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First Year Guide

Welcome to the University of Baltimore Law Library!

Welcome!

The purpose of this guide is to help incoming first year students prepare for the start of school. We encourage you to visit our Law Library User Guide, so that you can get the most out of the Law Library during your time in law school.

The Library is Here to Help

If you take nothing else away from this guide, please know that the library's goal is to help you succeed in law school and beyond.  Do not hesitate to contact our Reference staff either:

  • In person on the 7th floor of the library

  • By email (lawlibref@ubalt.edu)

  • By phone (410-837-4559)

The ten-minute rule: If you are working on a research assignment and it takes you more than ten minutes to locate a particular source, ask us for guidance!

    

Major Online Resources

The Law Library subscribes to the three major legal research databases: Westlaw, Lexis, and Bloomberg Law. These databases require a password and are available to UB law faculty, students, and staff. Your login information will be given to you at Orientation. If you have problems signing in, please contact the 7th floor service desk at 410-837-4559 or lawlibref@ubalt.edu.

The library has many additional databases besides these three. If you are on-campus, you will be able to access these databases with no interruptions. If you are off-campus, if you select a paid database, then you will have to go through a proxy server, signing in with the MyUB portal. After signing in, you will be taken directly back to the database.    

What is a proxy/proxy URL? A proxy URL is just a technical way of saying that a URL (a web link) has been configured to check whether a computer has permission to access the website/database located at that URL. Proxy URLs are used for any databases that are limited to specific users, such as those with UBalt or UBalt Law credentials. If you are on a campus internet connection you will barely notice the proxy. If you are not using a campus internet connection you may be prompted by the proxy server to enter your UBalt netID; that's a technical way of saying the computer is acting like a bouncer trying to verify your age before letting you into a bar or club (the database)—instead of giving a bouncer an ID card, you need to provide the proxy server with your UBalt netID. Once you do, you should have no issues! Note, some databases do require you to login using on-campus internet for the first time.

Legal Research Databases: The Big 3