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Research Resources at the Michigan Law Library: Research Guidance

Self-help guide for patrons using the Michigan Law Library.

Kick Off Your Research

Research Guides and FAQs are created by librarians with students in mind, making them some of the most accessible sources of information available. Use them to get answers to basic questions and to get grounded in a topic before beginning a research project.

Research Guides

What are research guides?

Research guides walk users through the basics of a subject area and tips on how to research it. Created by librarians and subject experts, these guides provide a research framework for scholars and highlight print and electronic resources.

How do I find them?

Most research guides are freely accessible through academic websites. The University of Michigan Library and the Michigan Law Library each have research guides, and scholars can find many more through the web. Just search Google for [jurisdiction/topic] legal research guide. This will help you find legal sources for a U.S. state, government institution, body of law, and pretty much anything else.

Like any other legal resource, be sure to verify the accuracy and currency of any information found in a research guide.

Select Sources of Research Guides

FAQs

What are Law Library FAQs?

The Law Library's FAQ page is a bank of questions and answers related to school and library policy and history, as well as reference questions.

Example FAQs:

  • How do Public Law numbers work?
  • Where can I find out more about the seals in the Reading Room stained glass windows?
  • Where can I research the legislative history of taxation?
  • When is winter break?
  • Where can I find Congressional testimony?

Where are they?
The FAQ page can be reached from the link above and from the Law Library's homepage.
Screenshot of law library homepage with red rectangle indicating FAQs link

How to use the FAQ database?
Begin typing a question or keyword into the search box. You can either choose from the dropdown menu of suggested related FAQs or hit Enter and choose from the results list.

Need Help?

  Call us at 734-764-9324

text message icon Text us at 734-329-5606

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  Email us at askalawlibrarian@umich.edu. Emails are answered by Librarians during standard business hours, Monday-Friday. Patrons may expect a response within 1-2 business days for most emails.

  Consult with us. Schedule an appointment to meet with a Reference Librarian.

  Visit us at the Information Desk on Sub-1 for immediate in-person assistance. Open 8 am - midnight, Sunday-Thursday, and 8am - 10pm, Friday-Saturday*

 

The chat service is available to all of our patrons but is designed to meet the legal research needs of U-M students, staff, and faculty.

Chat is monitored from 1-6 pm Monday-Wednesday and 1-5 pm Thursday-Friday on days when class is in session.

*Excluding University holidays and semester breaks--check library hours for more information. The Building and library are available to law school community ONLY after 6 pm, and are closed to all but law school community on home football Saturdays.