attorney requesting use of the library, contact information (address, telephone, fax, and e-mail), and the dates needed for access. Please attach a photocopy of the attorney’s current employment ID. Visiting attorneys do not have access to our e-resources.
This letter should be sent to:
Linda Holmes
Associate Law Librarian
Brooklyn Law School Library
250 Joralemon Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
or faxed to her at (718) 780-0369
Upon approval, a visitor’s pass will be provided; this pass is non-transferable. The pass must then be presented at each visit, along with a picture ID indicating proof of employment with the relevant organization, to the lobby guard before entering the library. Both the pass and ID must be presented at each visit or access will be denied. Such access will be limited in duration, with the maximum of two (2) weeks permitted per request.
Other Attorneys
To accommodate the research needs of local attorneys who are not graduates of Brooklyn Law School and need access to legal materials, the library has arranged for access through a contribution to the Law School’s annual fund. Visiting attorneys do not have access to our e-resources.
Such users are given passes to the library, valid for the current annual fund year. Please contact the Office of Development at (718) 780-7966 for further information.
Bar Exam Study
A limited number of bar exam study passes are available for sale to non-Brooklyn Law School graduates who graduated from law school within the previous twelve months and are preparing to take the next scheduled New York bar examination. The amount of the fee and date that the passes will be available will be posted on the library web page News and Announcements. Individuals purchasing a pass must present a dated law school ID card or letter from their school indicating their date of graduations and a second form of picture identification issued by a government agency. Passes may be purchased at the library reference desk.
The purchase of a bar exam study pass entitles the individual to use the facilities of the Brooklyn Law School Library, with the exception of the workstations, databases, printers, wireless access and the study/conference rooms.
Bar exam study for non-Brooklyn Law School graduates is a courtesy. This access is conditional: visitors must comply with all library rules and policies. Any non-BLS graduate who violates any rule or policy will lose his or her right to use the library for the remainder of the bar exam study period and will forfeit any fees paid.