Are you interested in borrowing materials from LA Law Library?

Don't let your legal research stop when you leave the library. LA Law Library has an extensive collection of current and historical legal materials. If you want to borrow materials, you are required to fill out an application, show a valid government identification card and leave a deposit.

Patrons can register with the library, leave a refundable deposit and borrow materials from LA Law Library's extensive collection. Please review all of the details and requirements in our borrowing rules.

Convenience

• Don't let your research stop when you leave the library
• Borrow up to seven items at one time for five days (please see borrowing rules for complete information)
• Renewals can be made in person or by phone at 213-785-2529

Accessibility

• Extensive legal materials covering any area of law are available for borrowing
• Call ahead and request materials to be placed on hold to expedite check out

Click here to read our borrowing rules.

Click here to download an application.

Save time by completing a borrower application prior to your visit!

Effective November 1, 2021

Per California Business and Professions Code § 6360, the LA Law Library is open to the public and free for the examination of books and other publications at the library; this includes free use of the library's online legal research databases. LA Law Library cardholders must be 18 years of age or older.

NON-BORROWER LIBRARY CARD

A Non-Borrower library card allows patrons to access the Public Terminal Computers and photocopiers. Library cards must be presented in order to use available resources. Library cards are subject to a replacement charge as stated in the current schedule of fees and charges approved by the Board of Trustees ("Schedule of Fees and Charges"). Users must agree to the Computer Usage Policy.

The following Borrowing Rules apply to individuals and entities wishing to check out materials from the library.

BORROWER LIBRARY CARD REGISTRATION

To borrow books and materials: (1) complete the Borrower Registration Application; (2) submit the appropriate Security Deposit; and (3) pay any additional established and approved charges.

Any subsequent changes to a Borrower's account must be made in writing. Library cards are solely for the use of the person for whom they are issued and must be presented at checkout.

BORROWING RULES

Books and materials may be borrowed from the LA Law Library in accordance with the following Borrowing Rules.

BORROWER CATEGORIES

• Individual –Photo identification with current name and current address is required.*
• Corporate – any law firm, corporate legal department, public interest law office, corporation or other business entity. A corporate borrower may identify, in writing, partners, associates or other employees as designated borrowers. Fines and charges accrued will be the responsibility of the corporate borrower.
• Judicial – any judge, commissioner, magistrate judge or referee of a State or Federal court located in Los Angeles County. A judicial borrower may identify, in writing, research attorneys, law clerks or other employees who do work of a legal nature in the performance of their duties.
• Government – any elected or appointed State, Federal, County, Municipal, special district official or government office who maintains an office in Los Angeles County. A government borrower may identify, in writing, associates or other employees who do work of a legal nature in the performance of his/her duties.
• Reduced Deposit – any individual who presents a court-approved "Waiver of Court Fees and Costs" for a specific, currently pending legal action in any State or Federal court within Los Angeles County in which they are a party. Photo identification with current name and current address is required.* A reduced deposit account expires 90 days after resolution of the case.
• Special Promotion Borrower –  Any person eligible due to a special promotion offered by the LA Law Library. Photo identification with current name and current address is required.*

*Photo Identification: A current California driver's license or an ID card issued by the DMV. If no driver's license or ID card has been issued by the DMV, a registrant may use a current Passport, a School ID card, or other government-issued ID together with proof of a current United States address.

MESSENGERS AND DESIGNATED BORROWERS

An Individual, Corporate, Judicial, or Government Borrower may, in writing, designate persons or services to function as messengers to retrieve and return books for the Borrower upon payment of any applicable fees as set forth in the Schedule of Fees and Charges. The messenger must present proper identification when borrowing materials. The Borrower will be responsible for all fines and charges. Designated services or persons acting as messengers must be renewed on an annual basis, July 1 – June 30, at the rate set forth in the Schedule of Fees and Charges.

SECURITY DEPOSIT

The appropriate security deposit for each borrower category will be collected and placed in a trust account with the treasurer of the county (Cal. Bus. § Prof. Code § 6320). Any interest earned on the trust account will be paid to the Law Library and used for its expenses.

No sooner than two (2) weeks after the return of all borrowed materials, a Borrower may request in writing a refund of a security deposit, less any outstanding fines or charges. Borrowing privileges will cease upon receipt of the written request for refund of the security deposit. Refund of the security deposit will be issued in the form of a check. The security deposit is non-transferrable.

After three (3) years of inactivity on an account, any security deposit that remains unclaimed despite notice to the Borrower's address on file will become the property of LA Law Library (Gov. Code, § 50050).

