Many casebook publishers provided digital access to casebooks during the Spring 2020 semester when classes moved online abruptly due to the outbreak of COVID-19. However, this emergency access expired in May 2020. Students should plan to purchase all casebooks (in print or digital format) moving forward. If you have any questions, please contact the Reference Desk at lawref@unc.edu.
The UNC Law Library has expanded its offering of digital study aids for current UNC Law students. Law students can log in to these databases with their ONYEN and password. Print study aids remain unavailable while the physical law library is closed.
The Wolters Kluwer Study Aids Digital Library provides access to digital study aids and options for reading offline. Students can watch an introductory video here. Study aid titles available in this digital collection include:
The West Academic Study Aids Collection provides access to digital books, audio books, and video materials. By creating an account, students can highlight and take notes. Once you have accessed the platform via your ONYEN and password, click “Create an Account” in the upper righthand corner and follow the prompts to set up your account. Study aid titles available in this digital collection include:
The LexisNexis Digital Library allows you to read eBooks online and download an app for offline reading. Study aid titles available in this digital library include:
CALI materials review legal principles covered in law school courses and take students through a series of programmed instructional sessions to evaluate their understanding and knowledge. UNC Law students are able to set up accounts and are encouraged to email the law library's Reference Desk for registration instructions.
UNC Law students and faculty have continued access to their legal databases during times when the physical library is closed. Please view the Legal Databases page of the Law Library website to access your databases.
Law students may use their Bloomberg Law account for any research that they conduct throughout their time in law school, including over the summer.
Law students automatically have full access to Lexis+ all summer for both educational and work purposes. During this Summer Access period, students may use their Lexis+ IDs to conduct research for their summer positions at law firms, courts, government agencies and public interest organizations.
Law students automatically have access to Thomson Reuters products, including Westlaw Edge and Practical Law, over the summer for non-commercial research. They can turn to these resources to gain understanding and build confidence in their research skills, but they cannot use them in situations where they are billing a client. Examples of permissible uses for academic password include the following:
UNC Law faculty and students continue to have full access to dozens of other legal databases, including HeinOnline, VitalLaw, Law360, and Fastcase. A list of these databases can be viewed on the law library's Legal Databases page.
Graduating law students retain complete access to Bloomberg Law for six months after graduation. They do not need to register for this extension.
Graduating law students automatically retain access to Lexis+ through December 31, 2020. Their Student Homepage will transition to a new Graduate Homepage after July 5th. At that time, they will also have the opportunity to select an additional subscription to Law360, Lexis Practice Advisor, or Lexis for Microsoft Office or they may select one of 13 LexisNexis eBooks. Additionally, the Graduate Homepage provides access to research resources, videos, career support and breaking legal news.
Graduating law student can use Thomson Reuters products, including Westlaw and Practical Law, for 18-months after graduation. “Grad Elite” access gives graduating students 60-hours of usage per month, with no restrictions against using them for professional purposes. Graduating students will need to actively extend their access by logging into Westlaw after graduation or clicking on this link: https://lawschool.westlaw.com/authentication/gradelite.
After graduation, law students will not have access to databases that require authentication with their ONYEN and password.
If you need help accessing or navigating any of the legal databases available to members of the UNC Law community, please visit the Reference Desk in person, by email at refdesk@unc.edu, or by phone at 919-962-1194. Reference librarians are also available to help in recovering account details for access to the databases.
