Q. I am a member of the Liverpool Law Society, can I use the University Library?

The Harold Cohen Library is open 24 hours a day during the academic year, the Sydney Jones Library opens from 08:00 - 22:00 until the summer revision. If you wish to speak to a member of staff when you visit the library, please ensure that you visit during staffed hours.

The Law Collection contains key reference works such as Halsburys Laws and Halsburys Statutes, plus historical material such as Statutes at Large and older law reports series which are not available online. Current general and specialist law reports series and academic journals are also available. Jurisdictions covered include the UK, the EU, Canada, the US and Australia.

In addition to primary sources and academic journals, there is a large collection of textbooks and monographs reflecting the teaching and research interests of the Liverpool Law School staff and students.

You can find the location of the individual titles in the Library Search records, so you should check the exact location of the item you need before you head to the shelves.

Most of the printed law books and journals (except law reports) are located in the Sydney Jones Library on the 2nd floor Grove Wing.

Most of the printed law reports are held in Store in the Harold Cohen Library. Head to the Help Desk at the Harold Cohen Library (HCL) during the Library's staffed hours. You can find the opening hours for the HCL Help Desk on this webpage here. Make sure you check Library Search in order to make a note of the classmark and any other identifying information (e.g. year and volume) of the item you would like to consult before you go. During busy periods, you may need to wait or pop back later, so that staff have time to retrieve the volume for you.

We also have some law books, journals and reports in the Brunswick Library Store. As the Brunswick store is an off-site store, you will need to request this material in advance of your visit. You should request the item via the Click and Collect function in Library Search. For more information see How do I reserve a book via the Library's Click and Collect service?

Liverpool Law Society members can join the Library as borrowing members. Please apply in person at either the Sydney Jones or Harold Cohen Library. Bring photo identification and proof of Law Society Membership. Membership will be for one year and can be renewed.

Liverpool Law Society members can borrow ten items for four weeks. Items will be auto-renewed every four weeks unless requested by another customer. The only exception to this are Library Use Only books which can be used within the Library for reference purposes only. These are clearly labelled with a yellow sticker. Society members can borrow material from the entire print collection; borrowing rights are not restricted to the Law Collection.

Please note that membership is offered on an individual basis, not by Firm or Chambers.

The majority of our electronic resources are only available to staff and students of the University of Liverpool owing to the license agreements we sign. However, as a member of the Liverpool Law Society, if you register with us you are able to use our ‘walk-in’ service to access a large proportion of our electronic journals, electronic books and some databases for personal, non-commercial use. Note that there is no access to Lexis+ or Westlaw. For more guidance on the use of our electronic resources see the Acceptable use of e-resources policy.

Check Library Search or the e-Resources, A-Z to find out which electronic resources we subscribe to. If you wish to use a specific electronic resource, contact the library in advance of your journey to ensure the resource is available via our ‘walk-in’ scheme.

For more information, ask at the Help Desk in the Sydney Jones Library or the Harold Cohen Library, email us at library@liverpool.ac.uk, or call us on 0151 794 9500.

You are able to photocopy using one of the MFDs (Multi-Functioning Device). Several machines throughout the library.
The MFDs are operated by using a card. Photocopying cards cost a £1 and can be purchased and topped up from the Help Desk in the Sydney Jones Library or Harold Cohen help desk. For photocopying costs, see ITS's print and photocopying costs.

If we do not have the book you require in stock, registered Society members can use our Inter-Library Loans service for a non-refundable charge of £6.00 per request. 

Library staff are available to help you find your way around the Library and locate the material that you need. Staff can provide support from registration and basic directions, through borrowing books, to help with searching our collections for material, however they cannot interpret the law or undertake lengthy research.

The Library at The Law Society in London is available to all solicitors. You can visit in person or phone, fax or email your legal information enquiries to a team

Contact the Law Librarian for further information and support.

Below is a selection of links to freely available resources that may help you in your search for legal information:

• BAILII The British and Irish Legal Information Institute - Free access to British and Irish case law and legislation, EU case law, Law Commission Reports and other law-related documentation.
• Find Case Law - The National Archives - The Find Case Law service provides public access to Court Judgments and Tribunal decisions from the England and Wales High Court, the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and tribunal decisions from the Upper Tribunals. This website is currently in development (alpha version).
• WORLDLII The World Legal Information Institute - Provides free access to worldwide law.
• EUR-Lex - The official source for EU law.
• www.legislation.gov.uk - Contains the original and revised versions of legislation, bringing together the Statute Law Database and the information on the Office for Public Sector Information (OPSI) website.
• Hansard - Searchable online access to both the House of Commons and House of Lords Hansard.
• Courts and Tribunals Judiciary - Free online access to House of Lords and Supreme Court judgments.
• WLR Daily - Free service from the ICLR providing case summaries within 24 hours of judgment.
• The Law Commission - Access to the full-text of recent consultation papers and reports.
• Official Documents - Contains Command Papers and House of Commons Papers from 2005 onwards.