USC Law Library Information

Most of our materials are electronic and require a current USC and/or Gould login for access. The library does maintain a limited physical collection of books that can be checked out.

All members of the USC community may borrow our books, but physical library access is limited to current Gould law students and USC faculty and staff.

Course Reserve books check out for two hours at a time and are for in-library use only. Most other books check out for the remainder of the semester but may be recalled by another student or USC employee at any time.

Search for Law Library books with our online catalog. To search for books at the USC Libraries, which is a separate library system from the Law Library, see our Catalogs Guide.

If you are a current USC student or employee but are not affiliated with USC Gould School of Law, we need to set up a library book account for you before you can check out our books. (Non-Gould students, please note that this account allows you to borrow our books but does not grant library access. We will check out the books to your account and hold them for you at the library's service counter.)

To apply for a library book account, please complete this form.

Reserve books are located behind the library's service counter. Books that are not on reserve are located on the library's third floor. Our bookshelves are open to current Gould students (including Legal Studies majors), and USC faculty and staff. All other undergraduates and non-Gould USC students may email us the book's information, and we will let you know when you can pick it up.

If a book is not on the shelf where it should be, Gould law students may request it through our online catalog.

Instructions for Requesting an Item

1. Search for the book in the search bar in ADVOCAT, the Law Library's catalog.
2. When you find the book you want, click the Request it button located to the right of the title. You will be taken to the Law Library Account login page.

1. Enter your name and USC ID number. If the system states that your USC ID number is invalid, please email circ@law.usc.edu.
2. Once you have logged in, select and enter a deadline date. Please note that requests may take up to two weeks.
3. After confirming details, click Submit.
4. Click OK to finalize your request.

By requesting a book, you are placing a hold on it. Once the Law Library receives your request, we must retrieve it from the person who has it, or attempt to locate it, if it is missing. This can take up to two weeks. If you need an item sooner than two weeks, please email circ@law.usc.edu. We will attempt to help, but we are unable to guarantee a book on short notice.