REFERENCE SERVICES

Reference staff is available to suggest materials in print or electronic format on a particular topic and to arrange for those materials to be placed on hold, or sent to the Borrower via e-delivery, messenger service or UPS. However, LA Law Library does not provide legal advice (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6125). LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an informational and educational service.

CIRCULATION SERVICES

Circulation staff are available during Library open hours to help Borrowers as follows: (1) review a Borrower's record; (2) provide a list of items checked out; (3) identify due dates for items checked out; (4) provide a status report on items requested to be reserved; and (5) provide a status report on any fines or charges that are owed.

LOAN PERIODS

Library materials that circulate are loaned for five (5) days. Individual, Judicial, Government, and Reduced Deposit Borrowers may check out and have up to 7 items in their possession at any one time. Corporate borrowers may check out and have up to 20 items in their possession at any one time. A maximum of five (5) non-book items may be checked out at any given time.

Library materials may be returned in person or through a book drop at the Main Library. A freestanding book drop is located at the driveway entrance on Broadway.

Library staff may grant special loans for items that do not circulate as a courtesy to registered borrowers. Decisions are made by the Patron Services staff and factors considered include, but are not limited to, borrower history and physical condition, uniqueness, age and popularity of the item. Special Loans must be returned to the Circulation desk by the date and time indicated at checkout.

A borrower may not borrow an item on the same day in which it is returned.

If a Borrower fails to return an item within 30 days after its due date, his/her borrowing privileges will be suspended.

RENEWING LIBRARY MATERIALS

Items that circulate may be renewed a maximum of two (2) times. However, items may not be renewed if there is a pending “hold” on the item. If the item is overdue at the time of renewal, the standard overdue fine will be assessed. Special loan items may not be renewed.

Materials may be renewed in person or over the phone by calling 213-785-2529.

CHARGES AND FINES

If materials are returned or renewed late, overdue fines will be assessed at the rate set forth in the Schedule of Fees and Charges . Failure to pay accrued fines may result in the Borrower’s account being suspended and/or turned over to a collection agency.

Library materials are not due on Sundays or on holidays when the Library is closed, but such days will count as days of the circulation period and for calculation of overdue fines.

If Library material is overdue for more than 30 days, the item(s) will be deemed lost and replacement steps initiated. Replacement costs as set forth in the Schedule of Fees and Charges will be assessed and added to the overdue fines.

A Borrower who reports an item as lost, and who confirms the loss in writing, will be charged the amount of the fines accrued at the time of the initial report, plus the replacement cost and the processing charge. If an item deemed lost is returned before a replacement is ordered, the charges will be reduced to the overdue fines as stated in the Schedule of Fees and Charges.

Books and materials lost but later found remain property of the LA Law Library and must be returned, even if they have been replaced. No credit adjustments will be made for a lost item returned after a replacement has been ordered.

An item which, in the judgment of the Library Director or his/her designee, is significantly damaged or defaced will be deemed lost unless it may be suitably repaired, in which case a charge equal to the cost of making repairs will be made against the Borrower.

Judicial Borrowers will be responsible for all charges other than fines.

Under Federal law, library fines are not eligible for dismissal in bankruptcy (11 USC 523(a)(7)).

The Library will charge for replacement library cards at the rate established in the Schedule of Fees and Charges.

SUSPENSIONS / TERMINATIONS

If a Borrower fails to return library materials or to pay the due amount of fines or charges within 30 days of a mailed invoice, all borrowing privileges will be suspended until the amount due is paid. If the outstanding amount is not paid within 30 days following the date of the suspension, the amount owed will be deducted from the Borrower’s Security Deposit. Borrowing privileges will remain suspended until the outstanding amount is paid. If the outstanding amount is greater than the Security Deposit, the entire deposit will be taken and the Borrower’s account will be closed.

For Special Promotion Borrowers who were not required to provide a Security Deposit, accrual of unpaid fines or charges in excess of the standard deposit for individuals or failure to pay fines or charges within 30 days of a mailed invoice will result in account closure.

A Borrower whose borrowing privileges have been suspended or whose account has been closed, including those whose accounts have been transferred to a collections agency, will not qualify for another borrowing category until the suspension has been removed, outstanding amounts have been paid in full and the Security Deposit has been made whole.

A Borrower whose borrowing privileges have been suspended or whose account has been closed may, in writing, request the return of their security deposit, less any fines or charges accrued, at any time within three (3) years after their borrowing privileges have ceased. Any balance of the Security Deposit remaining and not requested in writing at the end of the three (3) years will become the property of the LA Law Library.

Borrowing Rules in PDF available here.